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DE RUEHTH #0249/01 0571104
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O 261104Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS
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RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 5435
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ATHENS 000249 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OVIP PREL CVIS ECON ENRG PTER PGOV TU CY GR
SUBJECT: SENATOR DURBIN DISCUSSES CYPRUS, TURKEY, VISA 
WAIVER, AND ENERGY WITH FM BAKOYANNIS, PARLIAMENT HEAD 
SIOUFAS 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In a cordial and very substantive 
discussion during his visit to Athens, Senator Richard Durbin 
told Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis about his impressions 
of the chances for a settlement of the Cyprus issue following 
his visit to Nicosia and underscored the new administration's 
desire to have strong relations with Greece.  Bakoyannis said 
Greece was keenly interested in a Cyprus settlement, but she 
wondered whether the Turkish "Deep State" shared this 
interest.  On Turkey's EU prospects, Bakoyannis expressed 
similar perplexity about Turkish intentions, but said Greece 
remained steadfast both in supporting Turkey's EU candidacy 
-- as long as it met all criteria -- and in insisting that 
the EU not move the goalposts on Turkey.  Bakoyannis also 
noted Athens' disappointment that its overtures toward Ankara 
had not resulted in improved relations and complained about 
Turkey's outstanding threat on casus belli, Turkish 
overflights of Greek islands in the Aegean, and Turkey's 
long-standing refusal to allow the reopening of the Halki 
Orthodox seminary.  In response to Bakoyannis' question about 
progress on the Visa Waiver Program for Greece, Ambassador 
noted that we have been waiting for the GOG to return to us 
comments on the agreement on criminal data sharing (PCSC), 
which the Greeks had had since October.  Bakoyannis promised 
a text by February 20 but warned the U.S. could not expect to 
get everything it wanted in the agreement. 
 
¶2. (SBU) In his meeting with Parliament President Sioufas, 
Senator Durbin provided an overview of his visit to Cyprus, 
discussed the new administration's economic stimulus plan, 
and stressed the importance of Turkey re-opening the Halki 
seminary.  Sioufas updated the Senator on the Greek 
Parliament's ratification of Albania's and Croatia's NATO 
accession protocols, Greek efforts to encourage both sides to 
find a solution to the Cyprus issue, and recent developments 
in Greece's development of energy supplies.  END SUMMARY. 
 
STRONG U.S./GREECE TIES 
----------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) This was Senator Durbin's first meeting with FM 
Bakoyannis.  The Senator said the purpose of his Athens visit 
was to report on his trip to Cyprus and to see "friends of 
the U.S."  He was excited about the election to the 
Presidency of his fellow Senator from Illinois, and though 
the Senator stressed that the CODEL was not an official 
delegation, they were "official friends" of President Obama 
and wanted to come to Greece early in the new administration 
to show that bilateral relations were strong.  Mr. Alexi 
Giannoulias, the Illinois State Treasurer, who was 
accompanying the CODEL at his own expense, reiterated that we 
looked forward to good relations and wanted to send a strong 
message of U.S. willingness to help on the Cyprus issue. 
Bakoyannis extended her congratulations on the President's 
election and noted that there were high expectations but also 
many global problems.  The United States could count on 
Greece's friendship, and she said Greece's relationship with 
the U.S. was amongst its best, based on common values, common 
interests, and the support of the Greek diaspora in the U.S. 
 
CYPRUS 
------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) Bakoyannis said Greece was keenly interested in 
solving the Cyprus issue and had encouraged both the Greek 
Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots to work hard.  The incentives 
were high, particularly for the Turkish Cypriots, who would 
become full-fledged members of the EU.  It was important, 
however, to understand the fundamental differences between 
the two sides.  She argued that while the Greek Cypriots were 
totally independent of Athens, the Turkish Cypriots were not 
independent and were greatly influenced by Ankara.  She asked 
rhetorically whether the Turks were really interested now in 
a solution or were using the process as a bargaining chip for 
EU accession.  She said the Turks told her they were 
interested, but she was unsure what to believe.  At the same 
time, there was the question of who would ultimately decide 
on Turkish cooperation, the GOT or the "Deep State" (the term 
sometimes used to refer to the forces within the Turkish 
General Staff who supposedly represent the real seat of power 
in Turkey). 
 
