Image via WikipediaWhile still just a PASOK MP, Deputy Prime Minister Theodoros Pangalos told the US Ambassador to Greece that the name dispute with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) has been a "disaster" from the start and that Greece’s neighbor should be allowed to use any name it wants.
According to a batch of classified diplomatic cables from the US Embassy in Athens that were originally obtained by WikiLeaks and later seen by Kathimerini, Pangalos met with then US Ambassador Daniel Speckhard in February 2008. In Spechkard’s dispatch to the State Department, the diplomat reports that Pangalos said it was an honor to Greece that Skopje should want to use the term Macedonia and that it should be free to do so.
Pangalos also describes as "absurd" Greek fears that the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) has expansionist tendencies. He blamed this on fears on the right of Greek politics, which stem back to the Civil War and concerns that communists would enter Greece from the Slavic countries.
According to the cable, Pangalos also expressed support for the proposals put forward by United Nations mediator Matthew Nimetz.
FYROM and Greece are still discussing a possible solution to their dispute through Nimetz but there has been little movement on the issue over the past few months.
On the subject of Wikileaks, a batch of classified diplomatic cables from the US Embassy in Athens, originally obtained by WikiLeaks and seen by Kathimerini, shed light on American diplomats’ assessment of Greek politicians and reveal concerns in Washington in recent years, ranging from fears of Islamic fundamentalists entering Greece amid an influx of illegal immigrants to worries about Greek overtures to Russia in the energy sector.
The cables were scoured by Kathimerini reporters during a visit to Oslo after the Norwegian daily Aftenposten said it would grant Kathimerini access to tens of thousands of State Department cables obtained from WikiLeaks.
The cables concerning Greece, most of them issued from the US Embassy in Athens over the past three or four years, also shed light on Washington’s assessment of Prime Minister George Papandreou, his conservative predecessor Costas Karamanlis and other prominent Greek politicians.
A cable sent from the US Embassy in Athens to the State Department shortly after conservative New Democracy was re-elected in September 2007 observes that Papandreou, then the leader of PASOK in opposition, experienced problems striking a balance between the old guard of the party who had governed with his father and the new blood in his own circle.
Another cable sent to the State Department a few weeks after PASOK returned to power in October 2009 gives a similar assessment of the challenges facing Papandreou, referring to administrative problems and tensions between two key camps representing the old guard and newcomers.
As for Karamanlis, one cable indicates that he was regarded as the “Buddha” of the Greek political scene because he rarely revealed his thoughts.
On the subject of Wikileaks, a batch of classified diplomatic cables from the US Embassy in Athens, originally obtained by WikiLeaks and seen by Kathimerini, shed light on American diplomats’ assessment of Greek politicians and reveal concerns in Washington in recent years, ranging from fears of Islamic fundamentalists entering Greece amid an influx of illegal immigrants to worries about Greek overtures to Russia in the energy sector.
The cables were scoured by Kathimerini reporters during a visit to Oslo after the Norwegian daily Aftenposten said it would grant Kathimerini access to tens of thousands of State Department cables obtained from WikiLeaks.
The cables concerning Greece, most of them issued from the US Embassy in Athens over the past three or four years, also shed light on Washington’s assessment of Prime Minister George Papandreou, his conservative predecessor Costas Karamanlis and other prominent Greek politicians.
A cable sent from the US Embassy in Athens to the State Department shortly after conservative New Democracy was re-elected in September 2007 observes that Papandreou, then the leader of PASOK in opposition, experienced problems striking a balance between the old guard of the party who had governed with his father and the new blood in his own circle.
Another cable sent to the State Department a few weeks after PASOK returned to power in October 2009 gives a similar assessment of the challenges facing Papandreou, referring to administrative problems and tensions between two key camps representing the old guard and newcomers.
As for Karamanlis, one cable indicates that he was regarded as the “Buddha” of the Greek political scene because he rarely revealed his thoughts.
Combined Reports
Posts
