Speeches and Articles
Chargé d'Affaires Thomas M. Countryman Interview with Aris Papadopoulos, the National Herald
September 5, 2007
What can you tell us about the [fire] destruction you have witnessed, in your recent days? Have you any contact with people who have suffered directly? I doubt it of course, but I'm just asking.
First, let me emphasize what President Bush and Secretary Rice, and Deputy Secretary Negroponte have said is that "our hearts are with the Greek people at this time of tragedy." If you've lived in Greece for two years as I have, and experienced the hospitality and friendship of the Greek people, you have to be touched very deeply by the loss of more than sixty lives and by such a dramatic change in the way of life on such a beautiful land. So, the first point is that our hearts are here with the Greek people at this hour. I have not been out myself to the fire affected areas. We have been very careful not to interfere with the firefighting operations. Our first duty as an embassy was to verify the safety of more than 70,000 American citizens who live here in Greece, and we've done that so far by telephone. Tomorrow we are sending out teams to go talk directly to the Americans who lived in the fire affected areas. I hope to get out myself, but I can tell you that what I've seen on the television and the newspaper reinforces our sense of how traumatic this has been for the Greek people and reinforces our desire to help.
Was any American in danger?
We are not aware that any American citizen has been killed or injured.
Thank God. The aid that the American Government decided to send to Greece came after collaboration with the Greek Government?
Yes. We have done our best to be responsive to the immediate needs that the Greek Government has identified and we have been in constant contact since the worst wave of fires erupted on August 24th. The most immediate need was for firefighting aircraft and because of the extensive forest fires in the United States this summer we did not have those immediately available. Thank God that the European Union and other friends including Serbia and Russia stepped forward with that most urgent need, aircraft, and they deserve deep gratitude for that effort. Everything else we have done has been in direct response to our daily dialogue with the Greek Government.
I assume you don't agree, that I read in the Greek newspapers that the American Government reacted not very soon to the tragedy?
No, I don't agree. I mean I think that the United States Government under the advisement of Deputy Secretary Negroponte made an immediate decision to assist Greece. The exact types of assistance, what Greece needs most urgently and what the U.S. can provide most rapidly takes a little bit of time, but we began our response with cash to the Hellenic Red Cross, a decision taken on Monday the 26th, and cash that we delivered on Tuesday the 27th. So, I think our response was rapid, and without question the decision to help was immediate.
Can you tell us in a few words what the aid is for?
So far, there have been four packages of aid that we have delivered. The first is cash to the Hellenic Red Cross in response to a specific request from them for immediate humanitarian need, to meet the physical needs of people displaced by the fire, and this is now 350,000 dollars. So this is both cash that was delivered more than a week ago, and supplies being delivered this week that include the immediate physical needs of people that have been displaced by the fires. Those are the first few areas. The third is equipment that is being delivered today and tomorrow, and this is protective equipment for firefighters, clothing that they can use while they are actually fighting the fires.
The materials they need to protect themselves?
Right, then the fourth thing that we have already done is we brought here a technical assistance team from the US Forrest Service including our highest ranking expert on fighting forest fires, someone who has visited Greece before, to help give an assessment of what needs to be done immediately to prevent.
Did they come?
They are here. They have been here since Sunday [September 2], and they are staying here for one week. Together with Greek officials, they are touring all the areas affected by the fires. They are focused on immediate steps and that includes what steps need to be taken to prevent soil erosion and flooding in the burned out areas. But also, to provide advice on what the Greek Government needs to do to prevent environmental damage, begin ecological recovery, and take steps to prevent a reoccurrence of these events next year.
This is a more personal question, though. Do you think it is enough given the size of the destruction and the strength of the US economy the aid that was given until now?
Greece is…
I am asking as an American.
No, I understand the question, and it is a difficult question. Greece is a highly developed, modern, European Union member. Its per capita income puts it 25th or 26th in the world. There is no comparison today with the situation that Greece and other European countries faced at the time of the Marshall Plan. The ability of Greece to call on its own national resources and to call on the assistance of the European Union are factors that we have to take into account as we assess what we can do. We are very focused on the future of long term efforts to help Greece recover in an environmentally smart way, to rebuild agriculture in the affected areas and to prevent this reoccurrence in the future. Now how much money we can give to that effort, and how much technical assistance from a country that has been through some of the same kinds of disaster, that's a difficult question and we will see how it comes.