¶5. (SBU) Senator Durbin said the CODEL had asked Turkish 
Cypriot "President" Talat directly whether he could act 
 
ATHENS 00000249  002 OF 004 
 
 
independently.  Talat had responded that Ankara had the power 
to stop him from negotiating but thus far had not done so. 
Bakoyannis said Talat had been a good negotiating partner for 
Cypriot President Christofias, and she believed that if 
Ankara left Talat alone, an agreement would happen.  She 
emphasized at the same time that any agreement had to be 
viable from the point of view of the EU.  It would not work 
if every time the Cypriot representative in Brussels needed 
to make a statement or take a decision, there had to be 
political negotiations back in Cyprus.  Also, the question of 
security guarantees had to be dealt with.  Bakoyannis said 
the old guarantees dating from the 1960s (which had justified 
the Turkish invasion in 1974) were now "old fashioned" and 
"dangerous."  Rights of outside countries to intervene were a 
recipe for disaster; the EU was the only guarantor any party 
should need. 
 
TURKEY 
------ 
 
¶6. (SBU) In response to the Senator's question whether Turkey 
-- especially the "Deep State" -- was truly interested in EU 
membership, Bakoyannis said she had the impression the Deep 
State, which was Kemalist and secular, did not want the EU 
interfering in Turkish internal affairs, especially on issues 
of democracy and human rights.  On the other hand, the Muslim 
party, which portrayed itself as a modern, European, 
democratic party interested in EU membership, nevertheless 
hewed to some Muslim policies, particularly in international 
affairs.  Despite these ambiguities on the Turkish side, 
Bakoyannis said Greece's position was clear: Turkey must meet 
all the accession criteria; there could be no changing of the 
rules for Turkey.  At the same time, Greece stressed to the 
EU that its position must be consistent: the EU could not 
say, "Turkey, you met all the accession criteria, but we 
still don't want you because you're a Muslim country or too 
large."  She said she did not expect Turkish accession for 
about 15 years and, by then, the world would likely look 
considerably different and opposition to Turkish accession 
might lessen.  In the meantime, the EU had to be transparent 
on the accession issue.  The Turks also needed to open their 
ports to Cypriot vessels.  Restricting their entry, she 
argued made no sense for Turkey, which will depend on Cyprus' 
vote to enter the EU. 
 
¶7. (SBU) On Greek-Turkish bilateral relations, Bakoyannis 
said there had been some improvement, such as PM Karamanlis' 
visit to Ankara a year ago -- the first time in 49 years that 
a Greek prime minister had gone to Turkey.  But relations had 
not improved as much as they had expected, and Bakoyannis 
cited several outstanding irritants, such as the casus belli 
the Turkish parliament had proclaimed when Greece ratified 
the Law of the Sea treaty.  Turkish provocations in the 
Aegean, which had been increasing lately, were another 
irritant.  Turkish refusal to allow the opening of the Halki 
Seminary was another.  Four U.S. presidents had pushed the 
Turks to open the seminary but had failed.  Bakoyannis said 
she argued to the Turks that with the seminary open, the 
Greek Ecumenical Patriarch (headquartered in Istanbul) would 
become Turkey's best ambassador, demonstrating Turkey's 
tolerance.  The Turks argued back to Bakoyannis that if they 
opened Halki, they would also have to open many more 
problematic Muslim academies.  Bakoyannis said she did not 
believe their argument, however, and attributed the GOT 
refusal to re-open Halki to Turkish intolerance of a 
religious minority.  In sum, Bakoyannis found the Turks 
difficult to understand, and she said that while ruling New 
Democracy and main opposition PASOK remained positive toward 
Turkey's EU aspirations, the Greek public was running out of 
patience. 
 
DOMESTIC TERRORISM 
------------------ 
 
¶8. (SBU) The Senator also asked about Greek domestic 
terrorism, which had flared up since the riots began in 
December.   He inquired whether Greek terrorists were 
"homegrown" and asked for the Foreign Minister's analysis and 
advice.  Bakoyannis, who lost her own husband to assassins of 
the Greek terror group 17 November in 1989, said the recent 
flare-up of violence had two causes.  One was rebellion of 
Greek students following the police shooting of the 
15-year-old boy last December.  The "children" in the streets 
 
ATHENS 00000249  003 OF 004 
 
 
were angry, a reaction compounded by the tremendous pressure 
Greek students were under from their parents to perform well 
in the latter stages of high school to be competitive to 
enter Greek universities.  The ND government, Bakoyannis 
said, was trying to relieve the latter problem through 
education reform.  The second cause were the hardcore 
terrorists and anarchists, which numbered approximately 
600-700 and were aided by criminal elements.  She said new 
groups had emerged recently and were using gas bombs, 
shooting cars and even a policeman.  She said that, as in the 
past, Greece would need the cooperation of its friends to 
defeat these new terrorists.  At the same time, the new crop 
was "too messy" and much less disciplined than 17N to be 
serious. 
 
