ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL: MAYORS OF ATHENS AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ATHENS 000291

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV GR
SUBJECT: ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL: MAYORS OF ATHENS AND
PIRAEUS TACKLE THE INTRACTABLE


Classified By: AMBASSADOR CHARLES RIES. REASON: 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Municipal elections brought a change of
leadership this January in the Greek capital of Athens and
the nearby port capital of Piraeus. The two neighbors share
common problems, including a mounting trash crisis due to the
lack of available landfill. Athens' center-right New
Democracy Mayor Kaklamanis is the more politically
experienced; he ran on a "can-do" platform that stressed
action, not words. Piraeus' Mayor Fasoulias -- from
opposition PASOK -- has less experience: four years as a
PASOK MP after a stellar basketball career. Nevertheless,
he appears determined to tackle tough infrastructure
development issues and to quietly buck some of the city's
communist legacy. In meetings with the Ambassador, both
stressed the importance of good relations with the U.S.,
including an an impetus for economic development. END
SUMMARY.

ATHENS MAYOR TOUTS "MUNICIPAL" DIPLOMACY


2. (C) In his meeting with the Ambassador on February 6,
new Athens Mayor Kaklamanis emphasized the importance he
placed on good relations with the United States. He agreed
with the Ambassador on the importance of "municipal"
diplomacy: "There is much our cities can and should learn
from each other." Kaklamanis recalled his "very interesting
and substantive" meeting recently with Chicago Mayor Richard
Daley to discuss what Athens had learned from hosting the
2004 Olympics. Kaklamanis said he had also been approached
by the Mayor of Los Angeles, who was apparently looking for
similar advice, and asked the Ambassador whether being in
contact with both would put Athens in a difficult position
vis-a-vis these two important U.S. cities. Ambassador
explained that the U.S. Olympic committee would make a
decision on which city the U.S. would put forward to the IOC
as a candidate city; Kaklamanis should not feel as though he
has to choose between them.

AIMING TO SOLVE ATHENS' TRASH CRISIS


3. (C) Ambassador asked Kaklamanis about the serious and
well-publicized difficulties Athens was facing in trash
disposal as the sole regional landfill facility reaches (and
exceeds) its capacity. Kaklamanis (who had previously served
as Minister of Health),emphasized his determination to
contribute, at the end of his long political career, to the
city in which he was raised. It was realistic to aim for
perhaps two or three major accomplishments; solving Athens'
trash disposal problems would most probably be one of these.
Ambassador offered to help assemble background information
and points of contact in the U.S. on solid waste issues.

AMBASSADOR BRIEFS ON EMBASSY ANNEX CONSTRUCTION . . .


4. (C) Ambassador thanked Kaklamanis for the city's
continuing support for the Embassy Annex construction. The
Annex is the first new Embassy construction since 1961, when
the current building designed by Walter Gropius was
dedicated. He invited Kaklamanis to the Annex inauguration
ceremony, expected to be held in May, which the Mayor
enthusiastically accepted in principle. Ambassador outlined
plans to turn an area immediately west of the new
construction into a park, partly through significant
contributions of Embassy Athens staff volunteer time.
Kaklamanis welcomed this initiative, and said he would like
to make certain that it is given the support from the
Mayorality that it deserves. In this vein, he asked the
Ambassador to send him a formal letter outlining plans for
the creation of the green space.

AND KAKLAMANIS PROMISES CITY SUPPORT FOR EMBASSY SECURITY


5. (C) Kaklamanis stressed the importance he attached to
ensuring the safety of the Embassy and its community. In
response to the Mayor's offer of help in this regard,
Ambassador noted the Embassy will be asking for improved
lighting in the side streets near the Embassy. This would
reduce the potential for terrorists to approach the Embassy
under the cover of darkness. Kaklamanis promised to look
into responding to the Ambassador's request.

CONCERN OVER CONSTRUCTION OF NEW MOSQUE


6. (C) Ambassador asked Kaklamanis for an update on the
construction of a new mosque in Athens announced by former
Mayor Dora Bakoyannis. He said the USG supports this
initiative, but noted the importance of taking care of people
-- such as Roma -- who would be displaced by the new
building. Kaklamanis said displacement was a concern, but
not his top one. Rather, he was giving thought to local
reactions of the primarily Christian population to an annual

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influx of Muslims to the Mosque area during Ramadan. He
estimated these numbers at approximately 200,000 people, a
large number. To reduce the potential for resulting
problems, Kaklamanis said he was considering construction of
a second mosque outside of Athens to draw off some of the
potential visitors. (Note: Kaklamanis did not explain how
he planned to realize this vision and overcome possible
objections of the other -- unspecified -- municipality in
which the second mosque would be built.)

PASOK MAYOR OF PIRAEUS: LOOKING FOR INVESTORS


7. (C) Piraeus Mayor Fasoulas told the Ambassador that
their February 2 meeting was the first official visit by an
American Ambassador to the Mayor in 17 years. He expressed
regret for the RPG attack on the Embassy January 12, saying
the act "humiliated the whole country." Ambassador
underscored it was an attack not just on the U.S., but also
on Greece. What was important was not the attack, but to
maintain our bilateral record of positive cooperation. One
area where we could work together: promoting port visits to
Piraeus by U.S. navy ships. Beginning two years ago, we had
increased the number of ship visits to Greece; among these,
the USS Saipan was the largest USN vessel ever to be berthed
pierside in Piraeus, where its 700 sailors were able to visit
the city. DATT pointed out that in 5 ship visits to the city
there had been no liberty incidents. In fact, ship personnel
had engaged in volunteer projects in the city during their
stay. Ambassador told Fasoulas that it was our aim to have
some three-five ship visits to Piraeus harbor each year --
which would have clear economic benefit for the city.
Fasoulas welcomed the initiative, though he questioned
whether he would be able to publicly visit the ship himself,
given the ideological objections of Piraeus' still-vocal
communist voters.


8. (C) Fasoulas focused on plans for redevelopment of the
city; the Ambassador mentioned Barcelona's success, adding
that Piraeus had much the same potential. Fasoulas agreed.
Fasoulas explained that he planned to work with nearby
municipalities -- including Athens -- in an effort to resolve
the trash crisis. "Garbage has no political party," he said
wryly; the two mayors would try to convince the government to
look at alternatives and supplements to landfill such as
enhanced recycling and incineration plants. Fasoulas was
also interested in attracting private capital for tourist
attractions, including an aquarium akin to that in Atlanta.
Fasoulas also planned to dock a replica of an ancient Greek
ship ("trireme") in Piraeus harbor, both as a tourist site
and to improve the harbor's appearance.

COMMENT


9. (C) On paper, the two mayors could not be more
different. Kaklamanis has a long record in ND politics and
is a former minister. Fasoulas, of PASOK, is a former
basketball player who, as an MP from 2000-2004, brought his
expertise to the organization of the Athens Olympics.
Elected in part through his popularity as a sportsman, he he
has since appointed advisors also drawn from the sports world
who literally see eye to eye with him. While Fasoulas is
still cautious as he learns the municipal ropes, he and
Kaklamanis share a determination to see real change in their
cities. They have already met once, in full camera glare, to
discuss the garbage crisis -- a sign of bipartisan pragmatism
that is rare in Greek politics. Both are well-disposed to
the U.S., and their responses to our requests on Embassy
security and port visits suggests that these are mayors we
can work with effectively in future.
RIES