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Viewing cable 09ATHENS18, GREEK PRESIDENT AND FM CONDEMN TURKISH ACTIONS IN

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09ATHENS18 2009-01-07 16:18 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Athens
VZCZCXYZ0009
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTH #0018 0071618
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (CCY AD17FF52 WSC0706 538)
O 071618Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS
TO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3001
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 5359
RUCNDT/US MISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY
UNCLAS ATHENS 000018 
 
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (TEXT) 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MOPSGRPARM PGOV PREL TU
SUBJECT: GREEK PRESIDENT AND FM CONDEMN TURKISH ACTIONS IN 
THE AEGEAN 
 
1 (SBU)  On January 6, Greek President Karolos Papoulias 
attended Epiphany day celebrations on the small Greek island 
of Agathonisi off the coast of Turkey and accused the Turkish 
military of being "at the nucleus" of tense relations between 
Greece and Turkey.  In recent weeks Agathonisi and its 
neighbor, Pharmakonisi, have been overflown at least twice by 
Turkish fighter jets according to press reports.  The same 
reports added that Turkish military air controllers had 
warned Greek army helicopters approaching at the two islands 
to stop "intruding into Turkish air space" and leave the area 
"immediately" or be intercepted.  One of the helicopters was 
carrying the Greek Armed Forces Chief and the Chief of the 
Army. 
 
2. (SBU)  After attending mass, the president addressed a 
stern message to Turkey.  "The Turkish army's key role in 
(formulating) policy in the neighboring country is at the 
nucleus of the problem in Greek-Turkish relations," said 
Papoulias, who also accused Turkey of making territorial 
claims and launching "incomprehensible and irrational" 
provocation through "systematic flights of military aircraft 
over Greek islands."  Bilateral relations, Papoulias 
stressed, could not improve except by "strictly" observing 
international law.  The Papoulias trip was widely reported in 
the Greek press as the "proper and resounding answer" to 
Turish claims and the activities of the Turkish Ai Force 
over the Aegean. 
 
3. (SBU)  On Januay 7, the press reported that two Turkish 
F-16s overflew Pharmakonisi and intercepted a Greek SAR 
helicopter searching for a reported 15 illegal immigrants in 
a boat.  At the same time, a Turkish Coast Guard fast craft 
interfered with a Greek search vessel.  Greek Foreign 
Minister, Dora Bakoyannis, responded with a public statement: 
 "The Turkish actions in the Pharmakonisi-Agathonisi area are 
unacceptable.  They are in blatant violation of international 
law and hamper the efforts being made to improve 
Greek-Turkish relations.  I have instructed that the 
appropriate demarches be made."  FM Bakoyannis comment to 
Ambassador Speckhard on this incident reported Septel. 
SPECKHARD