AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY: SOLICITING GREEK

C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 001383 SIPDIS STATE ALSO FOR SCA/A TOM REOTT AND EUR/RPM RAPHAEL CARLAND E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2018 TAGS: MARR MOPS PGOV PREL AF SUBJECT: AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY: SOLICITING GREEK CONTRIBUTIONS REF: STATE 97991 Classified By: AMBASSADOR DANIEL SPECKHARD. REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) On September 23, Ambassador Speckhard raised with MFA Secretary General Agathocles reftel request for Greece to contribute USD 30 million per year from 2010 to 2014 in additional funding for sustainment of the expanded Afghan National Army. Agathocles responded that Greece placed a high priority on fostering stability in Afghanistan; making clear he was speaking personally, he said he considered Afghanistan to be more important than Iraq in combating terrorism. With regard to the funding request, Agathocles said he was not in a position to make any commitments, but he promised to raise it immediately with Foreign Minister Bakoyannis upon her return from the UNGA (Note: Bakoyannis was scheduled to return to Greece September 29. End Note). He promised to follow-up with us after consulting with the Foreign Minister. We are also following-up at working levels at the MFA and with Hellenic Aid. SPECKHARD