VZCZCXRO9177
OO RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHTH #1457/01 2940635
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 200635Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2658
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ EPA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ATHENS 001457 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT ALSO FOR EUR/ERA FOR BEH/NELSON, EUR/PGI FOR TESSLER, 
OES/PCI FOR FITE/HUDAK, OES/EGC FOR FENDLEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KGHG EAGR SENV ENRG TRGY PREL PGOV OSCE AF GR
SUBJECT: DAS GRAFFY MEETS WITH GREEK PARLIAMENTARIANS ON 
ENVIRONMENT 
 
REF: ATHENS 01411 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  On October 8, Deputy Assistant Secretary 
(DAS) for Public Diplomacy for Europe and EurAsia Colleen 
Graffy met with several Members of Parliament (MP) from the 
Greek Special Standing Committee on Protection of the 
Environment.  The discussion focused largely on managing 
carbon emissions for the major economies, utilizing advanced 
technologies for waste and water management in Greece, and 
regional energy security issues.  DAS Graffy emphasized key 
USG programs on climate change and green diplomacy.  End 
Summary. 
 
MPs from Environment Highlight Concerns on 
Climate Change, Waste and Water Management 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) In an October 8 meeting with Greek MPs from the 
Environment Committee, DAS Colleen Graffy said the U.S. is 
listening to the conversation in Europe on environment and 
looking to change the perception that the U.S. is not engaged 
on climate change, where it has already committed USD 37 
billion.  The U.S. leads the major economies and is working 
towards a tenable forward-looking solutions post-Kyoto.  DAS 
Graffy highlighted the State Department's "green diplomacy" 
campaign to partner with citizens and the innovative "League 
of Green Embassies," to instill a carbon-neutral footprint, 
by applying recycling, energy conservation & efficiency, and 
using renewable energy sources, for member Embassies.  (Note: 
 Athens joined the League of Green Embassies in April 2008. 
End Note.)  She added that the U.S. was also encouraging 
green industries and the creation of green-collar jobs to be 
developed alongside second-generation technologies in 
biofuels and renewable energies. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) MP Dimitris Varvarigos, Deputy Chairman of the 
Environmental Committee and the ranking member of the 
committee from the major opposition PASOK party, criticized 
the U.S. stance regarding the Kyoto Protocol and said the 
size of the U.S. economy put it in a unique place to take a 
leadership role on climate change.  Greece is a very small 
country with a smaller level of emissions relative to other 
countries, he maintained, and our compliance with the Kyoto 
Protocol is more symbolic than substantive.  "If we are not 
trying to meet our obligations to reduce carbon emissions, 
than we cannot ask others to do the same."  MP Michalis 
Papagiannakis from the left coalition said cooperation on 
environmental issues was necessary, as we all had "the same 
boat and the same fortune."  Finally, in a rare appearance by 
a member of the Communist Party (KKE - which remains a 
Stalinist party) in a meeting with a U.S. official, MP Nikos 
Gantzis said that if U.S. policies on the environment were 
presented as was done by DAS Graffy, his party "would have no 
problems" with the U.S. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The head of the Environmental Committee MP Kyriakos 
Mitsotakis, son of the former Greek Prime Minister 
Konstantinos Mitsotakis, said the US can improve its image by 
contributing to Europe's efforts and supporting the UN 
framework to hammer out the post Kyoto Protocol.  He 
commented that Greece has "just about met" the Kyoto protocol 
requirements.  (Note:  However, it appears that Greece has 
not compiled - see reftel.)  As for Greece's energy concerns, 
he remarked that the interest in renewables was very high 
given Greece's supply of wind and sun, but it still had a 
long way to go.  Waste management was a pressing issue, he 
said, as Greece still relied on landfills and needed to 
explore alternatives for incineration.  On water, parts of 
the country have water shortages, an issue of key importance 
to the farmers.  Mitsotakis welcomed any exchange of 
information with the U.S., speakers, video-conferences, and 
especially contacts with the EPA to address these pressing 
issues. 
 
