ΤΙ ΝΑ ΠΟΥΜΕ ΤΙ; ΤΙ ΝΑ ΤΡΑΓΟΥΔΗΣΟΥΜΕ; ΜΈΡΟΣ Α'

ΕΙ-ΔΗΣΕIΣ ή αλλοιώς ΟΙ-ΔΥΣΕΙΣ 
φρομ δι AMERICAN EMBASSY οφ GREECE

Case study 1. ALEXIS P.

VZCZCXRO7079
OO RUEHIK RUEHLN RUEHPOD RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHTH #1396 2761408
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 021408Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2592
INFO RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS ATHENS 001396 
 SIPDIS 
 SENSITIVE 
 EUR FOR GRAFFY, BRYZA; EUR/PPD FOR PEREZ, TONER; EUR/SE FOR 
FITZPATRICK 
 E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KPAO SOCI MOPS GR RU GE
SUBJECT: U.S. MESSAGE CLEAR AS GREECE'S ANSWER TO "60 MINUTES" 
INVESTIGATES THE GEORGIA-RUSSIA CRISIS 
 REF: http://folders.skai.gr/default 
 
¶1. (U) Summary and Introduction:  Greece's elite, 
progressive SKAI TV devoted the September 29 season premiere 
of its popular "60 Minutes"-style investigative show 
"Neoi Fakkeloi" (The New Files, or Folders) to the 
Georgia-Russia crisis, featuring an interview conducted on 
location in Tbilisi with EUR DAS Matt Bryza.  With its 
well-chosen presentation of key U.S. positions, the 
station achieved very high journalistic standards in this 
broadcast, also available in streaming video and in transcript 
form on its website (REF), as well as on YouTube.  Next 
Monday night, October 6, the series continues with 
"Gazprom's Global Project."  End Summary and Introduction. 
 
¶2. (U) After a straightforward presentation of the events 
of "Three Days in August," Bryza appears in the second of 
the show's four segments.  This part focuses on U.S., 
Georgian, and Russian diplomacy and is entitled 
"The 'Secret' War."  It explores "how close we came to 
a new Cold War," says Alexis Papahelas, probably 
the best-known journalist in Greece, in his introduction. 
Bryza is credited as "the one who spoke to the Georgians 
that night," and is shown making three key points: that 
the U.S. discouraged any Georgian military response; that 
Russian provocations preceded it; and that Russia failed to 
achieve anything. 
 
¶3. (U) Speaking for their governments along by now 
established lines, Georgia's Minister for Reintegration Temuri 
Yakobashvili and Russian Federation Council Deputy Vasili 
Likhatchev (Vice President of the International Relations 
Committee) also appear in this segment. In addition, 
Moscow-based journalist Peter Lavelle, "an American who is 
also the main anchor for Russia Today," at one point 
exclaims that "it's absolute lunacy!" to believe that 
Russia is to blame.  An interview with "Saakashvili on 
the New Files" follows, and the show concludes with "The 
Last Greeks of the Caucasus," which focuses on the plight 
of the ethnic Greek diaspora in Georgia. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Comment:  One of the show's three co-anchors told 
us that the Russian government was slow to respond to the 
station's invitation, and that the Federation Council deputy 
was uncomfortable, beginning most of his answers with 
"The official line is..."  This preface apparently hit 
the cutting room floor during the editing process, while 
the Russia Today journalist's wild gesticulations were kept 
in because they make for "good television 
(imagery)," we were told.  Still, overall, the show was 
balanced and made an important contribution to getting the 
U.S. message out in Greece.  Post wishes to thank Embassy 
Tbilisi for its assistance with this project. 
SPECKHARD