VZCZCXYZ0018
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTH #1836/01 1951447
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141447Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6145
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS ATHENS 001836 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/SE, EUR/PGI, G/TIP, INL/HTSC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM KWMN GR TIP
SUBJECT: NEW TIP SPOKESMAN DETAILS GOG EFFORTS TO STOP 
HUMAN TRAFFICKING, RESPONDS TO ACTION PLAN 
 
REF: A. STATE 109288 
     ¶B. 05 ATHENS 3144 
 
This message is sensitive but unclassified, please protect 
accordingly. 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  Ambassador discussed the latest TIP 
developments and passed the 2006-2007 TIP action plan to the 
GOG's new Spokesman for its Interministerial Committee on 
trafficking in persons on July 10.  The Spokesman detailed 
the GoG's recent TIP actions and goals, including training 
officials, increasing NGO funding, making legislative 
changes, reestablishing the victim hotline, and conducting a 
major law enforcement operation.  He assured Ambassador that 
the MFA will act against corruption allegations at Greek 
embassies and consulates, and dismissed allegations of fraud 
at the Greece's mission in Moscow.  The Spokesman "is happy" 
with Greece's upgraded Tier Two position, and we are 
encouraged by Greece's continual efforts to combat human 
trafficking.  We will be interested to see how well these 
actions translate into increased victim protection and 
prosecution of traffickers.  END SUMMARY. 
 
NEW TIP POINT OF CONTACT AT MFA 
------------------------------- 
¶2.  (U) Ambassador met with Haralambos Rocanas, new Spokesman 
of the Interministerial Committee (IC) on Trafficking in 
Persons and MFA Secretary General on July 10 to formally 
deliver the TIP action plan (Ref A) and congratulate him on 
his new TIP role.  FM Bakoyannis' appointment of Rocanas to 
the TIP portfolio is a signal of her close attention to the 
issue.  Rocanas takes over the MFA seat on the IC from 
more-junior Ambassador Frangisko Verros, who had been head of 
the MFA's UN Directorate.  Rocanas was previously Ambassador 
to both China and Kuwait, and during his 29 year career has 
also served in Genoa, Istanbul, Washington, New York, and the 
MFA.  Also present at the July 10 meeting was Hercules 
Moskoff, Special Advisor on Human Security from Hellenic Aid, 
the MFA's assistance arm.  Moskoff continues to play a key 
advisory role to the IC on TIP, and will visit the U.S. for 
the EURP "Foreign Policy Challenges" International Visitor 
program in October. 
 
SPOKESMAN OUTLINES CONTINUAL TIP PROGRESS 
----------------------------------------- 
¶3.  (U) Rocanas, who by all accounts is new to the TIP issue, 
flawlessly detailed some of the latest GoG TIP efforts in a 
30-minute "monologue."  His main points were the following: 
 
--the GoG decided to formalize the IC though a presidential 
decree in the spring, making it an official government 
committee.  The formal status and bi-monthly meetings are 
unique in the Greek administration, and show that the GoG 
"takes the issue seriously."  (Comment: We concur, 
considering that even cabinet-level meetings are not 
regularly scheduled, so they commonly make the Greek news. 
End Comment.) 
 
--under the direction of Deputy Foreign Minister Stylianidis, 
Hellenic Aid will increase funding to NGOs.  Rocanas added 
cheerily, "Without money, there is not much one can do." 
 
--200 public prosecutors (half of the country's DAs) were 
trained in May at a two-day TIP conference sponsored by MFA 
and IOM. 
 
--the IC is identifying educators for ongoing training of law 
enforcement, prosecutors, and judges and for "train the 
trainers" programs. 
 
--the IC is working to (re)establish a TIP hotline (Note: 
This is an encouraging point, since we recently discovered 
that the Health Ministry's "197" Hotline is no longer 
operating on a 24-hour basis due to labor disputes.  End 
Note.) 
 
