GREEK VIEWS IN ADVANCE OF THE JULY 17 GAERC

C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 001839 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR EUR/SE, EUR/ERA, NEA/IR E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/14/2014 TAGS: PREL EUN CY GR SUBJECT: GREEK VIEWS IN ADVANCE OF THE JULY 17 GAERC REF: A. STATE 114605 ¶B. STATE 115346 Classified By: Classified By: AMB. CHARLES P. RIES FOR REASONS 1.4(B) A ND (D) ¶1. (C) On July 14, poloff met with Thanos Kafopoulos, action officer for EU-Transatlantic issues in the MFA's EU Foreign Relations Directorate, to deliver ref A and B demarches. Kafopoulos, who had been faxed ref A points earlier, noted that the GoG has no significant differences with any of the points in our messageS. Kafopoulos noted, however, that Bosnia, Iraq, and North Korea are not on the July 17 GAERC agenda. That said, he highlighted the following priority General Affairs and External Relations Committee (GAERC) agenda points: -------------- MIDDLE EAST -------------- ¶2. (C) Kafopolous indicated that discussion of the Middle East will be a priority at the GAERC, but that given the fluidity of events in the regions, GAERC conclusions have not yet been finalized. Kafopolous said the GAERC intended to issue a statement that calls for the release of the two abducted Israeli soldiers, while noting that Israel's response has been disproportionate. The GAERC will further encourage a return to normalization and direct talks. On Iran, Kafopolous said GAERC intends send a message to Iran that the EU will turn to the UN Security Council if there is no progress on the 5 1 nuclear package in the near future. This statement also has not yet been finalized. -------------- BALKANS -------------- ¶3. (C) On Macedonia, the GAERC will conclude that the elections took place largely according to national standards and that the path to forming a new government should now be smooth. GoG continues to support the country's course to EU accession, but stresses that the December 2005 conditions (which accepted Macedonia as a candidate for EU membership, but did not open negotiations or any deadline for the process) should be pursued more quickly. For GoG, the most obvious of these conditions is resolving the name issue, which GoG feels must be done before negotiations can begin, under the auspices of "good neighborly nations." In terms of Kosovo, GoG will continue to support UN Special Envoy Ahtisaari's efforts, and it supports moving directly to political talks on the final settlement. GoG emphasizes the need to encourage Kosovo Serbs to participate in Kosovar institutions. Kafopoulos indicated that the General Affairs Council will welcome a joint report on Kosovo by Enlargement Commissioner Rehn and EU High Commissioner for Common Foreign Security Policy (CFSP) Javier Solana. The report, according to Kafopoulos, will assist in the timely definition to coordinate the EU's future role in Kosovo. Concerning Montenegro, the European Council will extend ministerial level dialogue as a first step of opening normal diplomatic relations. A next step will be to align CFSP demarches. -------------- AFRICA -------------- ¶4. (C) On Sudan, GAERC conclusions will continue to support implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) and will discuss the future of AMISII and the donors conference, although Kafopolous stated that this topic will not be one of the main July 17 GAERC priorities. On Democratic Republic of Congo, Kafopolous did not anticipate any deviation from the points in the U.S. demarche. -------------- WTO/DOHA -------------- ¶5. (C) Conclusions will be adopted, emphasizing the need for mutual concessions. These will be sent to the Commission and the WTO, in preparation for the ministerial meeting at the end of July, as well as the G8 Summit in St. Petersburg. -------------- MIGRATION POLICY -------------- ¶6. (C) Kafopolous said that the General Affairs Council of the GAERC will discuss the nexus of migration policy and external EU policy. Discussion will focus on Europe's vulnerable sea borders (including Greece and Turkey), increasing cooperation with other EU states through joint sea patrols and the formation of a "European Coast Guard, and the upcoming EU/African Ministerial conference on migration and development, to be held in Tripoli in approximately six months. Kafopolous explained that this meeting (and a similar one held in Rabat on July 10) are part of a Mediterranean initiative on migration pushed by Malta, Italy, and Greece. RIES