7.06.08 - 16:30 US says :Greek accusations -"absurd"

US says accusations of anti-Greek action "absurd"


The U.S. Department of State has dismissed as "absurd and inaccurate" the reports from Athens on alleged anti-Greek action of the US Consul General Hoyt Brian Jee in Thessaloniki.

The statement came after extensive reports from Athens blaming the U.S. consul of actions against territorial integrity of northern Greece by meeting with members of Macedonian and Turkish minority.

The recent news reports from Athens, citing "a classified" document from Greek secret service, blamed the U.S. consul Jee of "serious, undiplomatic and illegal actions against the territorial integrity of northern Greece, bringing political gains with non-existing minorities in Greece".

"Those reports are inaccurate, inappropriate and totally absurd. And I would suggest that anyone making them check their facts because they're wrong," State Department's deputy spokesman Tom Casey told reporters.

"I can state with authority that I am fully confident that both our Embassy in Athens, as well as our Consul is behaving in a fully appropriate manner consistent with the role of diplomats everywhere, which is certainly to talk not only to government officials, but to members of civil society in all forms, including those who might not always agree with the governments of the day," Case said.

He stressed that the reports are completely wrong, making spurious and scandalous accusations against fine members of the U.S. Foreign Service.

The "classified" document, published in Greek media, blows the whistle on actions of the US Consul General in Thessaloniki, who met with leading figures of Rainbow, a political party of Macedonian minority in Greece, and with Muslim minority leaders in Western Thracia and with other Greek citizens.

According to classified document, these meetings were to put in motion an alleged secret plan by the US to destabilize Thracia and northern Greece and ignite a crisis throughout Greece.

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