VZCZCXRO8959
PP RUEHIK
DE RUEHTH #0473/01 0911257
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 311257Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1564
INFO RUEHIK/AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI 1846
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 2929
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ATHENS 000473 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR ECA/PE/C/CU 
EUR/SE GCOWAN, EUR/PPD SALTMAN-WINANS 
THESSALONIKI FOR CONGEN 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O.12958:N/A 
TAGS: SCUL KPAO OEXC GR
SUBJECT:  Background for April 9 Meeting Between U.S. Secretary of 
Education Spellings and Greek Minister of Education and Religious 
Affairs Stylianides 
 
REF: A) 06 ATHENS 1507 B) 06 ATHENS 1556 C) 07 ATHENS 2119 D) 08 
00078 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  Greek Minister of Education and Religious 
Affairs Evripides Stylianides will meet with Secretary Spellings on 
April 9, 2008.  Secretary Spellings is the only cabinet-level 
official Stylianides will be meeting on his trip to Washington.  The 
meeting offers an excellent opportunity to highlight the vigor of 
U.S.-Greek educational exchange, including the Fulbright program, 
and to congratulate Minister Stylianides on a text book program to 
assist Roma children.  The meeting is also a chance to ubout religious freedom 
in Greece.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Biographical Information:  Evripides Stylianides was 
appointed Greek Minister of Education and Religious affairs in 
September 2007.  He is well known to the Embassy from his previous 
portfolio as Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 
Minister Stylianides speaks good English, is friendly, sympathetic 
to our issues, and very knowledgeable about education reform. 
Education reform was the focus of meetings between Minister 
Stylianides and Ambassador Speckhard in December 2007, with a 
Congressional delegation in November 2007, and with DCM Countryman 
in October 2007. 
 
 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Discrimination Against American Schools In Greece: 
Currently, non-state colleges and universities in Greece operate as 
"learning laboratories."  The Greek government does not recognize 
degrees or course work from these schools, which include 
U.S.-affiliated schools and institutions offering American-style 
tertiary education.  Several of these have a long and distinguished 
history in Greece including the American College of Greece, Anatolia 
College in Thessaloniki, and the more recently established 
University of Indianapolis.  The government's position is based on 
Article 16 of the Greek constitution, which states that education at 
all levels must be provided by the state, for free, and that 
university level institutions "shall operate under the supervision 
of the state and are entitled to financial assistance from it."  The 
practical result is that graduates of non-state schools in Greece 
are effectively barred from seeking a license for certain 
professions, cannot apply for public sector jobs, and/or may receive 
lower pay for these jobs.  As a result, enrollment in non-state 
schools is negatively affected. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Education Reform In Greece:  It is generally accepted that 
comprehensive reforms of Greek higher education are long overdue. 
In January 2006, Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis announced a 
two-dimensional approach to reform higher education in Greece.  Mass 
student protests followed resulting in the occupation of university 
buildings and suspension of classes in certain faculties for weeks 
at a time.  The demonstrations also caused the change in venue for 
the OECD Ministerial attended by Secretary Spellings in Jne 2006. 
It is also widely recognized that forer Education Minister Marietta 
Giannakou lost her Parliamentary seat in the September 2007 
elections as a result of her strong push for reform.  Publicly, and 
in private meetings with the Ambassador and DCM, the current 
Education Minister, Evripides Stylianides, continues to voice the 
Karamanlis Administration's strong support for education reform, 
however, Stylianides is taking a more measured approach than his 
predecessor and warns of the many obstacles facing reform in this 
Parliamentary session. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Karamanlis Administration's Proposed Education Reforms: 
The proposed reforms involve a constitutional amendment to allow and 
recognize private, non-profit universities; and administrative 
changes in the operation of existing universities through an 
"education framework law" that would make them more manageable, 
efficient and quality based. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The two reforms complement each other but the former 
requires a constitutional amendment requiring a minimum of 180 votes 
that needs to be ratified in this session of Parliament (the 
Karamanlis Administration has only 151 votes).  If it is not passed 
in this session, by constitutional law, a new constitutional reform 
measure cannot be introduced for another eight years.  The reform 
known as "the education framework law" was passed in 2006 in a 
 
ATHENS 00000473  002 OF 003 
 
 
considerably watered down version from the initial proposal offered 
by the Administration.  Parts are beginning to be implemented while 
other elements are still under discussion by university and ministry 
authorities.  There have been a few modest demonstrations so far 
this academic year and protest groups are threatening to ramp-up 
their activities. 
 
 
¶7.  (SBU) EU 2005/36 Directive:  This EU-generated Directive adds 
another element to the education reform debate in Greece.  It 
requires recognition of professional qualifications of university 
graduates who earn their degrees at local, private EU schools. 
Despite an EU court-ordered directive that Greece comply by October 
2007, so far Greece has not acceded to the EU Directive.  If Greece 
eventually complies with the EU Directive but does not also include 
American-affiliated institutions, the American institutions will be 
greatly disadvantaged. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Greek Positions:  Initially, the Karamanlis government and 
the main opposition party leadership (PASOK) were both on record in 
support of the education reform measures.  The smaller Communist and 
coalition parties opposed them.  Parliamentary and public opinion 
also generally appeared to favor reform while Greek media followed 
their party lines.  A report from a ministry advisory group, the 
National Coucil on Education (comprised of notable Greek 
educators), also strongly supported educational reform. 
 
¶9. (SBU) In the face of continuing protests from PASOK's own student 
organization, however, opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou 
backpedaled from his initial support and now opposes the 
constitutional amendment and is suggesting that other reforms be 
delayed. 
 
