SOMALI PIRACY: GREEK SUPPORT FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 001028 SIPDIS DEPT ALSO FOR AF/RSA (BANDO) AND IO/UNP (FITZGERALD E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/17/2018 TAGS: EWWT KCRM KCRS KJUS PHSA PREL SOCI XA XW GR SUBJECT: SOMALI PIRACY: GREEK SUPPORT FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR 1816 REF: A. STATE 74305 ¶B. ATHENS 1018 Classified By: A/Political Counselor Jeff Hovenier for 1.4 (b) and (d) (C) On July 10, we delivered ref A points to Ambassador Rallis, Director of the MFA D-1 Directorate for United Nations and International Organizations Affairs. Rallis noted that Greece had co-sponsored UNSCR 1816 and felt strongly about the issue, given the threat to the shipping industry. He had no further substantive reply. We also followed-up with MFA European Correspondent Antonia Katsourou in consultations on the July EU GAERC meeting (ref B). She confirmed that this issue is important to Greece, adding that piracy directly affects the Greek shipping industry and thus requires Greece's attention and involvement. She added that discussions remain "at an early stage" on implementation of UNSCR 1816, but that Greece will be active in addressing this issue and is "open to all options. SPECKHARD