CENTRAL DUBLIN GROUP MEETING: JUNE 2005

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 002418

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT OF INL/PC SCOT HARRIS; UNVIE FOR HOWARD SOLOMON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID KCRM PREL SNAR EUN USEU BRUSSELS
SUBJECT: CENTRAL DUBLIN GROUP MEETING: JUNE 2005

REF: BRUSSELS 082F3


1. Summary. During its June 21 meeting, the members of the
Central Dublin Group (DG) reviewed regional reports from
South-East Asia (submitted by Australia),South-West Asia
(U.K.),Central Asia (Italy),Balkans and Near East (Greece),
and Eastern Europe (Germany). The Group adopted most of the
draft guidelines for restructuring the Group which had been
developed by an appointed working party this spring.
However, there was disagreement on whether new EU accession
states in the future (e.g., Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia,
Turkey, etc. ) should automatically be admitted to the Dublin
Group as were the 10 new Member States last year. After
protracted and difficult debate, the issue was postponed to
the winter meeting in hopes that a compromise could be found.
Non-EU members (U.S., Japan, Canada, Australia and Norway)
were asked to come to the winter meeting with a nominee for
chair of the Central Dublin Group to replace outgoing Belgian
chair Raymond Yans. Action requests follow in para. 6. End
summary.

Regional Reports
--------------


2. The members reviewed regional reports from South-East
Asia (submitted by Australia),South-West Asia (U.K.),
Central Asia (Italy),Balkans and Near East (Greece),and
Eastern Europe (Germany). In presenting the report on
South-West Asia, the U.K. rep reported a 64 percent increase
in poppy cultivation in 2004 and a 17 percent increase in
opium production in Afghanistan, but noted that there are
early signs the cultivation of poppy is slightly decreasing
so far this year. The biggest obstacle to reducing
cultivation remains the lack of viable alternative
livelihoods. Afghanistan needs a significant increase in
international donor contributions. There are indications
that Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan are now working together
on supply interdiction. The Paris Pact mechanism is a
helpful coordination mechanism. Coordination will also be
enhanced when the UN ADAM database begins operations later
this year. The U.K. rep noted the significant
counter-narcotics contributions being made by the U.S. in
Afghanistan. The postponed Counter-narcotics Trust Fund
meeting will be rescheduled this fall. The UNODC rep noted
that there will be a Paris Pact Roundtable in Tehran the
first week of September. And the German rep said there will
be an international cooperation conference in Doha in
November. In presenting the report on Central Europe, The
German rep complimented the new U.S. GUAAM initiative
(Georgia, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova). He
said the German chair of the Mini Dublin Group in Kiev
reported that activities to activate the Group there so far
have failed, partly due to lack of interest and information
among DG members and partly due to organizational problems.
DG members needed to encourage their embassies in Kiev to be
more active.

Reform of the Dublin Group
--------------

3, The Group adopted most of the draft guidelines for
restructuring the Group which had been developed by an
appointed working party this spring. Most significantly, the
Group adopted criteria for admitting new members, including
that "new members should be net donors of international drug
assistance." These criteria will now be used in considering
membership applications from countries such as Turkey and
Russia. However, there was disagreement on whether new EU
accession states in the future (e.g., Romania, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Turkey) should automatically be admitted to the
Dublin Group as were the 10 new Member States last year.
Japan and Australia argued strongly against automaticity,
while Luxembourg insisted that EU Member States be admitted
as a block whether or not they meet the new membership
criteria. After protracted and difficult debate, the issue
was postponed to the winter meeting in hopes that a
compromise could be found. The new guidelines specify that
Belize is to included in the Caribbean regional group.
Belize will therefore no longer be part of the U.S. regional
report on Mexico and Central America.

Next Chair of the Dublin Group
--------------


4. The Guidelines stipulate that the chair of the CDG should
rotate between EU Members and Non-EU members. According, the
Belgian chair asked the U.S., Japan, Canada, Australia and
Norway to come to the winter meeting with a nominee for chair
of the Central Dublin Group to replace outgoing Belgian chair
Raymond Yans.
Thematic Debate Topic for the next meeting
--------------


5. Australia proposed that the topic for the thematic debate
at the winter meeting should be "ATS and Metamphetamines,
including Precursor Control," The Group adopted this
proposal.

Action Requests
--------------


6. The U.S. regional report on Mexico and Central America
will be due at the winter meeting. This will be held in
either December or January. In the event it is December, the
report should be ready for submission by mid-November. Note
that the U.S. proposals for the regional and mini Dublin
Group report formats were adopted. The U.S. reports should
therefore follow this new format. The U.S. should also be
prepared to send an expert, if requested, on the thematic
debate topic at the winter meeting. Guidance is requested
as to whether the U.S. should join Japan and Australia in
rejecting the automatic admission of any future EU Member
States into the Dublin Group. Finally, guidance is also
requested regarding the issue of the next chair of the Dublin
Group.

McKinley
.