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Viewing cable 08THESSALONIKI78, THESSALONIKI: GOG INVITES FORMER ADVERSARIES TO NATIONAL

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08THESSALONIKI78 2008-10-31 13:33 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Thessaloniki
VZCZCXRO0140
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ
RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHIK #0078 3051333
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 311333Z OCT 08
FM AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0392
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHIK/AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI 0434
UNCLAS THESSALONIKI 000078 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/SE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL GR MK TU IT BK BU MW AL HR YI
SUBJECT: THESSALONIKI:  GOG INVITES FORMER ADVERSARIES TO NATIONAL 
DAY CELEBRATIONS FOR FIRST TIME 
 
1.       (U) SUMMARY: In a reconciliatory gesture, Defense 
Minister of Greece Evangelos Meimarakis invited his counterparts 
from Turkey, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia and other outheastern 
European countries, to attend the traditional military parade on 
Greece's national day, October 28 (Greece's entry into WWII). 
All invited countries sent representatives, except Macedonia. 
For the first time since 1948, the Italian ambassador attended 
the parade.  Remarks by the Greek President and MOD stressed 
support for regional cooperation and integration, with indirect 
but pointed remarks about the need for some Balkan countries to 
let go of "historical falsifications."  The parade was largely 
uneventful, except for some nationalistic chanting by one group 
of former soldiers ("Macedonia is Greek, we will never give it 
to Skopje").  National media and most political parties reacted 
positively to the MOD's initiative.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.       (U) For the first time in the post-World War II era, the 
GoG invited the Defense Ministers of all southeastern European 
countries to the annual military parade that took place in 
Thessaloniki, on October 28, Greece's national day.  Meimarakis, 
who extended the invitation and was the Prime Minister's 
official representative to the parade, was an active and 
attentive host, providing his guests an extensive program of 
events, including two dinners with the President of the 
Republic.  Defense Ministers of Turkey, Bosnia, Montenegro and 
Cyprus, the Deputy Ministers of Defense of Bulgaria and Albania 
and the Secretaries General of the Ministries of Defense of 
Croatia and Serbia attended the festivities.  There were no 
representatives of the Macedonian Ministry of Defense, which 
declined the invitation. 
 
3.  (U) Italy was represented at the parade by its Ambassador to 
Greece Gianpaolo Scarante, in a move that was hailed by the 
Italian newspaper "Corriere della Sera" as "an end to an 
imaginary crisis."  Thessaloniki daily "Makedonia" also 
applauded the initiative, calling it "extremely interesting". 
[Note:  On October 28 1940, Greek PM Metaxas received an 
ultimatum from Mussolini's ambassador to surrender or be 
invaded.  Metaxas refused to surrender (famously saying "alors, 
c'est la guerre", which has been abbreviated to "OXI" -Greek for 
"No".  Hence, the day is also called "OXI Day.")  Greece 
successfully defended itself against the Italian attack which 
marked Greece's entry into World War II.  End note] 
 
4.  (U) President of the Republic Papoulias commended Minister 
of Defense Meimarakis on his initiative, noting the need for "a 
new chapter in the region, based on respect for human rights and 
a spirit of peaceful co-existence."  He also praised the foreign 
dignitaries who attended, "despite the criticism they may have 
received in their countries."  Indirectly referring to 
Macedonia, he urged Balkan countries to "walk the road to 
Europe, leaving behind illusions and historical falsifications". 
MoD Meimarakis also spoke obliquely about Macedonia when he said 
"we are sending a message to all the others that we, at the 
regional level, can reach understanding amongst 
ourselves~despite different assessments and views, overcome 
these issues and find the climate of confidence and the 
solutions necessary in order to move forward with our eyes 
turned to the future."   Most media and political parties 
reacted positively, with the exception of far-right LAOS which 
called it "out of place," based on Greece's outstanding issues 
with some of these countries (Turkey, Macedonia, Albania).  The 
two-hour military parade was largely uneventful, except for one 
brief incident of chanting by uniformed former special forces 
soldiers (veterans) in one group of marchers:  "Macedonia is 
Greek, we will never give it to Skopje!" 
 
5.  (SBU) COMMENT:  The presence of senior MOD officials from 
southeast Europe, including former adversaries Turkey, Bulgaria, 
Albania and Croatia, was widely viewed in northern Greece (the 
heart of Greek nationalism) as a sign of growing reconciliation, 
solidarity and Greek leadership in the region.  With the 
exception of the nationalistic chanting incident during the 
parade (which is not uncommon for this event), the tone of the 
parade and other national day events was positive and mostly 
forward-looking.  President Papoulias, MOD Meimarakis and local 
officials appeared determined to send the message that Greece 
wants to heal old wounds and move ahead.  Notably, Greek 
official were relatively mute on the name issue and did not seek 
to exploit Macedonia's absence from the festivities for domestic 
political purposes.  END COMMENT. 
 
YEE