EUR/SE DEPUTY VISIT TO ATHENS: EXCELLENT BILATERAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ATHENS 001293 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/15/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL SR TU CY GR SUBJECT: EUR/SE DEPUTY VISIT TO ATHENS: EXCELLENT BILATERAL RELATIONS Classified By: CDA TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) 1.(C) SUMMARY: In Athens May 9-12 for his orientation visit, EUR/SE Deputy Director Baxter Hunt met with Greek MFA officials, opposition party members, TIP experts (septel),and Thrace MP Ilan Ahmet (septel) to discuss U.S.-Greece bilateral relations, Greece's role in the Balkans, prospects for a Cyprus resolution, and Turkey-Greek bilateral relations. Interlocutors highlighted that U.S.-Greek and Greek-Turkish bilateral relations are at their best level in years. Hunt expressed U.S. gratitude for Greece's support in advancing Turkey's EU accession aspirations and hoped that Greece would recognize the significance a Cyprus solution plays in the success of Turkey's EU accession process. Hunt pressed GoG to continue to constructively engage the Greek Cypriots to work toward a resolution, but heard nothing new from this level of the MFA. END SUMMARY. Cyprus: Onus on Turks -------------- ¶2. (C) Baxter Hunt discussed the resolution of Cyprus with several MFA interlocutors on May 11th and May 12th,including Turkey Director Ambassador Zafeiropoulos and Cyprus Deputy Director Andreas Papadakis. Both agreed Cyprus is a significant source of tension that must be resolved, and Turkey's EU accession aspirations provide an exceptional opportunity for progress. Papadakis argued for harnessing the post- Paris "momentum" to shift discussion from technical issues to more sensitive political topics. ¶3. (C) Annan Plan: According to Papadakis, Greece recognizes the Annan Plan cannot be fully discarded. However, gaining Greek Cypriot support is key to brokering a resolution and will require a new plan with a new name that at least promotes the perception of new gains for Greek-Cypriots. Papadakis highlighted the problem of properties and the Turks' role in guaranteeing Greek Cypriot security as examples of areas ripe for revision. Greek Cypriots must be convinced the Turks will abide by their obligations. ¶4. (C) Obstacles: Papadakis highlighted the ports issue as an area where Turkey has refused to honor its obligations. Ambassador Zafeiropoulos stressed success rests on Turkey understanding that international esteem gained by resolving the Cyprus problem far outweighs the benefits of maintaining the status quo. He explained that the GoG views Turkey's demand for a concession-based quid-pro-quo arrangement with Greece over Cyprus issues as unacceptable. Both interlocutors agreed symbolic gestures from the Turks could end the current impasse. For example, if Turkey were to remove a token 1000 troops from the island, it would create enormous goodwill while having limited practical impact. Zafeiropoulos lamented that the GoT refuses to advance outstanding issues without GoG agreement to reciprocate, what he sees as a manifestation of Turkey's counterproductive mentality. Greek-Turkish Relations: Keep Reform Momentum, Encourage Dialogue -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) Zafeiropoulos characterized the Greek-Turkish bilateral relationship as both good and improving. He was pleased to report his Directorate has finally moved beyond crisis management to proactive engagement with Turkey. (Nothing was mentioned concerning recent events that signal Greek- Turkish rapprochement is going through a rough patch.) He added GoG supports Turkey's EU accession with the same vigor "as the UK camp," yet stressed GoG is adamant Turkey must first meet all its EU accession requirements. Zafeiropoulos emphasized, however, that Greece is not only concerned about accession requirements that directly impact Greek-Turkish relations, but seeks to ensure Turkey complies with all EU requirements. On this note, he is disappointed Turkey appears to be losing its reform momentum. ATHENS 00001293 002 OF 003 ¶6. (C) Zafereiropoulos characterized the recent spate of high-level meetings between Greece and Turkey as incremental measures to cultivate and normalize relations, which both sides recognize as important. Subjects raised during these meetings range from routine economic issues to more sensitive bilateral topics, although the intention is to build momentum by facilitating on-going dialogue rather than to focus on concrete results. In terms of the oft-postponed Karamanlis visit to Turkey, Zafeiropoulos reported this remains on the table, but is a matter of timing. Balkans: U.S.-Greece on same page, Christidis suggests Serbia Donor Conference -------------- --- ¶7. (C) MFA Balkans Director Christidis described the GoG's leadership role in the Balkans as an important dimension of GoG foreign policy. GoG seeks to integrate the region into western institutions and agencies such as NATO and the EU in order to promote regional stability. Once a stable environment is secured, focus can shift to economic development, fighting unemployment,and combating organized crime. Seeking an acceptable and permanent resolution to the final status of Kosovo, while limiting its adverse impact on Serbia, are key elements to cementing regional stability. ¶8. (C) Kosovo/Serbia: Christidis characterized the recent SEECP Summit in Thessaloniki as a success. He stressed the GoG shares the USG position that we must keep all parties actively engaged. We need to continue to pressure Belgrade, he