STRONG GREEK REACTION TO MISSILE DEFENSE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 000533

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR GR
SUBJECT: STRONG GREEK REACTION TO MISSILE DEFENSE

REF: A. SECSTATE 21640


B. ATHENS 386

C. SECSTATE 30480

D. ATHENS 532

Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES THOMAS COUNTRYMAN.
REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: On February 22, the Greek MFA made a moderate
statement in line with German statements noting that the
Russian general,s mischaracterizations of the MD program
were unhelpful. Greek press reaction to the MFA,s statement
was swift and strongly negative. Much of the media followed
the lead of left-of-center Eleftherotypia, which termed the
missile program "Cold-Warrish" and claimed that Greece was
the first allied country "to rush to reprimand" Moscow.
Media also picked up and ran with Eleftherotypia's suggestion
that the MFA's statement was "imposed" by the U.S. FM
Bakoyannis was roundly criticized in the press, which also
speculated on a rift between Bakoyannis and PM Karamanlis )-
a development of which we have seen no real evidence. We
have also seen little evidence that Greece's strong
expression of support for the Global Initiative to Combat
Nuclear Terrorism following our joint demarche with the
Russian ambassador has stemmed the tide of negative press
(ref d). END SUMMARY.

MD: &COLD-WARRISH8
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2. (C) Following demarche by Ambassador (ref b),the Greek
MFA issued a moderate statement praising NATO-Russia dialogue
and, in this context, characterizing the Russian CHOD,s
remarks on MD as unhelpful for further cooperation. Greek
media reacted immediately with anger, both to the issue of
Missile Defense and to the Greek MFA,s statement on the
Russian general. On February 22, left-of-center daily
Eleftherotypia termed the missile program "Cold-Warrish" and
claimed that Greece was the first allied country "to rush to
reprimand" Moscow, while Germany took the middle road.

FM BAKOYANNIS UNDER FIRE
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3. (SBU) Other media outlets also picked up and ran with
Eleftherotypia's suggestion that the MFA's statement was
"imposed" by the U.S. Since then, stories have abounded in
the media on all sides that the MFA's statement led to
strained relations between Prime Minister Karamanlis and FM
Dora Bakoyannis. On March 5, most media reported -- most
likely at the FM's request -- that PM Karamanlis supported FM
Bakoyannis, but left-of center Ethnos said in a front-page
story that relations between Karamanlis and Bakoyannis &are
on a tightrope8 and &Dora is having a nervous breakdown.8


4. (SBU) On March 6, under the headline &USA satisfaction
with Dora,s rocket against Moscow,8 Eleftherotypia
reproached Bakoyannis, in a full-page story, saying that her
statement was in line with NSC guidelines, that she copied
Secretary Rice's statement in Berlin in her attempt to &lock

SIPDIS
in8 her visit to Washington, that she wanted to undermine PM
Karamanlis, recent overtures to &old Europe,8 and that she
backed the Missile Defense issue as a distraction from
Russian energy policy. The article concluded that Bakoyannis
aligned herself with Washington without securing any
exchanges from Washington, which &has proved for years now
to be an unreliable partner, for Greece.8


5. (SBU) On March 7, pro-governing-party Eleftheros Typos
reported that the Russian Ambassador's visit to PM Karamanlis
the day before meant &the turbulence8 the MFA created with
its statement on the Missile Defense issue had passed, while
Eleftherotypia and Ethnos opined that the Russian
Ambassador's visit to Karamanlis to talk about Putin,s visit
meant FM Bakoyannis had been sidelined. On March 8,
satirical, leftist Pondiki ran a cartoon showing a Russian
spy talking via a transmitter to Putin: &President Putin,
the Americans started a new Cold War in Greece. They
installed a 'Dora' missile with a Mitsotakis warhead!8 On
March 11, Bakoyannis appeared on Mega Channel's
"Protagonistes" talk show and said, when asked, that Greece
was not always in agreement with the U.S., citing Macedonia
and Kosovo, as well as Iraq. Eleftherotypia said in its
March 12 report that this was the first time that the MFA
publicly admitted that Athens and Washington disagree on
Kosovo.

COMMENT
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6. (C) The Greek MFA promptly fulfilled our request to make a
statement on the Russian CHOD,s mischaracterization of the
Missile Defense program, but it came at a high cost to FM
Bakoyannis. Though quite moderate in tone, the statement hit
a raw nerve with the Greek press. While we have seen no real
evidence of a rift between Bakoyannis and PM Karamanlis over
the substance of the issue, neither can be happy with the
fallout. We don't believe the incident will cause serious
damage in our relations with Greek officials, but it may make
them wary about even moderate public expressions of support
for U.S. positions on controversial issues. We are hopeful
that the GoG's strong expression of support for the Statement
of Principles of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear
Terrorism presages continued good cooperation (ref d).
COUNTRYMAN