VISA WAIVER 
----------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Bakoyannis asked about Greece's application for the 
Visa Waiver Program.  The Senator said he understood this was 
an important issue for Greece and that he hoped to see Greece 
in the program as soon as possible.  Ambassador noted that 
two of three necessary documents were finished but that we 
were waiting for the GOG to get to us its comments on the 
agreement on criminal data sharing (PCSC), which we had 
passed to Greece in mid-October.  Bakoyannis responded that 
she would be getting the comments of the Ministry of Justice 
on Friday and would make them available to us.  She 
underscored that the U.S. would not be able to get everything 
it wanted in the agreement "or it won't make it through the 
Greek Parliament."  Additionally, Bakoyannis was not happy 
that the older European participants in the VWP did not have 
to sign such agreements.  "I don't want Greece to be treated 
differently."  Ambassador assured her that Greece would 
receive the same treatment as other VWP countries.  As for 
details of the agreement, Ambassador said "that's what 
negotiations are for." 
 
BAKOYANNIS MEETING PARTICIPANTS 
------------------------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) Participants in the meeting included: 
 
GREECE: 
 
FM Dora Bakoyannis 
Director of the FM's Cabinet Constantin Chalastanis 
MFA Spokesman Giorgos Koumoutsakos 
MFA A7 Directorate for North America head Ambassador 
Chryssoula Aliferi 
 
U.S.: 
 
Senator Richard Durbin 
Ambassador Speckhard 
Michael Daly, Senator Durbin's Chief of Staff 
Christopher Holmes, Senator Durbin's Foreign Policy Advisor 
Alexi Giannoulias, Illinois State Treasurer 
Endy Zemenides, State Treasurer's Staff 
LCDR Joseph Furco, Navy Liaison 
Carol Kalin, Embassy Press Officer 
Jeffrey Hovenier, Embassy Control Officer 
Paul Carter, Embassy notetaker 
 
PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT SIOUFAS 
---------------------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) President of the Greek Parliament Dimitris Sioufas 
opened his meeting with the Senator by stressing that Greece 
and the United States had stood together in all of the 
twentieth century's major conflicts and that our Alliance 
continues to prosper.  Sioufas had taken concrete steps to 
contribute.  As Parliament President, he oversaw 
Parliamentary ratification on February 17 of Albania's and 
Croatia's applications to enter NATO.  He had also helped 
secure ratification of EU consideration of Albania's 
application for membership, as well as to move along the 
ratification of the U.S.-EU Extradition and Mutual Legal 
Assistance agreements. 
 
¶12. (SBU) Sioufas emphasized the importance of U.S.-Greek 
joint work on the Cyprus issue.  He hoped the Senator would 
convey to Turkish leaders the "need to give up intransigent 
 
ATHENS 00000249  004 OF 004 
 
 
positions on Cyprus."  He also hoped that the Senator would 
raise Halki and urge the Turkish leadership to allow it to be 
reopened.  "Halki is a potent religious symbol.  Its 
continuing closure would weaken the Ecumenical Patriarch's 
influence within world Orthodoxy, opening the way to 
increased Russian influence in the Church." 
 
¶13. (SBU) Sioufas also emphasized his work on energy issues, 
particularly during his previous post as Development 
Minister.  He noted that this work had resulted in last 
November's ceremony linking the Turkish and Greek gas grids, 
which put Greece in the position of being the first EU member 
state to import Azerbaijani gas directly from the Caspian 
region.  He provided a short summary of his February 16 
meeting with Azerbaijani President Aliyev, which he termed 
"positive."  He noted, however, that Aliyev had repeatedly 
referred to problems obtaining a transit agreement with 
Turkey.  Sioufas emphasized that true energy diversity had to 
include renewables, an "important part of Greece's future." 
Over the very long term, Sioufas saw nuclear fusion as being 
a game changer, but its time was not here yet. 
 
¶14. (SBU) Senator Durbin thanked Sioufas for his cordial 
welcome and noted that NATO's origin lay with the Truman 
Doctrine, designed to keep Greece and Turkey free.  Durbin 
provided a quick overview of his work supporting the stimulus 
package just passed by Congress, noting  the package's 
emphasis on renewable energy.  In this regard, he praised 
Sioufas for his work on improving Greece's energy diversity. 
The Senator also told Sioufas about his visit to Cyprus and 
how encouraging it was that the Greek and Turkish Cypriots 
"are talking."  He agreed with Sioufas on the importance of 
re-opening Halki seminary. 
 
¶15. (U) CODEL Durbin departed post prior to clearing this 
cable. 
SPECKHARD