VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTH #1585 3001736
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 271735Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0911
INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0016

UNCLAS ATHENS 001585 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
SCA/A FOR TOM GRAMAGLIA 
FOR S/SRAP 
FOR F BUREAU 
EEB/IFD/ODF FOR ROLAND DEMARCELLUS & RACHEL LEATHAM 
USAID/EE FOR BOB ICHORD 
USAID/ANE FOR JIM DEVER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON PREL GR EAID AF
SUBJECT: ACTION REQUEST: GREECE TO U.S.: "HELP US HELP YOU IN 
AFGHANISTAN!" 
 
REF: A. ATHENS 1331; B. SERIES OF EMAILS TO SCA/A (AUGUST 5-7, 2009) 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action request; see paragraph 4. 
 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) In a meeting with DepEconCouns and USAID/E&E 
representatives on October 22,  Ambassador Karafotias, the 
Director-General of Hellenic Aid (HA), made a very pointed 
request-the latest in a long line of requests-for specific projects 
on which the Greeks might work with the U.S. in Afghanistan.  While 
in the past, HA has said that they had a portion of their 4 million 
euro Afghanistan pledge available for such a joint project(s) with 
the U.S. (reftels A and B), Ambassador Karafotias indicated to 
DepEconCouns and USAID that HA had available as much as 8 million 
euros.  He expressed once more that Greece really wants to work 
with the U.S. in Afghanistan, both to show how Greece supports the 
new Administration's foreign policy objectives and also to learn 
from a country with more development assistance expertise. 
Ambassador Karafotias indicated that they needed information from 
the U.S. ASAP, as the money they have available expires at the end 
of this year, and HA is not sure what they will have available next 
year. 
 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) HA and USAID already are working together in the Balkans, 
helping to identify, build capacity, and develop energy efficiency 
and renewable energy projects.  Ambassador Karafotias and others in 
the MFA and HA have indicated several times that they would like to 
expand this development cooperation to other countries and 
different types of projects.  Since the former Minister of Foreign 
Affairs, Dora Bakoyannis, met with Secretary Clinton earlier this 
year, Post's MFA and HA interlocutors have expressed a desire to 
work with the U.S. in Afghanistan on projects in the areas of 
health and education, potentially with a focus on women and 
children.  HA finds partnering or co-funding projects in 
Afghanistan with other donors a more efficient use of Greece's 
limited funding, since HA does not have a presence on the ground 
(not even an embassy), and establishing one would increase their 
administrative costs, leaving little leftover for actual program 
funding.  HA has opted to stop funding trust funds and programs run 
by international organizations (including the World Food Program) 
because it would like visible credit for its development work 
(something on which they can put the Greek version of the USAID 
hand-clasp brand).  According to Ambassador Karafotias, the GoG 
already is cooperating in Afghanistan with the Hungarians on 
technical assistance in the agriculture sector and is considering 
cooperating with the Canadians on a child vaccination program.  The 
Greeks have also been approached by Lithuania, the United Kingdom, 
and Iceland and are considering co-funding various projects with 
each of these countries.  Ambassador Karafotias made clear that 
their first choice for cooperation and co-funding of projects in 
Afghanistan is with the U.S. 
 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST.  Post asks Washington to consider the 
Greek request to work together in Afghanistan and to provide one or 
more projects we can pass to the Greeks.  If this is not feasible, 
Post asks for a point of contact in Washington with whom the Greeks 
can work to develop their plans.  Feedback by November 6 would be 
appreciated. 
Speckhard