RESULTS OF MARCH 16 EU FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 001147

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM EAID ETRD LE IR SU ES IN RU ICC EUN USEU BRUSSELS
SUBJECT: RESULTS OF MARCH 16 EU FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING
(GAERC)

REF: A. STATE 39909


B. USEU BRUSSELS 1018

Classified By: Rick Holtzapple, PolOff, Reasons 1.4 (B/D)

SUMMARY
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1. (SBU) In addition to postponing Croatia's accession talks
(septel),EU FMs at the March 16 General Affairs and External
Relations Council (GAERC) also noted positive developments in
the Middle East and issued conclusions on Lebanon calling for
Syria to withdraw all troops and intelligence services from
Lebanon "completely, and in accordance with a precise
timetable." EU FMs also heard a report on ongoing talks
between the EU3 and Iran, and welcomed in particular the
March 11 statement by Secretary Rice "of measures in support
of these diplomatic efforts." On Sudan, the GAERC expressed
hope that negotiations in the UNSC will lead to a consensus
allowing "resolutions to be adopted for the implementation of
a UN mission to Sudan and of measures that can end the
violence and impunity in Darfur through appealing to the
ICC." The Council reviewed the state of negotiations for the
adoption of the four &common spaces8 agreements with Russia
(a lot of work remains, but the Presidency is optimistic).
EU FMs also agreed the EU's positions for the on-going UN
Commission on Human Rights, including support for a Belarus
resolution. The GAERC, however, failed to agree a package of
revisions to the EU's generalized Scheme of Trade Preferences
for the period beginning on April 1, 2005. END SUMMARY.

MEPP AND LEBANON
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2. (U) FMs discussed recent developments between Israel and
the Palestinian Authority, but the GAERC issued no
Conclusions. With the media, Luxembourg FM Jean Asselborn
for the Presidency noted a "certain optimism" in the region
based on latest developments, and said the EU welcomed
finalization of an agreement on transfer of security control
in Jericho and the resumption of talks in Cairo. External
Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner also welcomed
discussion of a ceasefire by Palestinain militaias at the
Cairo meetings. She said the "new momentum" should be
translated in terms of donors, commitments, and that the
Commission is ready to do its part.


3. (U) The GAERC Conclusions called for "complete and
immediate implementation of UNSCR 1559" and underlined that
"Syrian troops and intelligence services must be withdrawn
completely, and in accordance with a precise timetable." The
GAERC also stressed the importance of holding elections "on
schedule" and added that the EU would be willing to consider
deployment of an elections observer mission. Ferrero-Waldner
was more effusive, speaking to the press about "the will of
the people spilling into the streets" and commented that the
elections should be held "as planned in May." She cited the
EU,s "wealth of experience" on elections assistance, and
said the EU had a number of options on how to help. An EU
technical mission was on the ground March 16 to explore the
way forward. She also noted that the Commission had
presented an "Action Plan" for Lebanon in the context of the
European Neighborhood policy (along with similar plans for
Egypt and the three Caucasus countries). She hoped the
Council would approve all five Action Plans in April,
although negotiations with Lebanon would only begin with a
new government.


4. (C) We have not heard any reports that Hezbollah was
discussed at all during the GAERC. A Council staffer told
us, however, that despite the upbeat language on Lebanon in
the Conclusions, during the GAERC several FMs expressed
concern about the possible "collision course" between the
withdrawal and electoral calendars. There could be a serious
issue on how to respond if significant Syrian troops were
still in the Bekaa Valley at the time of elections. For now,
the EU was using the phrase "precise timetable", but hoped
that specific dates might emerge from the Joint Military
Committee negotiations by the end of March.

IRAN
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5. (C) Solana reported on behalf of the EU3 on the latest
discussions with Iran. The Council staffer told us there was
little debate and the issue of a deadline for progress on the
talks did not come up at all. The EU was now awaiting the
outcome of the next Steering Board, but our source commented
that the EU might find it will need to await the outcome of
the upcoming elections in Iran before it can really judge the
course of events. GAERC Conclusions "welcomed the support
received from the international community and, in particular,
the statement made by US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice
on 11 March of measures in support of these diplomatic
efforts." With the press, FM Asselborn noted as well the need
for support from Russia and China. He added that the EU is
continuing negotiations on the trade agreement, but also the
political dialogue and human rights. He mentioned that the
EU and Iran met on March 15-16 in Tehran on human rights
issues.

SUDAN
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6. (C) Our source said there was some discussion about the
"balance" between the mandate of peacekeeping missions in
Sudan and the resources available to them, but this did not
result in a clear EU position on the issue. Conclusions said
the EU hoped talks at the UNSC would rapidly lead to a
consensus on resolutions allowing for the implementation of
measures that could lead to cessation of violence in Darfur
"through appealing to" (in French, "par la saisine de") the
ICC. While describing the Conclusions as "ambiguous" in
order not to short-circuit discussions in New York, the
Council staffer said the EU's language intentionally stakes
out a position favoring more than one UNSC resolution and
inclusion of a specific reference to the ICC.

RUSSIA
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7. (SBU) Conclusions focused entirely on efforts to agree the
four "common spaces" by the time of the EU-Russia Summit on
May 10. Asselborn admitted a lot of work remains, but the
Presidency is optimistic. Ferrero-Waldner said she would go
to Moscow on March 21, with Trade Commissioner Mandelson, and
an EU-Russia minsterial would be held in Luxembourg on April

1. Asked by the press about Chechnya, Ferrero-Waldner made
reference to a "sub-committee" where the EU and Russia speak
about human rights. Its first meeting was in Luxembourg, and
was "very good". At the Summit, she said, "all questions"
will be included. Our Council source said that during the
GAERC debate no more than three delegations even made
reference to their "preoccupation" with Chechnya, but sparked
no debate. Russian behavior in nearby states (Georgia,
Moldova) or at the OSCE was not raised at all, according to
our source.

COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
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8. (U) EU FMs announced the EU would join the US in tabling a
resolution on Belarus at Geneva, and "reaffirmed the need to
see appropriate condemnation at the CHR of anti-Semitism in
all its forms." The EU also noted its concern about the
human rights situation in both Iran and China, but was
non-committal about what it would do on these countries at
the CHR session. The Conclusions did not mention Cuba.

GSP REVISION
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9. (U) In a bit of a surprise, the GAERC failed to agree a
package of revisions today for the EU's Generalized System of
Preferences in trade, that was scheduled to come into effect
on April 1, 2005 in part to assist the recovery of
tsunami-struck countries in Asia. FM Asselborn said the

SIPDIS
outstanding issues were whether to include El Salvador among
the countries receiving the most generous treatment, and over
provisions for textiles. Trade Commissioner Mandelson told
the press the textile issue, particularly whether India could
qualify for GSP at its current level of textile exports.
Press reports indicated Italy had led a group of states in
refusing to raise the threshold to cover India. FM Asselborn
said Luxembourg hopes to secure agreement on March 24 at
PermRep level to allow implementation of the changes on April

1.

SCHNABEL
.