Wikileaks - DCCLXXXIX
114238 7/3/2007 13:53 07ATHENS1361 Embassy Athens UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY 07SECSTATE91451 VZCZCXYZ0017 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHTH #1361 1841353 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 031353Z JUL 07 FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9624 INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 4800 RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU PRIORITY 0137 RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE PRIORITY 0738 RUEHBM/AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST PRIORITY 0950 RUEHUP/AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST PRIORITY 0513 RUEHCH/AMEMBASSY CHISINAU PRIORITY 0224 RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV PRIORITY 0019 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 0883 RUEHSF/AMEMBASSY SOFIA PRIORITY 1544 RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI PRIORITY 0380 RUEHTI/AMEMBASSY TIRANA PRIORITY 1240 RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN PRIORITY 0121 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 1913 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY UNCLAS ATHENS 001361
SIPDIS
SIPDIS SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV, PREL, KCRM, GR SUBJECT: GREECE: BSEC DEMARCHE DELIVERED
REF: A. SECSTATE 91451
B. ISTANBUL 565
1. (SBU) On July 2, DepPolCouns, Econoff, and Poloff delivered BSEC environmental symposium demarche points to MFA B2 Directorate for Economic and Commercial Affairs Deputy Director Ioannis Metaxas. Metaxas responded that high-level officials from the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of the Merchant Marine would attend the symposium to discuss the environmental success in the Aegean Sea as a possible model for Black Sea cleanup. He did not, however, provide further details on the Greek participants.
2. (SBU) Metaxas took the opportunity to provide a readout of the BSEC Summit of June 25. Covering much of the same information as ref. b, Metaxas also told us that the BSEC-U.S. environmental protection symposium is serving as a coalescent agent, helping to add greater cohesion to BSEC. While Metaxas may have been overstating the impact of the U.S. project, his remarks indicated good will on the part of the BSEC members towards U.S. participation. Metaxas saw a certain convergence of interests among participating countries on practical matters, while acknowledging political realities (e.g., Russia/Georgia tensions). Metaxas argued that practical projects, such as the U.S. environmental efforts, were receiving wide support. Metaxas also believed that the Russians appeared well-balanced in their approach to the BSEC Summit, avoiding a big-brother role. COUNTRYMAN