--the IC is redrafting Greek legislation to apply the 
"reflection period" to TIP victims only, since a loophole 
means it could theoretically be applied to traffickers as 
well. 
 
--the new IC rep from the Ministry of Public Order (MPO), 
Secretary General Konstantinos Ailianos, is a retired 
 
SIPDIS 
diplomat who was Greek Ambassador to Poland, Germany, and 
India, as well as SG of MFA and for the Greek President. 
Rocanas expressed satisfaction that there is another diplomat 
on the IC who understands the diplomatic equities of the TIP 
issue. 
 
--the MPO will undertake the operational law enforcement 
project "ILAEIRA," described as a large-scale national and 
cross-border effort to bring together police task forces, 
prosecutors, other law enforcement officials, and NGOs for 
training on victim identification and vigorous investigation 
and prosecution. 
 
ALLEGATIONS THAT DIPLOMATS FACILITATE TIP ARE "NOT TRUE" 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
¶4.  (SBU) Having seen an advance copy of the Action Plan, 
Rocanas was eager to allay our concern that "some Greek 
diplomats abroad facilitated trafficking." Rocanas assured 
Ambassador that where cases of corruption exist, "we will 
root them out." He went on to discuss the allegation against 
the Greek Embassy in Moscow in a case exposed by the Greek 
Helsinki Monitor (GHM) and reported in the Greek press in 
January.  GHM learned that several recognized TIP victims 
were granted Greek visas in Moscow with completely fabricated 
information on their visa applications and no interview. 
Rocanas detailed the process by which the prosecutors office 
opened a 'sworn administrative investigation' of three 
diplomats in Moscow, which eventually found they had no 
involvement in corruption; he said the allegations were "not 
true."  (Comment: We recognize there is confusion here 
between incompetent visa adjudication, as in this case, and 
outright corruption.  The GoG has pursued some corruption 
cases -- a former Greek MFA employee was jailed in 2005 for 
selling Schengen visas in 2001-2 while stationed a the Greek 
embassy in Kiev (Ref B).  Given Greece's desire to join the 
VWP, it is in their interest to strengthen their profile on 
visa issues within the Schengen framework.  End Comment.) 
 
GREECE "VERY HAPPY" WITH IMPROVED TIER RANKING 
--------------------------------------------- - 
¶5.  (U) Referring to our 2006 TIP report, Rocanas stated he 
is "very happy" that Greece was moved up to Tier Two, and 
believes that Greece should continue to move "up and up." 
Ambassador congratulated the progress, praised U.S.-Greece 
cooperation on the issue, and added that if we are open and 
constructive, we can solve this problem together. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) COMMENT: With more frequent IC meetings, 
appointments of higher-ranking officials on TIP, and more 
anti-TIP initiatives underway without USG input or even 
knowledge, Tier Two seems to have given the GoG just the 
boost we were hoping it would.  Our conversations on TIP no 
longer have an antagonistic air -- we are able to cooperate 
as partners.  The appointment of Rocanas gives the issue more 
prominence and also empowers his working-level TIP staff.  He 
has already learned the TIP script and we are pleased to have 
another good interlocutor with whom to discuss this key MPP 
goal.  We are still keen to measure how well these plans are 
implemented, which Rocanas promised to report on soon.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
¶7.  (U) Text of Action Plan provided as passed.  We made 
non-substantive revisions to references to the Greek law in 
points 1 and 2.  After Rocanas' strong objection to our 
putting in writing allegations of complicity by Greek 
diplomats without providing supporting information, we 
changed the original text of point 4 from "Greek diplomats 
abroad" to "Greek officials" at his request. 
-------------------------------------- 
BEGIN TEXT OF ACTION PLAN AS DELIVERED 
-------------------------------------- 
The following are recommended measures for combating 
Trafficking in Persons during the coming year: 
 
PROSECUTION 
 
¶1. Increase arrests and prosecutions of traffickers under 
trafficking-specific articles (323A, 351) of anti-trafficking 
law 3064/2002.  Collect and publish complete data on arrests 
and prosecutions under these articles of the law. 
 
