GREEK PRESIDENT AND FM CONDEMN TURKISH ACTIONS IN

UNCLAS ATHENS 000018 C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (TEXT) SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MOPSGRPARM PGOV PREL TU SUBJECT: GREEK PRESIDENT AND FM CONDEMN TURKISH ACTIONS IN THE AEGEAN 1 (SBU) On January 6, Greek President Karolos Papoulias attended Epiphany day celebrations on the small Greek island of Agathonisi off the coast of Turkey and accused the Turkish military of being "at the nucleus" of tense relations between Greece and Turkey. In recent weeks Agathonisi and its neighbor, Pharmakonisi, have been overflown at least twice by Turkish fighter jets according to press reports. The same reports added that Turkish military air controllers had warned Greek army helicopters approaching at the two islands to stop "intruding into Turkish air space" and leave the area "immediately" or be intercepted. One of the helicopters was carrying the Greek Armed Forces Chief and the Chief of the Army. ¶2. (SBU) After attending mass, the president addressed a stern message to Turkey. "The Turkish army's key role in (formulating) policy in the neighboring country is at the nucleus of the problem in Greek-Turkish relations," said Papoulias, who also accused Turkey of making territorial claims and launching "incomprehensible and irrational" provocation through "systematic flights of military aircraft over Greek islands." Bilateral relations, Papoulias stressed, could not improve except by "strictly" observing international law. The Papoulias trip was widely reported in the Greek press as the "proper and resounding answer" to Turish claims and the activities of the Turkish Ai Force over the Aegean. ¶3. (SBU) On Januay 7, the press reported that two Turkish F-16s overflew Pharmakonisi and intercepted a Greek SAR helicopter searching for a reported 15 illegal immigrants in a boat. At the same time, a Turkish Coast Guard fast craft interfered with a Greek search vessel. Greek Foreign Minister, Dora Bakoyannis, responded with a public statement: "The Turkish actions in the Pharmakonisi-Agathonisi area are unacceptable. They are in blatant violation of international law and hamper the efforts being made to improve Greek-Turkish relations. I have instructed that the appropriate demarches be made." FM Bakoyannis comment to Ambassador Speckhard on this incident reported Septel. SPECKHARD