¶10. (SBU) In meetings with Ambassador Speckhard and DCM Countryman, 
Minister Stylianides has been pessimistic about the chances for a 
constitutional amendment given the lack of opposition support.  As 
an alternative, Stylianides suggests that an executive legislative 
provision be tabled that could protect the role of public 
universities but provide for recognition of private universities. 
Stylianides prefers that Papandreou offer this provision but says he 
is prepared to do so himself if necessary. 
 
¶11. (SBU) As an alternative, Minister Stylianides notes that the EU 
court might also force Greece to recognize EU degrees per the EU 
2005/36 Directive.  If this happens, Stylianides says he will seek 
appropriate language to recognize U.S.-accredited schools.  It is 
unclear, however, exactly when or how this will happen. 
 
¶12. (SBU) As a more immediate, practical path, Stylianides suggests 
that U.S. schools find a "mother university" within the EU, 
particularly in Cyprus, with which to affiliate so the American 
schools can enjoy the benefits extended to EU institutions. 
 
¶13. (SBU) USG Position:  We support the recognition of degrees for 
private colleges and universities in Greece and have long pushed for 
reform in this area.  Given the sensitivity of this issue and the 
rampant anti-Americanism in the Greek press, we are careful in our 
public statements about the education reform issue in Greece.  We 
note our support for reform, underscore the contribution of quality, 
American-affiliated institutions in Greece, and highlight the 
positive U.S. experience with both public and private school 
options.  Iitutions in any reform measures adopted. 
 
 
 
¶14. (SBU) We are hopeful that the constitutional amendment will pass 
in this Parliamentary session, however, it is not at all certain 
that this will happen.   If a constitutional amendment is not 
possible, we support the alternative legislative provision suggested 
by Minister Stylianides and would also welcome including 
U.S.-accredited schools in any EU 2005/36 Directive language.  While 
we understand the practicality of American schools affiliating with 
EU schools, we do not support this as a solution since it ultimately 
dilutes the American educational model we are trying to encourage. 
Washington officials should press the Minister to do everything 
possible to include U.S.-accredited schools in the scope of the 
Greek decree on recognition of EU degrees. 
 
¶15. (SBU) Religious Freedom:  Minister Stylianides is Minister of 
Education and Religious Affairs.  Although he has requested this 
meeting on educational matters, and Greece's record on religious 
 
ATHENS 00000473  003 OF 003 
 
 
freedom issues is generally strong, we recommend that U.S. concerns 
about religious freedom issues in Greece also be raised. 
 
¶16. (SBU) Stylianides's Ministry oversees enforcement of provisions 
of the Greek constitution and Greek law which prohibit proselytizing 
and stipulate that no rite of worship may disturb public order or 
offend moral principles.  Greek anti-proselytizing laws have led to 
the arrests of scores of persons since being enacted in the 1930s. 
To this day, the laws continue to result in a handful of young 
missionaries facing criminal charges and jail time throughout 
Greece.  As a result of such arrests, Greece has been found in 
violation of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and 
Fundamental Freedoms by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). 
 
¶17. (SBU) Examples of (most frequently) young Mormon missionaries or 
Jehovah's Witnesses facing arrest and trial on these charges are not 
uncommon.  Often, the arrests come about after police officers 
receive a complaint of proselytizing.  Frequently, instead of facing 
formal arrest and trial, missionaries are taken to a police station 
for an "identity check," and are released without charges after 
several hours.  In one recent case, however, two Mormon missionaries 
were arrested (one of whom was an American citizen) and held in 
custody overnight.  They were placed on trial the next day and 
although they were acquitted, the ordeal was stressful, frightening 
and costly.  The USG has urged Greece to consider repealing the laws 
which permit officers to make these arrests or, at a minimum, to 
take steps that ensure no more persons are arrested under these 
antiquated legal provisions. 
 
¶18. (SBU) The Education Minister should be congratulated on a five 
million Euro text book program designed to assist Roma children in 
developing basic educational skills.  We are also working to arrange 
a visit to a Roma camp near Athens by Ambassador Speckhard on or 
about April 8, when International Roma Day is celebrated, to draw 
the attention of the Greek public to their situation. 
 
¶19. (SBU) The Secretary should also underscore the vigor of 
educational exchange between the U.S. and Greece.  The Fulbright 
Program in Greece, for example, is the oldest in Europe and 
celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.  It has actively 
supported two-way exchanges since its inception. 
 
¶20. (SBU) We greatly appreciate the GoG's continuing contribution to 
the Fulbright Program.  Secretary Spellings should thank actual value has declined due to exchange 
rate losses). 
 
¶21. (SBU) Secretary Spellings might also note our pleasure that in 
June 2008, Greece will host the Fulbright-Hays teacher program. 
Sixteen American educators will participate in a two-week cultural 
enrichment program in Greece. 
 
¶22.  (SBU) According to Institute of International Education 
(IIP)/Open Door statistics for the 2005-06 academic year (the most 
recent available), 2,088 Greek students studied in the U.S. (a 
decrease of 4.9% from the previous year), and 3,227 American 
students studied in Greece (an increase of 32% from the previous 
year).  We are urging the GoG to amend its visa policy so American 
students receive visas for the duration of their studies in Greece 
(which is what Greek students generally receive for their U.S. 
studies).  Currently, Greece gives American students a uniform 
90-dayvisa, regardless of the length of their study pogram. 
Extensions must be routinely requested (an expensive, onerous 
process) and often are not received before the study program ends. 
The GoG recognizes the problem and promises to address it. 
SPECKHARD