¶2. Increase convictions under trafficking-specific articles 
of anti-trafficking law 3064/2002 and incarcerations of 
traffickers.  Collect and publish complete data on 
convictions and incarcerations under trafficking-specific 
articles of the 2002 anti-trafficking law.  Sentences imposed 
and time served should adequately reflect the heinous nature 
of the crime and serve to deter trafficking in Greece. 
 
¶3. Ensure anti-trafficking task forces, prosecutors and other 
law enforcement officials receive training on victim 
identification, sensitive questioning techniques and 
importance of victim confidentiality.  Provide task forces 
with contact information for NGO signatories to the 
Memorandum of Cooperation. 
 
 
¶4. Investigate allegation that some Greek officials have 
facilitated trafficking.  Demonstrate vigorous investigation 
and prosecution of all trafficking-related corruption. 
 
PROTECTION 
 
¶5. Increased numbers of victims protected, as evidenced by: 
--Increased numbers of victims granted the reflection period. 
--Increased numbers of victims granted residence permits. 
--Increased numbers of victims sheltered. 
--Increased numbers of victims formally entered into a 
witness protection program. 
 
¶6. Increased integration of NGOs in identification and 
referral process. 
--Continue momentum gained by signing MOU with NGOs to 
involve them directly in identification processes, such as 
after police raids, and by allowing NGO visits to jails and 
detention centers. 
 
--Proactive screening of possible trafficking victims, as 
shown by an increase in the number of victims referred from 
police to NGOs. 
 
--Sustain the level of funding for NGO shelters, NGO programs. 
 
PREVENTION 
 
¶7. Creation/operation of an effective, multi-lingual 
TIP-focused hotline 
--Train all hotline personnel to develop specific trafficking 
expertise, including awareness of organized crime and victim 
protection, and improved multi-lingual capabilities. 
 
--Provide measurable hotline results, including number of TIP 
victims referred to all forms of protection. 
 
--Run regular television, radio and print ads for the 
government hotline and the NGO-run TIP hotline. 
 
¶8. Continue and expand public awareness campaign started in 
2006 into a large-scale comprehensive campaign, focusing on 
demand reduction. Create effective public awareness campaigns 
which educate consumers of prostitution of the existence of 
trafficking and the exploitative conditions to which victims 
are subjected.  This campaign should also address other forms 
of trafficking, to raise awareness among the Greek public 
about exploitation as it relates to forced begging/stealing. 
 
--Development of different types of media exposure (i.e. live 
events, radio, magazine, etc.), always including contact 
information for a functional, effective, TIP-focused helpline. 
 
¶9. Continue regional networking; distribute prevention 
materials at Greek embassies and airports in source 
countries; train Greek consular officials on trafficking 
awareness and victim identification. 
 
--Establish or enhance existing mechanisms for exchanging 
information between Greek authorities and their counterparts 
in transit and source countries on trafficking cases and to 
facilitate the transparent and humane repatriation of victims. 
 
ADDITIONAL ACTIONS TO MEET THE MINIMUM STANDARDS 
 
¶1. Take steps to ensure that nationals deployed abroad for 
peacekeeping or similar missions do not engage in/facilitate 
or exploit victims of trafficking. 
 
¶2. Take steps to prevent the use of forced labor or child 
labor in violation of international standards. 
 
¶3. Take steps to prevent Greek nationals from participating 
in sex tourism. 
 
¶4. Amend the existing legal framework to exclude trafficking 
victims from punishment for unlawful acts that are a result 
of their trafficking (i.e. illegal entry, use of forged 
documents, illegal prostitution). 
 
------------------------------------ 
END TEXT OF ACTION PLAN AS DELIVERED 
------------------------------------ 
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