VZCZCXYZ0027
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTH #0404 0541330
ZNY EEEEE ZZH
R 231330Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8229

UNCLAS E F T O ATHENS 000404 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM KPAO PGOV PREL GR IR
SUBJECT: GREEK NGOS' WORK IN IRAN, BALKANS 
 
REF: SECSTATE 2659 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary. Econoffs recently met with two Greek NGOs 
to talk about their work in the Balkan region and Iran.  The 
European Public Law Center (EPLC) aims to promote democracy 
and the rule of law in the EU and the surrounding region. 
Founded in 1995, EPLC also has conducted projects in Iran. 
The Center for European Constitutional Law (CECL), also 
founded in 1995, has similar aims, and has worked throughout 
Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.  Both NGOs work often 
with Hellenic Aid, which provides funding for many of their 
projects, and both expressed an interest in working with 
USAID on future projects.  End Summary 
 
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EUROPEAN PUBLIC LAW CENTER 
-------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) EPLC Center Director Flogaitis met with Econoffs to 
discuss the projects his organization conducted in Iran.  The 
first project, called the Alexandros Project, ran from 2002 
until 2005 and was developed to enhance legal and judicial 
reform in Iran.  It consisted of activities aimed at the 
modernization and democratization of the Iranian judiciary. 
The highlight of the project was a joint judicial seminar, 
held in Tehran, in which a delegation from EPLC participated. 
 The second project, named the Aristotelis Project, began in 
2005 and is ongoing.  The objective is to create a branch of 
EPLC in Tehran in order to provide supportive services for 
reform strategies to the Iranian government and the wider 
region.  The project is in partnership with Shahid Beheshti 
University and is co-funded by the Hellenic MFA.  In May 2006 
a local team was recruited to establish the EPLC office, and 
the current director of the office is a local professor.  The 
office is a free-standing building on the Shahid Beheshti 
campus and has publications and computers linked to the EPLC 
in Athens and to HeinOnline, a legal research database.  EPLC 
currently has funding to continue the office until June and 
is applying for longer-term funding. 
 
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EPLC DIRECTOR'S RECENT VISIT TO TEHRAN 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Director Flogaitis recently travelled to Tehran for 
the inaguration of the center, and shared some impressions of 
the city and the university.  Shahid Beheshti University's 
faculty consists of mostly French and U.S. educated 
professors, especially in the Human Rights department that 
Flogaitis was working with.  At the university, they teach 
law and foreign politics to future diplomats of many 
countries, including Venezuela and the Phillipines. 
Flogaitis stated that he saw less women wearing the hijab 
than he had seen in Istanbul, and said that most Iranians he 
spoke with considered President Ahmadinejad to be foolish, 
especially concerning his views on the Holocaust.  But they 
also said that Iranians will stand up with their government 
when Americans fight it or are critical of it.  Iranians, 
because they think they are the source of Islam, see 
themselves as the center of the region much like Greece was 
the center of its region in ancient times. 
 
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CENTER FOR EUROPEAN CONSTITUTIONAL LAW 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) CECL's objective is to perform thoretical and 
applied scientific research in the field of Public Law and in 
relative branches of legal science.  Many of the programs it 
conducts are funded by the EU, with some regional programs 
funded by Hellenic Aid.  Recent and ongoing notable projects 
include seminars to train judges in Albania, advising the 
Ministry of Justice in Kosovo, and supporting governmental 
reform on child safety in Armenia. 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶5.  (SBU) Comment: Both EPLC and CECL would welcome the 
opportunity to cooperate with the USG, perhaps through a 
joint projct with USAID.  Flogaitis, who will be visiting 
Washington in March, would welcome the opportunity for 
meetings at AID and/or State.  End Comment. 
RIES