Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ATHENS266
2009-03-03 11:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Athens
Cable title:
OSCE CIO/GREEK FM BAKOYANNIS ORGANIZING IRAQ VISIT
how-toVZCZCXRO7857 OO RUEHBC RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHFL RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHTH #0266 0621145 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 031145Z MAR 09 FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3310 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 000266
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/03/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON MOPS IZ GR
SUBJECT: OSCE CIO/GREEK FM BAKOYANNIS ORGANIZING IRAQ VISIT
FOR END OF MARCH
REF: A. SECSTATE 18283
B. 08 ATHENS 1572
Classified By: POLCOUNS ROBIN QUINVILLE. REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D
C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 000266
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/03/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON MOPS IZ GR
SUBJECT: OSCE CIO/GREEK FM BAKOYANNIS ORGANIZING IRAQ VISIT
FOR END OF MARCH
REF: A. SECSTATE 18283
B. 08 ATHENS 1572
Classified By: POLCOUNS ROBIN QUINVILLE. REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D
1. (C) During a discussion of ref A points on the review of
U.S. policy in Iraq, MFA A6 Directorate for Middle East
Affairs Counsellor Gregory Karahalios, who has responsibility
for Iraq, told DepPolCouns that FM Dora Bakoyannis, who is
also currently OSCE CiO, is trying to organize a visit to
Iraq for the end of the month, possibly March 26-27. She
would like to visit Baghdad and Irbil, where Greece is
opening a new commercial office. The visit had not yet been
announced publicly and was not yet "100 percent official"
because it was still in the works, but Karahalios believed it
would take place.
2. (C) The Greek ambassador to Iraq was returning to Athens
shortly to organize the visit. Karahalios said he had no
word yet on potential deliverables for the visit, which he
said would be mostly a get-acquainted trip. He did expect
that questions of bilateral economic/commercial relations
would predominate. DepPolCouns offered Embassy Athens
assistance in passing messages to Baghdad, if that would be
useful.
3. (C) On ref A points regarding U.S. Iraq policy, Karahalios
said he had received a cable from the Greek Embassy in
Washington informing him of the same information. Karahalios
said Greece understood the U.S. need to shift focus to
Afghanistan and other problem areas. At the same time, the
situation in Iraq did not yet appear calm and other countries
in the region, such as Kuwait, had concerns about the U.S.
withdrawal. Many critical issues also remained unresolved,
such as the relationship of the Kurds to the rest of the
country, the organization of the Iraqi government
administrative structure, and the division of oil revenues.
Karahalios said that in the interests of stability and peace,
these issues should be resolved before the U.S. departed.
"It would be better to stay longer to resolve them than to
leave and have to come back later."
4. (C) COMMENT: An Iraqi invitation to Bakoyannis has been on
the table for some time. We suspect she is now taking up the
offer because of her current role as OSCE CiO, as well as the
change of administration in Washington. Greece accepted ten
young Iraqi diplomats for a two-week A-100-style training
program last November and has also contributed large numbers
of armored personnel carriers (BMPs) and tons of ammunition
to the Iraqi Army, as well as modest levels of training to
Iraqi military personnel (ref B). The Greeks have also
contributed significant humanitarian aid and forgiven Iraqi
debt. We will liaise closely with the MFA as the Bakoyannis
visit moves forward.
SPECKHARD
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/03/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON MOPS IZ GR
SUBJECT: OSCE CIO/GREEK FM BAKOYANNIS ORGANIZING IRAQ VISIT
FOR END OF MARCH
REF: A. SECSTATE 18283
B. 08 ATHENS 1572
Classified By: POLCOUNS ROBIN QUINVILLE. REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D
1. (C) During a discussion of ref A points on the review of
U.S. policy in Iraq, MFA A6 Directorate for Middle East
Affairs Counsellor Gregory Karahalios, who has responsibility
for Iraq, told DepPolCouns that FM Dora Bakoyannis, who is
also currently OSCE CiO, is trying to organize a visit to
Iraq for the end of the month, possibly March 26-27. She
would like to visit Baghdad and Irbil, where Greece is
opening a new commercial office. The visit had not yet been
announced publicly and was not yet "100 percent official"
because it was still in the works, but Karahalios believed it
would take place.
2. (C) The Greek ambassador to Iraq was returning to Athens
shortly to organize the visit. Karahalios said he had no
word yet on potential deliverables for the visit, which he
said would be mostly a get-acquainted trip. He did expect
that questions of bilateral economic/commercial relations
would predominate. DepPolCouns offered Embassy Athens
assistance in passing messages to Baghdad, if that would be
useful.
3. (C) On ref A points regarding U.S. Iraq policy, Karahalios
said he had received a cable from the Greek Embassy in
Washington informing him of the same information. Karahalios
said Greece understood the U.S. need to shift focus to
Afghanistan and other problem areas. At the same time, the
situation in Iraq did not yet appear calm and other countries
in the region, such as Kuwait, had concerns about the U.S.
withdrawal. Many critical issues also remained unresolved,
such as the relationship of the Kurds to the rest of the
country, the organization of the Iraqi government
administrative structure, and the division of oil revenues.
Karahalios said that in the interests of stability and peace,
these issues should be resolved before the U.S. departed.
"It would be better to stay longer to resolve them than to
leave and have to come back later."
4. (C) COMMENT: An Iraqi invitation to Bakoyannis has been on
the table for some time. We suspect she is now taking up the
offer because of her current role as OSCE CiO, as well as the
change of administration in Washington. Greece accepted ten
young Iraqi diplomats for a two-week A-100-style training
program last November and has also contributed large numbers
of armored personnel carriers (BMPs) and tons of ammunition
to the Iraqi Army, as well as modest levels of training to
Iraqi military personnel (ref B). The Greeks have also
contributed significant humanitarian aid and forgiven Iraqi
debt. We will liaise closely with the MFA as the Bakoyannis
visit moves forward.
SPECKHARD