GREEK MFA IN SHOCK OVER TIP TIER DOWNGRADING

C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 000720

SIPDIS

G/TIP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2018
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL GR
SUBJECT: GREEK MFA IN SHOCK OVER TIP TIER DOWNGRADING


Classified By: AMBASSADOR DANIEL SPECKHARD. REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) On May 22, Ambassador met with MFA SecGen Agathocles
at the latter's request to discuss Greece's tier ranking on
Trafficking in Persons (TIP). Although information on tier
classifications for this year has not yet been publicly
released, Agathocles was aware that Greece would likely be
downgraded from Tier Two to Tier-Two Watchlist. He said this
was a shock, since Greece had expected to be upgraded to Tier
One. Admitting no wrong-doing in terms of Greece's
performance on TIP issues, Agathocles attributed Greece's
downgrading to a failure of communications. Greece had good
statistics, he argued, but "I would be the first to admit
that we have been slow in providing details." Agathocles
conceded that it was probably too late this year to change
Greece's tier ranking but nevertheless provided Ambassador a
non-paper entitled "Actions by the Government of the Hellenic
Republic to Combat Trafficking in Persons," which he said
Greek Ambassador to the U.S. Mallias had also provided to
Department.


2. (C) Agathocles argued that there had been more arrests and
convictions than had been reflected in the data provided
earlier, saying that rather than two convictions the real
number was more than 100. (NOTE: We did not find this
reflected in the non-paper. END NOTE.) In any case,
Agathocles promised that next year, data would be provided on
time.


3. (C) Ambassador noted our perception that part of the
problem for the GOG in dealing with TIP issues was the lack
of a single senior TIP coordinator to oversee inter-agency
efforts. Agathocles agreed and said that he had already
appointed the director of his office, Amb. Alexios Zannos, as
the new TIP coordinator for the MFA. Ambassador acknowledged
this as a good step but suggested that for a TIP coordinator
to be most effective he or she might have to come from the
Prime Minister's office. Ambassador also noted the
importance of effective PR in combating TIP and offered U.S.
assistance in providing television programs and anti-TIP
commercials. Agathocles said the GOG had discussed programs
and commercials but found that air time was prohibitively
expensive. He said Greece also wished to do training and
seminars for police officers, prosecutors, and judges but,
again, complained about the lack of funding. Agathocles
concluded by promising to "pressurize" the other ministries
to do better on TIP issues. He said he would speak to FM
Bakoyannis about "shaking up" other ministries. The
Ambassador promised to help in any way he could to urge
additional funding and support from other agencies on this
critical issue.

COMMENT
--------------


4. (C) Agathocles did not link Greece's downgrading on tier
designation to a supposed American retribution for Greek
behavior on the Macedonia name issue, as we expect the Greek
press to do when announcement of Greece's tier position is
made public. But his message in terms of the substance of
GOG performance on TIP was disappointingly too little, too
late. He admitted no Greek shortcoming other than in not
providing data earlier. Still, we want to take him at his
word that the GOG will make better efforts this year, and
post will work with new coordinator Amb Zannos as he develops
a GOG gameplan.
SPECKHARD