Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ATHENS1821
2006-07-13 14:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Athens
Cable title:  

GEORGE PAPANDREOU INVITES IRANIAN FM MOTTAKI TO

Tags:  PREL PGOV PTER PARM IR GR MARR MNUC MOPS PINR 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ATHENS 001821 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR EUR/SE, NEA/IR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/13/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PARM IR GR MARR MNUC MOPS PINR
SUBJECT: GEORGE PAPANDREOU INVITES IRANIAN FM MOTTAKI TO
"COFFEE" JULY 15 WITH THE SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL PRESIDIUM

REF: A. ATHENS 01780


B. ATHENS 01804

Classified By: Ambassador Charles P. Ries for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ATHENS 001821

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR EUR/SE, NEA/IR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/13/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PARM IR GR MARR MNUC MOPS PINR
SUBJECT: GEORGE PAPANDREOU INVITES IRANIAN FM MOTTAKI TO
"COFFEE" JULY 15 WITH THE SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL PRESIDIUM

REF: A. ATHENS 01780


B. ATHENS 01804

Classified By: Ambassador Charles P. Ries for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: George Papandreou's closest foreign policy
adviser Droutsas told Ambassador July 13 that Iranian FM
Mottaki would be joining the Socialist International
Presidium "for coffee" on July 15 on the Greek island of
Samos. The invitation was extended when Papandreou visited
Tehran on behalf of the SI last month. Papandreou believes
"channels of communication" with the Iranians should be kept
open on the nuclear issue but has "strictly" kept to the
international consensus on substance. Mottaki confirmed that
he would come when he got an appointment with the government
in Athens for July 14 (reftel). End summary.


2. (C) On July 13, Ambassador spoke to close George
Papandreou aide Dimitris Droutsas to ask for more information
on Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki's travel to the Greek
island of Samos to meet with the Socialist International's
"Presidium." Droutsas explained that Papandreou, as
President of the Socialist International, has been interested
in making the organization more visible and relevant, "taking
advantage of" Papandreou's stature as a former Foreign
Minister. On this rubric, Papandreou had traveled to Tehran
last month, and to Syria this week. In Iran, Papandreou's
expressed views that "did not deviate" from the international
consensus. He urged the Iranians to accept the P5 plus 1
offer to resolve the nuclear dispute and to suspend
enrichment.


3. (C) Droutsas said that in order to continue in this
effort to convince the Iranians to see the value in

cooperating with the west, and "to keep lines of
communication open," in Tehran Papandreou invited Mottaki to
meet the SI Presidium on the margins of the Presidium's
meeting in Samos July 15. Mottaki had said then he would
look into his schedule and travel logistics. Papandreou's
Pasok party subsequently learned that Mottaki was disposed to
come only if he could also have a government meeting while in
Athens. As reported reftel, earlier this week Mottaki got a
meeting with PM Karamanlis and then confirmed for Samos with
the SI.


4. (C) Ambassador asked how it could be that the SI would
invite to its meeting a Foreign Minister not otherwise
affiliated (by party or otherwise) to the institution.
Droutsas said Mottaki was not being invited to take part in
the Presidium itself, and in fact Mottaki would only be in
Samos for a matter of hours Saturday afternoon. When he
arrives about 1 pm, the Presidium "will interrupt" its
meeting and have "coffee" with Mottaki and chat about the
Middle East region's problems. According to Droutsas,
Papandreou intends to "reinforce" the message that Iran
should accept the international community's nuclear offer, as
well as press Mottaki to get its Hezbollah allies to be
responsible in dealing with Israel, including by releasing
the hostages. Following the coffee, Mottaki will leave Samos
the same Saturday afternoon, Droutsas said.


5. (C) Thus far, the following Presidium members have
confirmed their plans to travel to Samos for the meeting
(spelling phonetic):

Mexico: Mr. Solorsano, Chairman of the PLD party and former
Presidential candidate

Morocco: Mohamed El-Yazghi, Minister of the Environment

Turkey: Deniz Baykal, leader of the CHP party

Belgium: Elias di Rupo


ATHENS 00001821 002 OF 002


UK: Lord George Fowkes

Norway: Former PM Jaglund

Italy: Secretary General Fassimo of the Socialist Party

Hungary: Lazlo Kovac, EU Commissioner for Customs Affairs

Denmark: Former PM Rasmussen

Senegal: Socialist Party Secretary General Ding


6. (C) Ambassador expressed concern that at this delicate
moment - when the P5 plus 1 foreign ministers had
recommended that the Security Council take up the failure of
Iran to take up the international community's offer on
nuclear issues, and when the Iranian client Hezbollah
militants had gravely exacerbated the crisis in the Middle
East by taking hostages - to receive FM Mottaki in such a
setting would give the wrong impression. Droutsas responded
that Papandreou would stick "strictly" to the international
consensus. In fact, Papandreou had been in direct touch
recently with Under Secretary Burns and EU Secretary General
Solana to make sure he understood what the international
community is asking of Iran (and Syria) and to convey what he
is hearing on his travels. Droutsas added that Papandreou
"believes that at such moments it is important to keep
channels of communication open."


7. (C) Ambassador asked for an appointment with Papandreou
early next week to discuss these issues. Droutsas said that
following the SI Presidium event, Papandreou will host the
ninth annual weeklong "Symi Conference," (also in Samos) and
so will not be in Athens until the week of July 28.
(Attending the Symi conference are a variety of international
academics including Richard Parker of the JFK School at
Harvard and Nobel prize winning economist Amatya Sen.)


8. (C) Comment: As leader of Pasok, the leading Greek
opposition party, Papandreou is finding it hard to make
progress against the governing New Democracy party, and local
elections are approaching in October. Pasok's message has
been muddled on such high profile issues as educational
reform or economic management. The party faithful are
increasingly muttering about his leadership and the poll
numbers are down. The bad domestic news perhaps explains why
Papandreou has a renewed interest in using his SI Presidency
to gallivant in foreign affairs, his first love in any case.
Septel follows on Pasok's woes.



RIES