ESDP DEPLOYMENT TO CHAD AND C.A.R.: GREEKS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 000055 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/14/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV CD MOPS GR UN SUBJECT: ESDP DEPLOYMENT TO CHAD AND C.A.R.: GREEKS SUPPORTIVE REF: STATE 3208 Classified By: A/Political Counselor Jeff Hovenier for 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) A/Political Counselor delivered reftel points to Greek MFA EU/ESDP Department Head Sofia Grammata on January ¶14. Grammata responded that Greece is committed to the establishment of an ESDP PKO Mission to Chad and CAR and has already pledged military support for the mission; Greece has pledged a C-130 aircraft for tactical airlift and officers for the HQ. Grammata said that Greece understands that the EU still has not acquired sufficient helicopters and in-field medical personnel. Greece has been asked by France to consider filling some of these gaps, and this request is under review at the Ministry of Defense. ¶2. (C) We also delivered the points to the MFA NATO Office urging the EU to consider ways to seek increased NATO support for the mission. MFA NATO interlocutors had no substantive response. ¶3. (C) Comment: The Greeks have helicopters and medical personnel/field hospitals that could fill some of the remaining gaps for the ESDP PKO mission to Chad and CAR. However, based on our recent experience with Afghanstan, this could be a tough sell. In the course of 2006, the Greeks withdrew the field hospital they had deployed in Afghanistan, and the Greeks have not responded positively to requests that they provide needed rotary airlift capability for ISAF. Although the Greeks find it politically easier to provide support to an EU/ESDP mission than to a NATO mission, they have tended to be skeptical about any deployment beyond their immediate region. They are likely to claim that their existing pledge to the ESDP Mission to Chad and CAR is the most they can offer. End Comment. ¶4. (U) Tripoli - minimize considered. SPECKHARD