US embassy cable - 00ATHENS1501

UNCLAS ATHENS 001501 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DESK PASS TO USAID/FFP - CAROL MUTAMBA 
DESK PASS TO USAID/OFDA - KASEY CHANNELL 
DESK PASS TO STATE/EEB - JANET DEUTSCH 
DASK PASS TO STATE/AF/E - JOEL WIEGERT 
 
C O R R E C T E D   C O P Y   (ADDED SENSITIVE CAPTION) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, PREF, EAGR, ET, KE, SO, EUN, GR 
SUBJECT: GREEK RESPONSE ON URGENT SUPPORT NEEDED FOR HUMANITARIAN 
CRISIS IN ETHIOPIA, SOMALIA, AND KENYA 
 
REF: 09 STATE 96625; A. A)STATE 70789; B. B) SEOUL 1144 
C. C) SINGAPORE 675; D. D) THE HAGUE 4750; E. E) NAIROBI 1812 
F. F) ADDIS 1556; G. G) STATE 87385; H. H) STATE 58996 
 
1. (SBU) DepEconCouns delivered reftel points on September 18  to 
Dr. Nike-Catherine Koutrakou, Director of Emergency Humanitarian 
and Food Aid Programs at Hellenic Aid (HA).  On September 23, Dr. 
Koutrakou advised DepEconCouns that the GoG has made Ethiopia and 
Somalia two of its highest priority countries for assistance (in 
addition to Afghanistan and the Palestinian Authority).  While 
Kenya is not one of Greece's high priority countries, the GoG has 
allocated assistance funding to it and will continue to do so.  In 
addition, Koutrakou has proposed to HA's leadership that Kenya be 
added to Greece's list of high priority countries.  Koutrakou 
advised that to date in 2009, HA has given to the World Food 
Program (WFP) EUR450,000 for Ethiopia, EUR150,000 for Somalia, and 
EUR300,000 for Kenya.  In response to the most recent humanitarian 
appeal, Koutrakou told DepEconCouns that she has proposed to 
Ambassador Mercourios Karafotias, Director General of Hellenic Aid, 
that Greece donate an additional EUR300,000 for these three 
countries through the WFP.  No decision, however, can be made on 
whether and when to provide this additional assistance until a new 
Greek government assumes power [Note: Greece's Prime Minister 
recently called snap elections, which will take place on October 4. 
End Note].  Reiterating statements made by Ambassador Karafotias to 
DepEconCouns in the past, Koutrakou emphasized that Foreign 
Minister Dora Bakoyannis wants HA, which falls under the MFA, to 
support USG assistance priorities whenever possible.  While 
Koutrakou is not sure whether this policy will be continued under a 
new government, if the MFA's new political leaders are put in place 
in a timely fashion and agree, HA could be in a position to donate 
the EUR300,000 to the WFP by mid-November. 
Speckhard