This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ATHENS 000372 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2016 
TAGS: ECON EAIR GR OLYAIR
SUBJECT: OLYMPIC AIRLINES PRIVATIZATION ENTERS NEW PHASE 
(AGAIN) 
 
REF: A. 2005 ATHENS 1372 
     ¶B. 2005 ATHENS 2114 
     ¶C. 2005 ATHENS 2470 
     ¶D. 2005 ATHENS 2628 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Charles Ries for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: On February 2nd, Ambassador met with Deputy 
Minister of Finance Peter Doukas to discuss the latest GoG 
plans for privatizing the ailing national air carrier, 
Olympic Airlines (OA).  Doukas stated clearly that he saw no 
way forward for last year's plan to sell the company to U.S. 
based Olympic Investors LLC in the face of EC Transport 
Commissioner Barrot's opposition to allowing OA to be sold 
without repaying improperly received state subsidies.  As a 
result the GoG intends to seek investors to capitalize a new 
Greek-flagged airline by March, which will compete in an open 
auction this fall on the assets of OA and Olympic Airways 
Group.  The proceeds of the liquidation will be offset 
against subsidy repayments due to the Greek government. 
Ambassador was assured that Olympic Investors would be 
invited to participate in the new start-up company.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2.  (U) On February 2nd, Ambassador met with Deputy Minister 
of Finance Peter Doukas to discuss the latest GoG plans for 
privatizing the ailing national air carrier, Olympic Airlines 
(OA). In August 2005, the U.S.-based investment consortium of 
Olympic Investors LLC and York Capital, signed an MOU with 
the GoG to purchase OA (reftel b).  In October, however, the 
GoG announced that the sale terms established in the MOU were 
"unworkable" in light of EC opposition (the MOU and the 
tender offer anticipated the sale would be contingent on 
European Commission approval.) Subsequently the government 
began planning a new privatization plan. 
 
Out with the Old 
---------------- 
¶3.  (U) When asked about the reasons for terminating the MOU 
with Olympic Investors, Doukas was straightforward; in 
September the EC had ruled that OA and Olympic Airways (the 
ground handling/catering group split off in 2002) were 
jointly and severally liable for the repayment of up to 650 
million euro in illegal state subsidies granted between 2001 
and 2003 (reftel c).  According to Doukas, EC Transport 
Commissioner Barrot had been clear that this penalty would be 
enforced against both OA and Olympic Airways, and that the EC 
would under no circumstances approve the sale of OA as a 
non-inheritor of that debt until the state aid had been 
repaid to the GoG treasury. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Doukas said that Barrot told Greek Minister of 
Transportation Liapis that the only way to avoid EC fines 
would be to totally liquidate OA, as well as associated 
companies in the Olympic Airways Group, in an open and 
transparent auction.  The assets from the sale would be set 
against the repayment obligations, and any remaining 
obligations written-off with the dissolution of OA and 
Olympic Airways Group.  Doukas noted that Barrot had focused 
in particular on the fact that the EC would not allow OA, the 
major revenue-earning part of Olympic Airways Group, to be 
sold without any portion of the subsidy repayment obligation 
being attached.  Since the MOU with Olympic Investors was 
valued under the assumption that OA would not inherit any 
repayment debt, Barrot's position "doomed" the deal. 
 
In With the New 
--------------- 
¶5.  (SBU) Doukas described the GoG's new plan as an attempt 
to satisfy Barrot and the EU while retaining a Greek-flagged 
national air carrier.  In the new plan, the GoG is seeking to 
establish a start-up company with 150 to 200 million euro in 
equity.  The opportunity to participate in the new airline 
would be by private offer only, involving select venture 
capitalists, existing foreign air carriers (note: Doukas 
mentioned the Emirates Airlines by name), and Greek ship 
owners.  Doukas confirmed that Olympic Investors and York 
Capital would be given a chance to participate in this new 
venture.  Doukas also confirmed that the GoG was anticipating 
buying between 30 and 50 million euro of shares in the 
company, but would settle for less if enough outside capital 
could be found (Note: Minister of Finance Alogoskoufis 
separately told Ambassador the GoG would be happy not to hold 
any equity if it all can be sold to private investors. End 
note.)  Doukas noted that the less the GoG held of this new 
company, the more satisfied the EC would be, but that in any 
case the GoG had no intention of assuming any management 
responsibilities. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Doukas observed that OA was in dire straits, and 
would be lucky to have enough money to continue operations 
through the summer.  His timetable is to have the new company 
established by March or April, therefore, and the liquidation 
of OA completed by the fall.  When prodded by Ambassador, he 
confessed that not all the details were yet worked out.  In 
particular he was not sure what would happen with OA's 
routes, or how OA competitor Aegean Airlines would be 
compensated with additional EU routes in order to be "less 
unhappy" with the creation of another Greek-flagged 
competitor airline. 
¶7.  (SBU) Ambassador also inquired how the GoG intended to 
handle the politically sensitive issue of Olympic Airways 
Group's 7700 state employees.  Doukas acknowledged that it 
was going to be expensive, but that the State was obliged to 
either offer buy-outs or place the employees in other 
state-owned companies.  He said that the price tag for this 
process was being negotiated with the EC so he couldn't 
discuss it, but that it would be "monstrous." 
 
¶8.  (C) Comment:  It was clear that Doukas was prepared for 
this meeting, and unlike previous meetings (reftel d) with 
GoG officials, was prepared to explain the GoG motivations 
for canceling the MOU with Olympic Investors.  It isn't clear 
that there exists 200 million euro in capital dying to invest 
in a start-up air carrier in Greece, but the GoG is working 
with Lazard and SABRE to create a business plan and find 
interested parties.  If, as Doukas suggests, the new company 
will be buying OA assets (including valuable Heathrow slots) 
in a fair and transparent auction process in which anyone 
interested can participate, it would go a long way towards 
solving the GoG's problems with Brussels over the 
subsidization of OA.  Brussels will have achieved the 
liquidation of Olympic Airways Group, and as long as the GoG 
isn't providing improper state aid, if investors want to try 
and make a go of a Greek-flagged airline, it will be a 
further step towards competition in European civil aviation. 
 
¶9.  (C) For its part, U.S. based Olympic Investors continues 
to maintain that the GoG has failed to honor the terms of the 
MOU, and that despite indications to the contrary, Brussels 
really would be ready to approve the deal as struck between 
the investors and the GoG last summer if only Greece would 
promote it effectively.  We would welcome USEU's assessment 
on this point.  End Comment. 
RIES