NEW TIP SPOKESMAN DETAILS GOG EFFORTS TO STOP

UNCLAS ATHENS 001836 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/SE, EUR/PGI, G/TIP, INL/HTSC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM KWMN GR TIP SUBJECT: NEW TIP SPOKESMAN DETAILS GOG EFFORTS TO STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING, RESPONDS TO ACTION PLAN REF: A. STATE 109288 ¶B. 05 ATHENS 3144 This message is sensitive but unclassified, please protect accordingly. ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Ambassador discussed the latest TIP developments and passed the 2006-2007 TIP action plan to the GOG's new Spokesman for its Interministerial Committee on trafficking in persons on July 10. The Spokesman detailed the GoG's recent TIP actions and goals, including training officials, increasing NGO funding, making legislative changes, reestablishing the victim hotline, and conducting a major law enforcement operation. He assured Ambassador that the MFA will act against corruption allegations at Greek embassies and consulates, and dismissed allegations of fraud at the Greece's mission in Moscow. The Spokesman "is happy" with Greece's upgraded Tier Two position, and we are encouraged by Greece's continual efforts to combat human trafficking. We will be interested to see how well these actions translate into increased victim protection and prosecution of traffickers. END SUMMARY. NEW TIP POINT OF CONTACT AT MFA -------------- ¶2. (U) Ambassador met with Haralambos Rocanas, new Spokesman of the Interministerial Committee (IC) on Trafficking in Persons and MFA Secretary General on July 10 to formally deliver the TIP action plan (Ref A) and congratulate him on his new TIP role. FM Bakoyannis' appointment of Rocanas to the TIP portfolio is a signal of her close attention to the issue. Rocanas takes over the MFA seat on the IC from more-junior Ambassador Frangisko Verros, who had been head of the MFA's UN Directorate. Rocanas was previously Ambassador to both China and Kuwait, and during his 29 year career has also served in Genoa, Istanbul, Washington, New York, and the MFA. Also present at the July 10 meeting was Hercules Moskoff, Special Advisor on Human Security from Hellenic Aid, the MFA's assistance arm. Moskoff continues to play a key advisory role to the IC on TIP, and will visit the U.S. for the EURP "Foreign Policy Challenges" International Visitor program in October. SPOKESMAN OUTLINES CONTINUAL TIP PROGRESS -------------- ¶3. (U) Rocanas, who by all accounts is new to the TIP issue, flawlessly detailed some of the latest GoG TIP efforts in a 30-minute "monologue." His main points were the following: --the GoG decided to formalize the IC though a presidential decree in the spring, making it an official government committee. The formal status and bi-monthly meetings are unique in the Greek administration, and show that the GoG "takes the issue seriously." (Comment: We concur, considering that even cabinet-level meetings are not regularly scheduled, so they commonly make the Greek news. End Comment.) --under the direction of Deputy Foreign Minister Stylianidis, Hellenic Aid will increase funding to NGOs. Rocanas added cheerily, "Without money, there is not much one can do." --200 public prosecutors (half of the country's DAs) were trained in May at a two-day TIP conference sponsored by MFA and IOM. --the IC is identifying educators for ongoing training of law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges and for "train the trainers" programs. --the IC is working to (re)establish a TIP hotline (Note: This is an encouraging point, since we recently discovered that the Health Ministry's "197" Hotline is no longer operating on a 24-hour basis due to labor disputes. End Note.) --the IC is redrafting Greek legislation to apply the "reflection period" to TIP victims only, since a loophole means it could theoretically be applied to traffickers as well. --the new IC rep from the Ministry of Public Order (MPO), Secretary General Konstantinos Ailianos, is a retired SIPDIS diplomat who was Greek Ambassador to Poland, Germany, and India, as well as SG of MFA and for the Greek President. Rocanas expressed satisfaction that there is another diplomat on the IC who understands the diplomatic equities of the TIP issue. --the MPO will undertake the operational law enforcement project "ILAEIRA," described as a large-scale national and cross-border effort to bring together police task forces, prosecutors, other law enforcement officials, and NGOs for training on victim identification and vigorous investigation and prosecution. ALLEGATIONS THAT DIPLOMATS FACILITATE TIP ARE "NOT TRUE" -------------- -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Having seen an advance copy of the Action Plan, Rocanas was eager to allay our concern that "some Greek diplomats abroad facilitated trafficking." Rocanas assured Ambassador that where cases of corruption exist, "we will root them out." He went on to discuss the allegation against the Greek Embassy in Moscow in a case exposed by the Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM) and reported in the Greek press in January. GHM learned that several recognized TIP victims were granted Greek visas in Moscow with completely fabricated information on their visa applications and no interview. Rocanas detailed the process by which the prosecutors office opened a 'sworn administrative investigation' of three diplomats in Moscow, which eventually found they had no involvement in corruption; he said the allegations were "not true." (Comment: We recognize there is confusion here between incompetent visa adjudication, as in this case, and outright corruption. The GoG has pursued some corruption cases -- a former Greek MFA employee was jailed in 2005 for selling Schengen visas in 2001-2 while stationed a the Greek embassy in Kiev (Ref B). Given Greece's desire to join the VWP, it is in their interest to strengthen their profile on visa issues within the Schengen framework. End Comment.) GREECE "VERY HAPPY" WITH IMPROVED TIER RANKING -------------- - ¶5. (U) Referring to our 2006 TIP report, Rocanas stated he is "very happy" that Greece was moved up to Tier Two, and believes that Greece should continue to move "up and up." Ambassador congratulated the progress, praised U.S.