Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ATHENS1099
2006-04-27 14:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Athens
Cable title:  

LIBERTAD ACT: GREEK STANCE ON CUBA

Tags:  PREL ETRD ETTC CU GR 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO6713
RR RUEHAG
DE RUEHTH #1099 1171401
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 271401Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5262
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0004
C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 001099 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CCA, EUR/SE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2016
TAGS: PREL ETRD ETTC CU GR
SUBJECT: LIBERTAD ACT: GREEK STANCE ON CUBA

REF: A. SECSTATE 57782

B. 05 ATHENS 3030

Classified By: Poloff Karen Grissette for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

(U) Post provides the following answers keyed to questions
posed in ref A:

C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 001099

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CCA, EUR/SE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2016
TAGS: PREL ETRD ETTC CU GR
SUBJECT: LIBERTAD ACT: GREEK STANCE ON CUBA

REF: A. SECSTATE 57782

B. 05 ATHENS 3030

Classified By: Poloff Karen Grissette for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

(U) Post provides the following answers keyed to questions
posed in ref A:


1. (C) Vassilios Konstantineas, Expert Minister Counselor at
the MFA Latin American Directorate, confirmed on April 27
that the GoG remains unaware of any substantial investments
in Cuba by Greek nationals. The GoG does not maintain a
comprehensive list of investments in Cuba by its nationals,
and there are no known major Greek investments in Cuba, joint
ventures with the Government of Cuba, or significant trading
relationships with Cuba.


2. (C) Konstantineas suggested that there are "likely"
bilateral trade agreements between Greece and Cuba, however,
the MFA has not yet provided comprehensive information on any
such agreements. Post will update this information when it
is received.


3. (C) On February 20, the Vice Rector of Aristotle
University in Thessaloniki, Ekaterina Douka Kampitoglou, and
the Cuban Ambassador to Greece, Hermes Herrera, announced a
program of cooperation in fine arts, energy, administration,
environment, bio-technology, informatics, and medicine
between Aristotle and Cuban universities. Thessaloniki CG
met with Kampitoglou April 19 and learned individual
departments of Aristotle would propose cooperation programs,
after which bilateral agreement governing the cooperation
would be signed. According to Kampitoglou, none of the
University's Departments has taken action yet, and the
academic cooperation would not include any Greek investment
in Cuba. Hellenic Aid, the development arm of the MFA,
reported in 2006 that it has allocated 75,000 euros to reopen
the vascular surgery laboratory and to supply the diabetics
unit with ultrasound machinery and diagnostic equipment at
the University Hospital in Santiago, as well as to create and
set up laboratories to diagnose childhood
encephalopathy-epilepsy at the University Hospital in Havana.


4. (C) In Post's opinion, Greece will continue to follow the
EU common position to support the development of democracy
and human rights in Cuba. Greece's bilateral relationship
with Cuba remains very limited and driven by the EU agenda.


5. (C) There have been no high level visits between Cuba and
Greece in the past six months.
Ries