EU COMMISSION AND COUNCIL SECRETARIAT VIEWS ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 004665 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/28/2014 TAGS: PREL EAID YI CY UP ZR IS SU SO EUN USEU BRUSSELS SUBJECT: EU COMMISSION AND COUNCIL SECRETARIAT VIEWS ON GAERC AGENDA REF: A. STATE 228399 ¶B. STATE 230353 ¶C. USEU BRUSSELS 4639 ¶D. USEU BRUSSELS 4602 Classified By: Rick Holtzapple, PolOff, Reasons 1.4 (B/D) ¶1. (C) We shared Ref A and B points with Commission and Council officials in advance of the Nov. 2 EU FMs (GAERC) meeting and the Nov. 4-5 European Council summit meeting. Given the failure of the incoming Barroso Commission to get parliamentary confirmation (REF C) before this meeting, the Commission's role in these sessions will be severely constrained, as it will have to be represented by members of the caretaker Prodi Commission. We have been told this ham-strung Commission representation could also limit conversation on a broad range of agenda items, particularly at the Nov. 4-5 Summit, where discussion of Barroso's plans for economic reforms (Lisbon Agenda),the multi-annual justice and home affairs agenda, and new efforts on "Communicating Europe" are due to be featured events. ¶2. (C) Incoming External Relations Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner had been preparing to attend the Nov. 2 GAERC, and therefore Judith Gebetstroithner, who should become Ferrero-Waldner's deputy chef de cabinet, was able to share views on some topics: -- On Iraq, Gebetstroithner said that Ferrero-Waldner supports all the planning done under Commissioner Patten for offering Iraq elections support, shares the same concerns as those repeatedly expressed by Patten about the security situation in country. Ferrero-Waldner, therefore, would also be unlikely to support a full-blown observer presence inside Iraq in January. She added that discussions on the details of a police training mission were still underway internally within the EU. -- On Iran, Gebetstroithner stressed that the real GAERC discussion on how to proceed at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting would be at the November 22 GAERC, not next week. But she added that, from the briefings she had received, it was clear that Commission officials handling the issue within DG RELEX still felt it would be too early to refer the issue to the UNSC, and that more time should be given for negotiating with Tehran. -- Finally, on Somalia, she said the Commission is likely to approach the Transitional Federal Government in a supportive, but cautious, manner with a clear understanding that engagement with the TFG is, at best, the beginning of a long-term process of reforms. Discussion has begun within the EU on whether it would be worthwhile to name a EU Special Envoy for Somalia to take this work forward. ¶3. (C) On Sudan, Margarita Comamala of the Council Secretariat, said that Solana's team had returned from their SIPDIS recent visit to the region with some concerns about the AU mission (REF D and previous). In particular, she understood they still had worries quick deployment of AU monitors could lead to them being in place, but without the means to perform their mission. (We called her attention to Ref A's assurances that support on the ground will be in place). She noted some concern within Solana's staff that the AU troops could be drawn beyond their monitoring tasks into peace enforcement missions, for which they might not be prepared. McKinley