VZCZCXRO3179
RR RUEHIK
DE RUEHTH #1657 1791246
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 281246Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5953
INFO RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1081
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 0972
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1090
RUEHLE/AMEMBASSY LUXEMBOURG 0016
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1122
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 3500
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0535
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 1136
RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 0114
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0186
RUEHIK/AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI 0454

UNCLAS ATHENS 001657 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
EUR/SE, EUR/OHI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KNAR PHUM GR
SUBJECT: GREEK PROCESS FOR RATIFYING INTERNATIONAL TRACING 
SERVICE AMENDMENTS 
 
REF: SECSTATE 106075 
 
This message is sensitive but unclassified, please protect 
accordingly. 
 
¶1.  (U) Poloff spoke with Fotini Tomai-Constantopoulou on 
June 28 regarding reftel points. Tomai-Constantopoulou, 
Expert Counselor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Service of 
Diplomatic and Historical Archives, and Greece's 
representative to the International Commission of the 
International Tracing Service (ITS), reiterated that Greece 
will sign the amendments on July 26 in Berlin.  She also 
mentioned that she has agreed to stay in Berlin for the press 
event following the signing. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Tomai-Constantopoulou explained that the Greek 
Parliament must approve ratification of the amendments, a 
process that normally takes in excess of one year.  She plans 
to speak to the President of the Parliament to request that 
the amendments are ratified by the "earliest possible" date. 
While she hoped the ratification might be done before the end 
of the year, Tomai-Constantopoulou could make no guarantee 
when Parliament will finish the work.  She reminded poloff of 
the significance the GoG places on these amendments, and of 
the special Greek efforts to "overcome the many obstacles" 
presented by some other Commission members (she named 
Belgium, Italy, and Germany) and see that these amendments 
were approved in May. 
 
¶3.  (U) COMMENT: There is no better way to move an amendment 
with limited domestic interest through the unpredictable and 
often protracted Greek parliamentary process than with a 
dynamic proponent.  Tomai-Constantopoulou has expressed her 
dedication to seeing the Bonn Accords amended, and noted that 
Foreign Minister Bakoyannis supports her in this effort. 
RIES