GREECE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO SUPPORT NATO-MIDDLE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 001092 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/SE AND EUR/SPM E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2016 TAGS: MARR NATO PREL PGOV GR SUBJECT: GREECE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO SUPPORT NATO-MIDDLE EAST COOPERATION CENTER REF: STATE 63202 Classified By: Political Counselor Karen B. Decker for reasons 1.4(b/d) (C) Greece strongly supported the idea of expanding training for students from MD and ICI countries, including via the establishment of a NATO training center in the region, MFA NATO Division official Andreas Kintis told poloff April 26. Already, he said, the government was looking at specific ways to assist in this effort. Specifically, Greece was prepared to send 2-3 military officers to a proposed combined MD/ICI/NATO training course. Additionally, assuming that NATO succeeded in establishing a training center in an MD or ICI country, Greece would consider sending mobile training teams from the Greek PfP center in Kilkis to provide training. This depended, Kintis noted, on whether Greek instructors were qualified in subjects of interest to the MD/ICI countries. Finally, he said, students for the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operation Training Center that Greece was establishing in Crete should come primarily from countries in the region -- MD and ICI countries, but also other north African states. Ries