POLISH VIEWS ON DECEMBER 12 GAERC

C O N F I D E N T I A L WARSAW 004009 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON PL EUN SUBJECT: POLISH VIEWS ON DECEMBER 12 GAERC REF: A. STATE 217518 ¶B. WARSAW 3998 Classified By: Political Counselor Mary Curtin, reasons 1.4b,d ¶1. (C) Post delivered ref (A) demarche upon receipt and reviewed with Polish MFA Director for CFSP Beata Kolecka December 8. Points on Balkans issues were delivered separately and Polish views were reported in Ref (B). ¶2. (C) The December 12 GAERC and the subsequent European Council meetings will be focused almost entirely on the EU budget, Kolecka confirmed, leaving little time for discussion of foreign policy issues. She predicted that Kosovo would be the only subject covered in any detail, although the ministers are expected to approve a draft EU strategy for Africa and address Ethiopia/Eritrea and the Middle East with prepared statements. EU foreign ministers will review proposals on Kosovo put forward last week by Solana, which Kolecka characterized as a collection of initiatives more or less already well known to everyone (e.g., EU engagement in future police missions, strengthening the EU presence on the ground, naming of an EU special representative). She anticipated that the Austrian presidency will ensure that these issues remain high on the agenda in 2006. ¶3. (C) Kolecka acknowledged that there has been some "resistance" to granting candidate status to Macedonia, particularly from member states where enlargement is least popular, but indicated that Poland remains in favor. The Poles agree that this move will have a positive impact not only in Macedonia but more broadly in the region, especially in advance of Kosovo status talks. She noted that the Polish government would oppose any effort to set an actual target date for the start of accession negotiations, however. ¶4. (C) On Afghanistan, Kolecka reported that the Polish government is still waiting for its invitation to the London Conference and signaled that Poland will be represented at a high level, probably by Foreign Minister Meller. Poland hopes to be in a position to inform the conference about its plans for takeover of ISAF, its exact levels of assistance and its plans to open an embassy in Kabul in the course of the new year. ASHE