MP from Foreign Affairs and Defense Discusses 
Regional Energy Security and Assistance 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) MP Militiadis Varvitsiotis, President of the 
Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense, keyed 
in on Greece's new energy agenda which has resulted in 
strategic partnerships, including with Russia.  He emphasized 
that this strategy was being implemented by all European 
countries.  Projects such as the Burgas-Alexandroupli oil 
pipeline, were being considered.  DAS Graffy encouraged 
Varvitsiotis to consider that Russian's recent invasion of 
Georgia demonstrated that you cannot simply go 
 
ATHENS 00001457  002 OF 002 
 
 
"sleep-walking" into reliance on Russia's energy resources. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) On Georgia, DAS Graffy expressed appreciation for 
the Government of Greece's (GoG) assistance to Georgia. 
Varvitsiotis noted that he would be traveling with other 
European representatives to South Ossetia and Abkhazia on a 
fact-finding mission for the Parliamentary Assembly of the 
Western European Union (WEU).  He said the mission would not 
focus on who is at fault, but on how to safe-guard Georgian 
integrity.  When asked about Greece's upcoming chairmanship 
of the OSCE in 2009, Varvitsiotis remarked that the GoG was 
examining its priorities. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Regarding Cyprus, he believed that it was turning a 
new page given the election of Christofias and renewed 
negotiations, but he said Greece had been dissatisfied with 
the slow pace of the Joint Committees.  Varvitsiotis said the 
GoG would never accept a confederation proposal, but one 
country with two separate communities.  As for Afghanistan, 
his recent April visit with other members of the Defense and 
Foreign Affairs committee to visit Greek troops had helped to 
publicize the challenges in Afghanistan and Greek 
contributions to the effort.  Varvitsiotis said that the GOG 
continues to consider how it might further assist in 
Afghanistan.  He also agreed that the GOG could potentially 
provide greater financial support to Afghanistan.  On the 
issue of helicopters, he was aware of repeated requests, but 
he had concerns that the GoG was utilizing older models and 
that the new ones were needed to provide emergency supplies 
during critical times to remote islands. 
 
MP from Opposition Party Urges Collaboration 
to Address Waste Management and Water Issues 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) MP Spyros Kouvelis from the PASOK party briefed DAS 
Graffy on the problems with waste management, the lack of 
land-planning, and the environmental challenges facing the 
agriculture sector.  (Note:  Kouvelis is Post's FY-09 IVP 
candidate and is the former Head of World Wildlife Fund in 
Greece.  End Note.)  In particular, he cited that 85 percent 
of water in Greece goes towards agriculture of which 40 
percent is wasted.  Kouvelis also added that advanced 
technologies could help Greece look for solutions on climate 
change and waste management.  Even looking at best practices 
from USG agencies and the private sector would help Greece 
improve its policy structure on environment and urban land 
planning, he commented.  He stressed that Greece is one of 
the largest waste-producers in Europe. He welcomed the 
opportunity to meet with environmentalists from the U.S. as 
well as government agencies such as the EPA, which could 
share ideas on the inter-play between agency, industry, and 
the community. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) In all of the meetings with DAS Graffy, the MPs 
cited waste management and climate change as two of their top 
concerns.  The recent pile-up of trash in March and Greece's 
disappointing performance in measuring carbon emissions 
(reftel) per the Kyoto Protocol are indicative of the 
challenges ahead.  We have seen little done by the GoG to 
attract the private sector to provide advanced technologies 
on waste management or invest in the renewable energy sector. 
 During DAS Graffy's visit, the GoG was receptive to 
information exchangs, speakers, and videoconferences on best 
practices in the areas cited, as well as eco-tourism and 
green buildings, and we intend to follow-up on these 
opportunities.  End Comment. 
SPECKHARD