GREEKS GET RUSSIA MESSAGE IN TIME FOR GAERC

UNCLAS ATHENS 001534 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EUN PGOV PREL RS GR SUBJECT: GREEKS GET RUSSIA MESSAGE IN TIME FOR GAERC REF: SECSTATE 119280 ¶1. (SBU) On November 8, DepPolCouns discussed reftel GAERC points on dealing with Russia with Haris Lalacos, head of the MFA A11 Directorate for the EU CFSP. Lalacos was grateful to receive the information over the weekend because he was departing along with the rest of FM Bakoyannis' party on Sunday November 9 so as to be in Brussels for the Monday November 10 GAERC. Lalacos said he would convey our message to the FM. ¶2. (SBU) Lalacos believed Russia would be the main topic of the GAERC. Only the ministers would attend the meeting, a format designed to encourage more frank discussion. Different countries had "different lines of thought" on dealing with Russia, but all believed Russia must meet its obligations in terms of the Georgian cease-fire agreements. The GAERC would provide a good opportunity to discuss the common EU approach before the EU-Russia summit November 14. On Medvdev's proposal on a new security treaty, Lalacos said there was general perplexity about what it really entailed. Even the Russians, he noted, were not in a position to fill in any details. Sarkozy had made clear the EU position. On the PCA, Lalacos was unable to provide a substantive response since another directorate in the MFA (C1 for EU External Relations) had responsibility for that issue. Lalacos said he would pass our message to C1 and the FM. SPECKHARD