GREECE/CFE: NON-PAPER ON FLANK AND NATIONAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 000411 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT ALSO FOR VCI AND EUR/RPM E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2018 TAGS: PREL MARR MASS KCFE NATO GR SUBJECT: GREECE/CFE: NON-PAPER ON FLANK AND NATIONAL CEILINGS REF: 07 STATE 159773 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Tom Countryman for 1.4 (b) and ( d) ¶1. (C) On the margins of March 17 meetings on OSCE matters with visiting USOSCE Ambassador Finley and A/DAS Robbins, Greek MFA Director General for International Organizations and International Security and Cooperation Ambassador Nicolaos Kalantzianos said he had an important CFE issue to address. After excusing himself from the room for several minutes, he returned and handed over a non-paper (e-mailed to EUR/RPM and VCI DAS Look ) full text in para 3 below). The Greek non-paper referred to a November update provided by Embassy Athens on U.S./Russia CFE consultations, which noted U.S. willingness to review the operation of the CFE Treaty once the Adapted Treaty has entered into force, including the possibility of considering reductions in equipment ceilings and subceilings (reftel). The Greek non-paper terms "NATO collective ceilings" a "relic of the past," suggests that Greece should no longer be "perceived as" a "flank country," and states that it would be "implausible and inconceivable for Greece to agree to lower her national ceilings." ¶2. (C) Comment: It is not surprising that the Greeks would look askance at suggestions they consider reductions in their CFE ceilings. Given their perception of the Turkish threat and their defense doctrine (and spending) to respond to that threat, the Greeks would be most unwilling to enter into such discussions. However, as far as we are aware, no one has made such a suggestion to the Greeks. Rather, the Greeks are apparently responding to a November 2007 "update" (reftel) on U.S./Russia discussions on CFE in the run-up to Russia's "suspension" of its participation in the CFE regime, in which the U.S. told Allies that the U.S. had informed the Russians of U.S. readiness to "review operation of the CFE Treaty once the Adapted Treaty has entered into force, including the idea of considering possible reductions in equipment ceilings and subceilings." We suspect that the Greeks decided to take advantage of Finley and Robbins' presence to lay down a marker that they will not entertain any suggestion to reduce their CFE equipment ceilings should this issue ever actually be on the agenda. End Comment. ¶3. (SBU) Greek non-paper on CFE BEGIN TEXT Non-Paper on Greek CFE Positions -- We appreciate the U.S. endeavors to ensure the viability of the CFE regime. On our part, we have done our utmost to support your efforts and contribute effectively to the unity of the NATO Alliance and to the elaboration of unanimous Allied positions, throughout the process. -- Concerning the U.S. latest proposals on the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty relayed to Greece via the U.S. Embassy in Athens on November 26, and in particular, regarding the U.S. proposition concerning the possibility of proceeding with national reductions in military equipment ceilings, we would like to stress out the following points: -- We fully concur with the U.S. that any notion of "NATO collective ceilings" constitutes a relic of the past that takes us back to the block-to-block approach of the CFE Treaty and, therefore, should be avoided. -- Russia's concern seems to be focused on the southern flank area, where the situation has changed after the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to NATO. However, this change does not only relate to the aggregate NATO military equipment ceilings, but also to the geo-strategic ituation. Greece, for example, under the CFE Treaty is considered to be a "flank" country but under the current geo-strategic terms should not be perceived as one. We believe that it would facilitate the collective efforts of the Alliance not to calculate Greece and her ceilings in the equation of the southern "flank." -- At the same time we would like to underline the Greek position: for security and defense reasons and for as long as the current situation in the Aegean persists, it would be implausible and inconceivable for Greece to agree to lower her national ceilings. END TEXT SPECKHARD