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
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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
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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.
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BEGIN TEXT OF ACTION PLAN AS DELIVERED
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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).

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END TEXT OF ACTION PLAN AS DELIVERED
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RIES