GREECE/NATO: MFA NATO DIRECTOR ON MACEDONIA,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ATHENS 000342

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV NATO GR MK AF GG UP
SUBJECT: GREECE/NATO: MFA NATO DIRECTOR ON MACEDONIA,
AFGHANISTAN, KOSOVO, AND MAP/GEORGIA AND UKRAINE

REF: A. ATHENS 313

B. STATE 19516

Classified By: A/Political Counselor Jeff Hovenier for 1.4 (b) and (d)

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) In a March 5 meeting ith A/Political Counselor,
Ambassador Iraklis Asteriadis, MFA Director of the D2
Directorate for NATO and WEU Affairs, affirmed that FM
Bakoyannis will tell NATO FMs at the March 6 informal that
Greece cannot agree to a NATO invitation for Macedona absent
an agreement on the name and expects Alliance solidarity.
Asteriadis commended NATO Secretary General de Hoop
Scheffer's public comments during his March 3 visit to
Athens, noting the difference between a "long-standing NATO
Ally" and a "NATO Aspirant." On Afghanistan, Asteriadis said
Greece has offered an OMLT; NATO responded by asking for
personnel in a U.S. embedded training group in Kabul. de
Hoop Scheffer was told Greece cannot spare helicopters.
Asteriadis wanted details about the Dai Kundi PRT. On
Kosovo, de Hoop Scheffer was told Greece will maintain its
present troop levels, and FM Bakoyannis emphasized the need
for NATO to protect religious and patrimonial sites. Greece
supports MAP for Georgia "long-term, but not now," and is
concerned that the Ukrainian population may not be behind
government efforts to obtain MAP. End Summary.

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Macedonia at March 6 NATO FM Meeting
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2. (C) Asteriadis -- who will accompany FM Bakoyannis to the
March 6 NATO Ministerial -- said that FM Bakoyannis will be
"clear and direct:" Greece will not agree to a NATO
invitation for Skopje absent an agreed solution, and Greece
expects Alliance solidarity. Asteriadis positively noted
NATO Secretary General de Hoop Scheffer's public comments
during his March 3 visit to Athens to the effect that "Greece
is a long-standing Ally," while Macedonia "is only an
Aspirant." Asteriadis said he hoped Allied Foreign Ministers
would follow this line. A/PolCounselor reiterated U.S.
desire for Greece and Macedonia to demonstrate flexibility
and engage constructively in the process under UN Envoy
Nimetz. Asteriadis said Greece fully intends to do so, but
reiterated that Greece will not join any NATO consensus on
Macedonia absent an agreed solution.

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Afghanistan
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3. (C) Asteriadis said he had been informed of Ambassador
Speckhard's March 3 discussion with FM Bakoyannis (ref A) on
further Greek support for ISAF. He said Greece had offered
NATO one OMLT -- within the provisions of Greece's caveat
that forces be deployed "within 60 kilometers around Kabul."
NATO authorities had come back to suggest Greece provide
personnel to a U.S.-led embedded training unit in Kabul, and
Greece had offered up to 8 personnel. "For now, they are
taking three, but our others remain on offer." A/Pol
Counselor asked that Greece consider providing additional
OMLTs, and reiterated the U.S. request that the caveat be
lifted, and that Greece provide helicopters for ISAF.
Asteriadis said that the caveat is "essential to maintaining
public support for deployments to Afghanistan." He added,
"it is not a question of being in with a caveat or not; it is
a question of being in with a caveat or out all together."
On helicopters, he repeated FM Bakoyannis' line (ref A) --
Greece cannot spare any helicopters at this time, due to
needs in the Aegean, but may be able to provide helicopters
next year after Greece completes an additional helicopter
purchase.


4. (C) A/Pol Counselor previewed that Ambassador Speckhard
would soon meet with Defense Minister Meimarakis (Note: this
meeting is now scheduled for March 7. End Note) to press on
these issues and also to suggest that Greece lead a PRT in
Dai Kundi. Asteriadis said that the request would receive
"careful consideration," and he asked that we provide "as
much detail as you can" with regard to what is required for
Dai Kundi.


5. (C) Comment: Per ref B, we continue to press for further
Greek contributions to ISAF. It was refreshing that
Asteriadis did not dismiss a Greek-led PRT in Dai Kundi out
of hand. However, this will ultimately be a political
decision taken at the highest levels. We'll start the heavy

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lifting in Ambassador Speckhard's March 7 meeting with
Defense Minister Meimarakis. End Comment.

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Kosovo
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6. (C) Asteriadis said de Hoop Scheffer had been assured
that Greece strongly supports the KFOR mission and will
maintain its present levels. He added that de Hoop Scheffer
and FM Bakoyannis had agreed that KFOR must pay particular
attention to Serbian church and cultural patrimonial sites.

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Georgia and Ukraine MAP
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7. (C) Asteriadis said de Hoop Scheffer had raised the issue
of MAP for Georgia and Ukraine during his visit -- although
in a "low key way." Asteriadis added that Greece "supports
MAP for Georgia, but not now," given the lack of Allied
support and concerns about how Georgian President Saakashvili
handled events of November - December 2007. On Ukraine,
Asteriadis said that we "now know what the government wants,"
but "we do not know whether this reflects the will of the
population." He was skeptical that the Alliance would want
to take decisions on either issue in the "near future," but
agreed that the prospect of NATO membership is essential to
fostering reform in both nations.
SPECKHARD