I understand.
The other point I would make here is that in all the great natural disasters we have seen in the last few years, whether it be the tsunami in Asia or the earthquake in Pakistan, the response of the American people has not been limited to the American Government. People open their hearts, and they give assistance, especially money assistance, the most important and urgent type, wherever it is needed in the world. And, the amount that comes from the private sector in the US is always greater for these disasters than what come from the US Government. The US Government can't take credit for the generosity of the American people, but the American people themselves should take credit for that. It is the very best tradition of the Greeks and the very best tradition of the Americans, and I know that not only Greek-Americans, but other Americans will show that same generosity this time.
That would bring us to my next question. You already answered it, but, do they know over there what to do to help the Greeks?
Well, what we have been trying to do is we've designated a few people within the embassy whose job for these several weeks is to be a liaison with many different Greek- American organizations. Providing information, our best information about what the current needs are. The immediate humanitarian need was great one week ago, its still important, I think that that is going to be very well funded by not only the Greek state, but by private donations by the generous Greeks themselves, and organizations in the US. And, particularly I would mention the appeal that Archbishop Demetrius has launched from the Archdiocese of America.
With [former USAID Director] Natsios?
With Mr. Natsios, and Senator Sarbanes and many others involved in this effort. Of course, AHEPA, the leading Greek American organization, has been actively raising funds for immediate humanitarian assistance, and there are so many generous Greek-Americans who are working hard on this issue now. I think we will be rapidly past the point where the main need is the immediate assistance, and at that point what we have been encouraging Greek-Americans and other Americans to think about is a long-term, high impact project, and specifically I would mention reforestation. If America, Greek- Americans and other Americans, were identified with a visible effort that restored pine trees to wild mountains, that rebuilt olive groves, vineyards, fruit orchards destroyed; if we saw millions of trees planted through the generosity of Americans, I think that this would be something that both the Greek people and American people could be very proud of. So, we are encouraging people to think in this long term. I might add that it is not only Greek-Americans of course, it is other Americans. I was contacted by the Mayor of Olympia, Washington -- that is the capital of my home state of Washington -- asking, what his city can do to help the people of Olympia, Greece. And they are now working on an active effort, not because they are Greek Americans in Olympia, but because of the connection they feel to Olympia, Greece. That will help them to raise money, and to use it in a smart way to help the environment recover, to help heal this earth.
So that can be also a message of hope to the Greeks, because I'm sure that they are going to read the National Herald … [inaudible] and they are going to refer to this interview. So that will be a message of hope.
Yes, I am not in a position today to make specific promises. I can't tell you exactly amounts or exactly what programs, but I can tell you, they will be long term. They will be continuing, and for good historical reasons, you can count on the generosity of the American people.
Now, let me ask you; are you aware of the fugitive Angelos Haligiannis?
Yes, we are.
You are? Do we have any news of him? I know that he was arrested in Crete.
Chania.
He was brought to Hania, and then he was released because he was a holder of a Greek passport. How did he get it, a Greek passport?
That's a question you need to ask Greek authorities. I would say only, that Haligiannis is a convicted felon, a confessed criminal who left the United States illegally. He stole millions of dollars from Greek-Americans and other Americans in New York and in my view he should not be allowed to live from stolen property while hiding behind a Greek passport.
What, because when I tried to find out when he was arrested…I think there was not an official request from the American government, the FBI, for him, and that would be a necessary file in order to be arrested again.
As soon as he fled the United States, the day before he was to be sentenced, we filed a provisional arrest warrant through Interpol. And, this is what led to his arrest on August 20th in Iraklion. We are now preparing the formal request for extradition.
As long as we can find him, unless he is vacationing in the house? Right?
I don't know of his exact current address.
That is what the records said, we don't know if he is still in Crete or?
I don't know where he is today.
But you are going to file an official request right?
Yes.
Okay, When will the new ambassador direct come?
I'm hoping it's very soon, but the official announcement will be made by the White House, and I hope that also is very soon.
And the last question because I have to ask it. It's an opportunity for me, and you know what I am saying. About previous remarks, Turks and other minorities in Greece, do you still hold these remarks or you have been enlightened for the Greek point of view?
Chargé: I really don't think this is the time or the place to go into that subject.