VZCZCXRO7396
OO RUEHIK RUEHLN RUEHPOD RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHTH #1534 3151201
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 101201Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2755
INFO RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS ATHENS 001534 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EUN PGOV PREL RS GR
SUBJECT: GREEKS GET RUSSIA MESSAGE IN TIME FOR GAERC 
 
REF: SECSTATE 119280 
 
¶1. (SBU) On November 8, DepPolCouns discussed reftel GAERC 
points on dealing with Russia with Haris Lalacos, head of the 
MFA A11 Directorate for the EU CFSP.  Lalacos was grateful to 
receive the information over the weekend because he was 
departing along with the rest of FM Bakoyannis' party on 
Sunday November 9 so as to be in Brussels for the Monday 
November 10 GAERC.  Lalacos said he would convey our message 
to the FM. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Lalacos believed Russia would be the main topic of 
the GAERC.  Only the ministers would attend the meeting, a 
format designed to encourage more frank discussion. 
Different countries had "different lines of thought" on 
dealing with Russia, but all believed Russia must meet its 
obligations in terms of the Georgian cease-fire agreements. 
The GAERC would provide a good opportunity to discuss the 
common EU approach before the EU-Russia summit November 14. 
On Medvdev's proposal on a new security treaty, Lalacos said 
there was general perplexity about what it really entailed. 
Even the Russians, he noted, were not in a position to fill 
in any details.  Sarkozy had made clear the EU position.  On 
the PCA, Lalacos was unable to provide a substantive response 
since another directorate in the MFA (C1 for EU External 
Relations) had responsibility for that issue.  Lalacos said 
he would pass our message to C1 and the FM. 
SPECKHARD