EU NONCOMMITTAL ON SPEAKING OUT RE VENEZUELA

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 004516 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/20/2014 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM EAID VE EUN USEU BRUSSELS SUBJECT: EU NONCOMMITTAL ON SPEAKING OUT RE VENEZUELA REF: A. A) STATE 223273 ¶B. B) THE HAGUE 2704 Classified By: USEU POLOFF TODD HUIZINGA, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (U) This is an action recommendation -- see para 3. ¶2. (C) Poloff delivered reftel A points on October 19 to David Bruck, Venezuela Desk Officer in the External Relations Directorate-General of the European Commission. He said the Commission is monitoring developments in Venezuela very carefully, and shares U.S. concerns about the three steps the GOV is poised to take. Later, Bruck called to report that the Dutch EU Presidency, at the October 19 meeting of the EU Working Group on Latin America (COLAT),had told of having received reftel demarche (ref B). The Dutch drew the attention of the COLAT to the issues of concern, and decided to task EU Heads of Mission (HOMs) in Caracas to "investigate further" and report back to capitals before the next COLAT on November 16. Bruck said there was no discussion of the urgency of issuing a joint EU statement in time to have a positive impact, and he opined that it would be difficult for the EU to decide on a course of action before November 16. ¶3. (C) ACTION RECOMMENDATION: EU HOMs in Caracas could help, if they share our sense of urgency. Department may want to consider approaching them directly to urge them to communicate to their capitals the need for quick action. END ACTION RECOMMENDATION. SCHNABEL