Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ATHENS366
2009-03-23 16:17:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Athens
Cable title:
GREECE/KOSOVO: GOG SUPPORTS "IN TOGETHER OUT
how-toVZCZCXRO7346 PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHTH #0366 0821617 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 231617Z MAR 09 FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3406 INFO RUEHXP/ALL NATO POST COLLECTIVE RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 000366
SIPDIS
EUR/RPM FOR CHRIS DAVEY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2019
TAGS: PREL MARR NATO KPKO KV GR
SUBJECT: GREECE/KOSOVO: GOG SUPPORTS "IN TOGETHER OUT
TOGETHER"
REF: STATE 26179
Classified By: Political Counselor Robin Quinville, Reason 1.4 b,d
(C) Deputy Political Counselor and acting POLMIL officer
delivered reftel points to MFA Deputy Director for NATO-WEU
Affairs Ambassador Theodoros Daskarolis on March 23.
Daskarolis relayed the GOG's firm commitment to the "in
together, out together" obligation it undertook in 1999.
Daskarolis told us that the GOG strongly believes that Europe
-- and NATO -- must continue to support stability and
"strengthen the European perspective of the Western Balkans,"
including Kosovo. The GOG has no plans to reduce its current
troop level of two battalions focused on Mitrovica, he said.
The GOG would continue to support KFOR transit requirements
via Thessaloniki and provide C-130 humanitarian cargo
flights. When asked whether the GOG would help press this
stay-the-course message with reluctant Allies, Daskarolis
said the GOG had already done so. He said, however, that GOG
had not and will not pledge to support the Kosovo Security
Forces (KSF). As for convincing Belgrade that the KSF was
not a threat, he indicated the GOG would not engage directly.
Rather, he suggested, the Serbian view reflected a "state of
mind" that will evolve as facts on the ground evolve.
McCarthy
SIPDIS
EUR/RPM FOR CHRIS DAVEY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2019
TAGS: PREL MARR NATO KPKO KV GR
SUBJECT: GREECE/KOSOVO: GOG SUPPORTS "IN TOGETHER OUT
TOGETHER"
REF: STATE 26179
Classified By: Political Counselor Robin Quinville, Reason 1.4 b,d
(C) Deputy Political Counselor and acting POLMIL officer
delivered reftel points to MFA Deputy Director for NATO-WEU
Affairs Ambassador Theodoros Daskarolis on March 23.
Daskarolis relayed the GOG's firm commitment to the "in
together, out together" obligation it undertook in 1999.
Daskarolis told us that the GOG strongly believes that Europe
-- and NATO -- must continue to support stability and
"strengthen the European perspective of the Western Balkans,"
including Kosovo. The GOG has no plans to reduce its current
troop level of two battalions focused on Mitrovica, he said.
The GOG would continue to support KFOR transit requirements
via Thessaloniki and provide C-130 humanitarian cargo
flights. When asked whether the GOG would help press this
stay-the-course message with reluctant Allies, Daskarolis
said the GOG had already done so. He said, however, that GOG
had not and will not pledge to support the Kosovo Security
Forces (KSF). As for convincing Belgrade that the KSF was
not a threat, he indicated the GOG would not engage directly.
Rather, he suggested, the Serbian view reflected a "state of
mind" that will evolve as facts on the ground evolve.
McCarthy