-Greece cooperation on the issue, and added that if we are open and constructive, we can solve this problem together. ¶6. (SBU) COMMENT: With more frequent IC meetings, appointments of higher-ranking officials on TIP, and more anti-TIP initiatives underway without USG input or even knowledge, Tier Two seems to have given the GoG just the boost we were hoping it would. Our conversations on TIP no longer have an antagonistic air -- we are able to cooperate as partners. The appointment of Rocanas gives the issue more prominence and also empowers his working-level TIP staff. He has already learned the TIP script and we are pleased to have another good interlocutor with whom to discuss this key MPP goal. We are still keen to measure how well these plans are implemented, which Rocanas promised to report on soon. END COMMENT. ¶7. (U) Text of Action Plan provided as passed. We made non-substantive revisions to references to the Greek law in points 1 and 2. After Rocanas' strong objection to our putting in writing allegations of complicity by Greek diplomats without providing supporting information, we changed the original text of point 4 from "Greek diplomats abroad" to "Greek officials" at his request. -------------- BEGIN TEXT OF ACTION PLAN AS DELIVERED -------------- The following are recommended measures for combating Trafficking in Persons during the coming year: PROSECUTION ¶1. Increase arrests and prosecutions of traffickers under trafficking-specific articles (323A, 351) of anti-trafficking law 3064/2002. Collect and publish complete data on arrests and prosecutions under these articles of the law. ¶2. Increase convictions under trafficking-specific articles of anti-trafficking law 3064/2002 and incarcerations of traffickers. Collect and publish complete data on convictions and incarcerations under trafficking-specific articles of the 2002 anti-trafficking law. Sentences imposed and time served should adequately reflect the heinous nature of the crime and serve to deter trafficking in Greece. ¶3. Ensure anti-trafficking task forces, prosecutors and other law enforcement officials receive training on victim identification, sensitive questioning techniques and importance of victim confidentiality. Provide task forces with contact information for NGO signatories to the Memorandum of Cooperation. ¶4. Investigate allegation that some Greek officials have facilitated trafficking. Demonstrate vigorous investigation and prosecution of all trafficking-related corruption. PROTECTION ¶5. Increased numbers of victims protected, as evidenced by: --Increased numbers of victims granted the reflection period. --Increased numbers of victims granted residence permits. --Increased numbers of victims sheltered. --Increased numbers of victims formally entered into a witness protection program. ¶6. Increased integration of NGOs in identification and referral process. --Continue momentum gained by signing MOU with NGOs to involve them directly in identification processes, such as after police raids, and by allowing NGO visits to jails and detention centers. --Proactive screening of possible trafficking victims, as shown by an increase in the number of victims referred from police to NGOs. --Sustain the level of funding for NGO shelters, NGO programs. PREVENTION ¶7. Creation/operation of an effective, multi-lingual TIP-focused hotline --Train all hotline personnel to develop specific trafficking expertise, including awareness of organized crime and victim protection, and improved multi-lingual capabilities. --Provide measurable hotline results, including number of TIP victims referred to all forms of protection. --Run regular television, radio and print ads for the government hotline and the NGO-run TIP hotline. ¶8. Continue and expand public awareness campaign started in 2006 into a large-scale comprehensive campaign, focusing on demand reduction. Create effective public awareness campaigns which educate consumers of prostitution of the existence of trafficking and the exploitative conditions to which victims are subjected. This campaign should also address other forms of trafficking, to raise awareness among the Greek public about exploitation as it relates to forced begging/stealing. --Development of different types of media exposure (i.e. live events, radio, magazine, etc.),always including contact information for a functional, effective, TIP-focused helpline. ¶9. Continue regional networking; distribute prevention materials at Greek embassies and airports in source countries; train Greek consular officials on trafficking awareness and victim identification. --Establish or enhance existing mechanisms for exchanging information between Greek authorities and their counterparts in transit and source countries on trafficking cases and to facilitate the transparent and humane repatriation of victims. ADDITIONAL ACTIONS TO MEET THE MINIMUM STANDARDS ¶1. Take steps to ensure that nationals deployed abroad for peacekeeping or similar missions do not engage in/facilitate or exploit victims of trafficking. ¶2. Take steps to prevent the use of forced labor or child labor in violation of international standards. ¶3. Take steps to prevent Greek nationals from participating in sex tourism. ¶4. Amend the existing legal framework to exclude trafficking victims from punishment for unlawful acts that are a result of their trafficking (i.e. illegal entry, use of forged documents, illegal prostitution). -------------- END TEXT OF ACTION PLAN AS DELIVERED -------------- RIES