GREECE LIKELY TO SUPPORT UNIFIL THROUGH NAVAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 002152 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR EUR/SE E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2016 TAGS: MARR MOPS PREL LE GR SUBJECT: GREECE LIKELY TO SUPPORT UNIFIL THROUGH NAVAL ASSETS REF: A. SECSTATE 134133 ¶B. DOI 20060816 Classified By: Ambassador Charles P. Ries for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: MFA and MoD contacts informed Embassy that Greece plans to respond positively to resolution 1701's call for contributions for a peacekeeping force in Lebanon. Senior Greek military planners are focused on providing a naval force to the future peacekeeping effort in Lebanon, with only small ground elements to support the staff or to assist humanitarian efforts. They may also offer the use of Souda Bay military facilities for logistic support and the use of their Peacekeeping Operations Training Center in Kilkis (Northern Greece) for education and preparation of other nations' troops and staffs prior to their deployment. However, it is unlikely that Greece would be prepared to dispatch ground combat forces. End summary. -------------- -------------- Greece's UNIFIL Contribution to Have a Naval Emphasis -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) Post delivered subject demarche to relevant MFA and MoD officials on August 16, in order to ascertain Greek military contributions under consideration for peacekeeping operations in southern Lebanon in advance of today's DPKO meeting in New York on UNIFIL. The official GoG position has been that Greece is monitoring the prospect for its contribution in supporting and aiding the UN peace mission in Lebanon within the framework of the relevant discussions taking place at the UN and the EU. However, GoG interlocutors indicated that Greece's contribution would likely have a naval emphasis given its strong maritime tradition. -------------- -------------- Greek CHOD Confirms Greece's Contribution Intentions -------------- -------------- 3 (C) Greek Chief of Defense (CHOD) Admiral Chinofotis telephoned Ambassador Ries on August 17 to officially confirm Greece's intended UNIFIL contributions. According to Chinofotis, who noted he was calling at the request of Defense Minister Meimarakis, the Greeks are proposing to contribute a naval force to maintain a maritime zone of separation between Israeli and Lebanese/Hizbollah vessels. The Hellenic Navy (HN) force would consist of one Frigate with an S-70 helicopter and an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team embarked, with one LCT (Landing Craft Tank) in 
logistic support (offering sealift between Cyprus and Lebanon for all force contributions). This element would be indefinitely provided through Greek force rotations. Chinofotis' description was identical to what he had communicated to Embassy DATT on August 16, and at this point it has the backing of the civilian leadership. Chinofotis explained, however, that the precise contribution would also be dependent on the force commander's CONOP's requirements, and the proposed rules of engagement. -------------- Ground Operations -------------- ¶4. (C) Admiral Chinofotis mentioned that they would provide staff officers to support the Force Headquarters in Southern Lebanon or at UN Headquarters in New York, but that they did not have a feel yet as to how many would be needed. When asked if any ground combat forces would be provided, Admiral Chinofotis said, "No. We are already very thinly stretched with more than 1,200 troops abroad on peacekeeping operations now." He said that they would be willing to provide other "technical support teams" later, when full cessation of hostilities has occurred. These teams could include an engineering company and medical teams, "as in Afghanistan." When asked how these would operate, Admiral Chinofotis said he thought they would "be used both in the south and in Beirut, to assist in the humanitarian reconstruction effort." -------------- Additional Assets in Greece -------------- ¶5. (C) Admiral Chinofotis felt the most logical location in the eastern Mediterranean to support the UN military operation from would be Souda Bay, Crete. (Note. This location hosts the NATO naval base and a Greek naval base, the U.S. facility NSA Souda, a dual-use military-civilian airfield, and over five-hundred barrack spaces for either a logistics support base or for troop rotations into Lebanon. End note.) He also offered the Greek military's Peacekeeping Operations Training Center in Kilkis (northern Greece) to educate, train and prepare either international staff or foreign military units in peacekeeping operations and border monitoring. -------------- Rules of Engagement -------------- ¶6. (C) Admiral Chinofotis' view of their proposed mission is to establish a "naval embargo zone or naval blockade" in the sea zone adjacent to the land zone of separation. He pointed out that for this operation to work, the rules of engagement would need to be very specific. Admiral Chinofotis told Ambassador their desired ROE would include "proportional level" of response and authorize "extended self-defense." Chinofotis recalled to DATT that during their recent sealift of evacuees out of Beirut, he had worried that a Hizbollah anti-ship missile crew would mistake their blue and white Greek flag for an Israeli flag, or would simply conduct a missile engagement based on radar data without being able to visually identify the ship. However, in the event, no suppressive fires were needed. -------------- Visit to AFSouth Naples -------------- ¶7. (C) Admiral Chinofotis also commented that he will begin a two day, previously scheduled visit to AFSouth Naples August 18, which will allow further discussion of possible Greek force contributions with AFSouth Commander Admiral Ulrich. ¶8. (C) Comment: It is unlikely that Greece would be prepared at this juncture to provide ground combat troops to the UNIFIL effort. Admiral Chinofotis was quick to recite to DATT the standard explanation that the ground forces were already overtaxed with Kosovo (where they have 511 troops in two small mechanized infantry battalions),Afghanistan (209 troops between an engineer company and a 'Role-2' medical team),Bosnia (90 troops),Congo (30 troops),Albania (10 troops),Sudan (6 troops),and five or less troops each in "Skopje" (Macedonia),Georgia, Tampa (CENTCOM HQ),Eritrea, Serbia, Montenegro, Western Sahara and Nagorno Karabach. Their total contribution (counting 345 sailors in NATO's Active Endeavor patrols in the Eastern Mediterranean) is 1,221 Greek military personnel in 14 "hotspots" around the world, and the hyperemotional Greek press is reporting that most of these areas are becoming more dangerous all the time. End comment. RIES