went on, to remain constructively engaged, yet ensure they maintain realistic expectations, and we need to encourage Kosovo Serbs to participate in Kosovar institutions. Christidis said we must also understand the extent to which Belgrade's difficult political environment is hostage to populists and extremists. Christidis downplayed the divergent view between FM Bakoyiannis and the Secretary regarding deadlines and understood the USG position that maintaining a clear timeframe will pressure the Serbs to make decisions on Kosovo. Christidis concluded that Greece and the U.S. are essentially on the same page, with a discrepancy of a few months or so on resolution. Christidis added that, ultimately, Belgrade may opt to choose the path of least resistance and have a solution imposed. He suggested we combat this potential tactic by emphasizing to Belgrade that making difficult political decisions can result in real benefits to its electorate. In this regard, he proposed a donors conference for Serbia along the lines of the Kosovo donors conference. ¶9. (C) Other: Christidis reported there are comforting signs indicating the Romania and Bulgaria EU accession process remains on track for January 2007. He also predicted Montenegro will reach its 55 percent threshold for independence in the May 21 referendum, stating Belgrade may find living with a friendly satellite state the best solution. Regarding the Macedonia name issue, Christidis stressed the GoG position is for EU accession to happen only under a name acceptable to both sides. He reiterated GoG disappointment with the November 2004 U.S. recognition of the constitutional name, saying it was not simply a matter of semantics, but deprived Greece of Macedonian history and tradition. He also highlighted what he saw as a worrisome trend in the Macedonian educational system, showing Hunt Macedonian maps which contained large parts of present-day Greece. Christidis said that Macedonia is "sowing the seeds" of revisionist history that could result in future Macedonian claims on Greek territory. In this vein, he noted that a Greek TV crew recently interviewed Macedonian teachers and students and found that nearly all thought parts of current Greek territory, even reaching down to Larissa in central Greece, were really Macedonian. ATHENS 00001293 003 OF 003 U.S.-Greek Bilateral Relations: Better Than Ever, What About VWP? -------------- -------------- ¶10. (C) Hunt met with MFA North America Deputy Director Vassiloconstandakis, who emphasized that our bilateral relations are "perhaps the best in recent history." He noted the MFA viewed Secretary's recent visit as extremely successful, SIPDIS highlighted our excellent defense cooperation relationship, and reiterated Greece's interest in hosting a BMENA Conference when the time is right. He ticked off other examples of cooperation: the war on terror, the 2004 Olympic Games, a memorandum on combating crime, an international agreement against terror, Greece's contributions in Afghanistan and Iraq, the GoG's leadership role promoting stability in the Balkans, and our shared vision of an EU-integrated Turkey. Vassiloconstandakis noted that he seeks to strengthen bilateral economic relations by reviving a bilateral trade and commerce committee that operated in 1998-2001. He also raised Greece's strong desire to join the Visa Waiver Program. Hunt responded that the State Department is working to present a complete picture on Greece's candidacy, but that the issue is complicated and involves many actors, including the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Congress. PASOK Opposition Optimistic for Future -------------- ¶11. (C) Hunt met with MP Grigoris Niotis, member of the main opposition party PASOK's International Affairs Committee, on May 11th. Topics included the excellent Greek-U.S. relations that were developed over two decades of PASOK rule; PASOK's support for Turkey's EU accession, with emphasis on the need for Turkey to adhere to internal domestic reforms; a solution for Cyprus, noting PASOK was the only Greek party to support the Annan Plan; and PASOK's desire to see Greece added to the Visa Waiver Program. Niotis added that PASOK shares U.S. concern over Iran's nuclear program, and recognized the importance of the U.S. military facility at Souda Bay. He was optimistic for PASOK's future, and predicted the next parliamentary elections will take place spring 2007. He portrayed the leading party, the New Democracy (ND),as vulnerable and lacking solutions for a failing economy, rising inflation, and rising unemployment. By contrast, he portrayed PASOK as the party of positive policies. He cited his party's social security measures and Papandreou's nomination of a Pomak Muslim candidate for a nomarch position in Western Thrace as areas where PASOK is in the forefront of change. ¶12. (C) COMMENT: A recurrent theme during this visit was that U.S.- Greece relations are at their best in years. That is true. When MFA officials tried to say the same about Greece- Turkey relations, their claim had a more hollow ring. While relations are certainly better than they were before 1999, there is not much recently to show for it. The discussion on Cyprus remains stuck, with the Greek MFA at mid-level putting the onus on Turkey and not thinking much about how they can help move the process forward. When Hunt suggested that if the EU were to move on direct trade with the Turkish Cypriots, this might provide PM Erdogan with the political cover he needs to open Turkish ports, MFA interlocutors showed little interest. Countryman