BRUSSELS SCENE-SETTER FOR SECRETARY'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 002345

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/16/2015
TAGS: PREL EUN NATO IQ USEU BRUSSELS
SUBJECT: BRUSSELS SCENE-SETTER FOR SECRETARY'S
PARTICIPATION IN IRAQ CONFERENCE

Classified By: Political MC Kyle Scott. Reason: 1.4(b)(d)


1. (C) Europe is still in turmoil as a result of the "no"
votes in France and the Netherlands on the European
constitution. As expected, European leaders have turned
inward as they struggle to look responsive to public
discontent with their leadership. The debates at their June
16-17 summit reflect how the constitution, future enlargement
and the EU budget are all complicated by the need to deliver
on existing EU commitments while maintaining adequate public
support. Despite their internal disarray, we expect the EU
to continue to press a common foreign agenda -- if for no
other reason than to prove to their publics that the European
project is still relevant. Our publicly-stated desire to
continue working with them on our common agenda has been
welcome, and that is the key message they also hope to convey
at the US-EU summit that will be held the day before your
arrival.


2. (C) In this regard, Europe's transformation on Iraq in
particular is one we should welcome. We have moved beyond
the disagreements of 2003 that divided the alliance and the
Union. NATO's training mission is well underway, with all
European allies contributing. NATO SYG Jaap De Hoop Scheffer
will participate in the Iraq conference, and will have an
opportunity during the session on rule of law and public
order you are co-chairing to lay out NATO's views on next
steps. Likewise, an EU "troika" composed of FM Asselborn, FM
Straw, Javier Solana, and Benito Ferrero-Waldner just
completed the first-ever high-level EU visit to Baghdad. EU
training of over 800 judges, prosecutors, and senior police
and prison officials ("EUJUST LEX") will kick off in July,
the EU stands ready to support drafting a constitution,
committed over 1.2 billion euros at the Madrid conference
(with 320 million euros deployed thus far),helped prepare
the January elections, agreed to substantial debt relief, and
Ferrero-Waldner announced last week that the Commission
intends to open a delegation office in Baghdad soon. Several
EU member states have also offered bilateral programs.


3. (C) There is a growing consensus here that Europe has a
stake in a successful outcome in Iraq, and is ready to help.
But EU officials tell us privately that they are concerned
that the Iraqi government has been too vague and scattered in
its approach. They will be looking to the Iraqi delegation
at the conference to clarify its priorities for the short-
and medium-term. Anything we can do to help the large Iraqi
delegation focus its requests would be welcome.


4. (C) While progress on Iraq has been notable, the
cancellation of the proposed informal EU-NATO foreign
ministers' dinner and EU reluctance to mention NATO in the
final communiqu underscores another, unfortunate, dynamic at
play in Brussels. The Belgians clearly saw their initiative
as an effort to climb out of the hole they dug with the April
2003 "chocolate summit." Following the President's and your
visits in February, Europeans hailed a new spirit of
partnership with the U.S. Many of them, however, are
concerned by what they see as an American attempt to insert
NATO into areas where the EU has long been the dominant
European actor (Darfur, Middle East peace process),and to
blur the lines of decision-making autonomy that divide the
two organizations. We need to address these concerns
forthrightly in any side discussions we hold with EU leaders
here or in London at the G-8 meetings. The EU should not be
allowed to dictate how we deal with Europe, and a strategy of
engaging simultaneously through the EU, through NATO, and
bilaterally remains our best approach. At the same time, the
EU is not going to give up on its lead role in a political
dialogue with the US on issues where it is already fully
engaged, be it Iran, the peace process, or stability in
Africa.

SCHNABEL


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