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O R 221120Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS
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INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ATHENS 001721 
 
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E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/12/22 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON ENRG OSCE RS BU GR
SUBJECT: Russia Looks to Court New GoG Officials, Displays Interest 
in U.S.-Greek Bilateral Relations 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Deborah McCarthy, DCM; REASON: 1.4(B), (D) 
 
SUMMARY 
 
¶1. (C) In recent weeks Russian officials, including Russian Foreign 
Minister Sergey Lavrov, have reached out to Greek officials and the 
Greek public, in an effort  to display reinvigorated Russian-Greek 
ties and paint a picture of close cooperation with the Greece on 
economic, political and cultural issues.  In town for the December 
1-2 OSCE Ministerial, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met 
with Prime Minister George Papandreou, launched a Hellenic-Russian 
Society aimed at strengthening cultural ties and exchanges, gave an 
exclusive interview to Greek nationally-distributed newspaper 
Kathimerini and spoke on Greek-Russian relations to a crowd of over 
400 MFA officials, Greek parliamentarians and members of the 
diplomatic  corps.  According to the Greek Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs' A 5 Directorate for Russia, the Caucasus and Central Asia, 
Lavrov and other Russian officials have also sought Greek advice on 
Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline negotiations with Bulgaria, 
Olympic preparations, the agenda for a high-level Greek-Russian 
working group and bilateral cultural programs.  Russian embassy 
officials in Athens also seem eager to calculate the current state 
of US-Greek bilateral relations, and requested a mid-December 
meeting with the U.S. Embassy to probe for details on bilateral 
economic relations, VWP, Turkey and recent USG visitors in Greece. 
 
CONCERNS ABOUT GREEK-RUSSIAN RELATIONS UNDER THE NEW GOG 
 
¶2. (C)  According to the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs A5 
Directorate for Russia, the Caucasus and Central Asia, Russian 
officials were "concerned" about PASOK's electoral win October 4 
and the ascendancy of George Papandreou to the role of Prime 
Minister.  In their assessment, Russian-Greek relations under the 
previous Kostas Karamanlis-led New Democracy government had been 
relatively good but Russia saw indications that the GoG under 
Papandreou would not be so friendly with Russia.   In particular, 
Russia viewed Papandreou's campaign comments on re-negotiating the 
Burgas-Alexandroupoulis oil pipeline and what they perceived as his 
pro-American stance as possible indications that there was the 
potential for drift in relations. 
 
EFFORTS TO SHORE UP SUPPORT 
 
¶3. (C) In what may have been an effort to shore up Greece-Russia 
bilateral relations, the recent visit of Russian Foreign Minister 
Sergey Lavrov to Athens focused not only on participation in the 
OSCE Ministerial but also on outreach to Greek officials and the 
public. 
 
¶4. (SBU) In a December 2 speech entitled "The Situation in the 
Euro-Atlantic Area and Russia-Greek Relations." delivered to  over 
400 foreign dignitaries, Greek MFA representatives and members of 
the international diplomatic corps, Lavrov spoke about the future 
of bilateral relations between Russia and Greece.  Noting his 
meeting with Papandreou on the margins of the OSCE Ministerial, 
Lavrov said Papandreou was committed to establishing a strong 
energy sector and claimed both parties are looking forward to 
completion of the South Stream gas pipeline and the 
Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline.  Lavrov also noted 
Papandreou's support for promoting Russia cultural and language in 
Greece - another element of the Greek-Russia bilateral agreement 
intended to "deepen" relations.   Lavrov's address also outlined 
the launch of a  Hellenic-Russia Council with the espoused aim of 
institutionalizing ties and providing for increased exchanges. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Addressing Papandreou's previously articulated concerns 
about the environmental impact of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis 
pipeline, Lavrov stated  in an exclusive interview with Greek 
national newspaper Kathimerini that "We are aware of the 
environmental concerns relating to the construction of the 
Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipleline ...We have stated that work on the 
construction will be completed considering ecological 
safety...Russia has advanced technologies to ensure environmental 
safety during the construction of the energy infrastructures." 
 
RUSSIA SEEKING GREEK INPUT, INSTITUTIONALIZED DIALOGUE 
 
¶6. (C) In a readout on the Papandreou-Lavrov bilateral meeting on 
the sidelines of the OSCE Ministerial, MFA officials noted that 
Lavrov asked for Papandreou's help in convincing Bulgaria to make a 
 
ATHENS 00001721  002 OF 002 
 
 
final decision and commitment to the Burgas-Alexandroupolis 
pipeline project, sought advice on security planning for the Sochi 
Olympic games, requested Greek assistance in moving Russia's 
proposals on European Security Architecture forward and spoke about 
future meetings of a Greek-Russian Joint Interministerial Committee 
focused on business, economic and commercial issues, and jointly 
co-chaired by the Russian Minister for Transportation Igor Levitin 
and Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Kouvelis. (Note: In a December 9 
statement, Kouvelis said that the first meeting of the committee 
focused on the Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline, renewal of 
cooperation on the South Stream natural gas pipeline through 2016, 
and collaboration with Russia on renewal energy sources and 
conservation.  End Note) 
 
¶7. (C) Acting on behalf of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putting, 
Lavrov extended an invitation for Papandreou to visit Russia. 
According to A5 officials, Papandreou will travel to Moscow within 
the first three months of 2010, with late January being the 
earliest estimated time for the trip. 
 
¶8. (C) A5 officials noted that the Russians officials in Athens are 
also looking to schedule the next in a series of youth leadership 
and civil society conferences.  The last conference took place last 
Spring in St. Petersburg and the Russians have suggested hosting 
the next conference in Thessaloniki early next year.  While the 
Greek officials felt that Thessaloniki might not be the right 
location, they were not opposed to the idea of Greece hosting the 
next meeting.  Farther into the future, Russian officials have 
suggested that 2013 be the "Year of Greek-Russian Culture" that 
would included a series of programs aimed at enhancing and 
showcasing cultural ties.  (Comment: The specifics of the proposed 
"Year of Culture" were sketchy and the commitment unclear. 
According to the Greeks, Russia has also proposed doing a year of 
culture with the French and Dutch and may be hedging their bets in 
case their proposal is not positively received.  End Comment) 
 
INTEREST IN US-GREEK RELATIONS 
 
¶9. (C) Russian diplomats in Athens have also expressed interest in 
the current depth of U.S.-Greek relations.  POL recently met with 
Second Secretary at the Russian Embassy in Athens Dennis Federov, 
who had called the Embassy to request a meeting on "U.S.-Greece 
relations."  Federov inquired about the current USG position  on 
Greece-Turkish disputes in the Aegean, the Visa Waiver Program and 
potential U.S. assistance to Greece in the face of dire economic 
straits.   Federov also expressed interest in the agenda  and 
substance discussed during Department of Defense Deputy Assistant 
Secretary Sandy Vershbow's trip to Greece and the November High 
Level Consultative Committee and Deputy Secretary Steinberg's visit 
to Athens for the OSCE Ministerial.  At the same time, Federov 
skirted discussion of Greek-Russian economic and energy cooperation 
and claimed to be unprepared to discuss issues such as Afghanistan 
and Iran.   (Comment:  Federov's focus and questions led to the 
impression that he was more interested in gauging the level of 
Greek-U.S. dialogue, cooperation and assistance than in the 
specifics of the USG position on issues discussed.  End Comment.) 
Speckhard