GAERC: WAITING ON HAMAS GOVERNMENT, LIKELY TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 000928

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2016
TAGS: PREL ECON KPAL BO ZL EUN USEU BRUSSELS
SUBJECT: GAERC: WAITING ON HAMAS GOVERNMENT, LIKELY TO
CRITICIZE BELARUSIAN ELECTION

REF: STATE 39905

Classified By: Political Officer Vincent Carver for reason 1.5(b/d).

SUMMARY
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1. (C) A Commission official told us March 17 that she
expects no movement on WTO and heavy criticism of Belarus to
dominate the March 20 GAERC. EU Foreign Ministers will
review how to handle Hamas, given rumors that Hamas could
name the personnel it wants in a government over the March
18-19 weekend. END SUMMARY

SOME MEMBER STATES OPPOSE MOVEMENT ON AGRICULTURE
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2. (C) We presented points (reftel) regarding the March 20
meeting of EU Foreign Ministers (GAERC) to the Commission and
the Council Secretariat March 14 and met with Judith
Gebetsroithner, advisor to External Relations Commissioner
Benita Ferrero-Waldner March 17 to review our points.
According to Gebetsroithner, there is very little new on the
WTO/Doha Round, with some member states reluctant to move
further on agriculture.

NO SERBIAN COOPERATION WITH ICTY
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3. (C) Gebetsroithner noted that there have been no major
developments in the Balkans since the informal meeting of
ministers ("Gymnich") in Salzburg March 10-11. We noted that
a specific reference to EU support for constitutional reform
negotiations in Bosnia-Herzegovina would be helpful. We also
asked about Serbian cooperation with the ICTY.
Gebetsroithner said that the EU had no information that
Serbia was improving its cooperation. (Note: Absent "full
cooperation" from Belgrade on Mladic, the EU likely will
suspend Stabilization and Association Agreement negotiations,
the next round of which is scheduled April 5. End note.)

SUPPORT UNSC PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT ON IRAN
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4. (C) On Iran, Gebetsroithner agreed that the U.S. and the
EU were on the same page: the UNSC should issue a
presidential statement as the beginning of a graduated
approach to Tehran. When we underscored that importance of
the EU's exploring ways to use its leverage to pressure Iran,
Gebetsroithner said member states were divided over even
whether to consider trade restrictions. On Iraq,
Gebetsroithner said the Commission still does not have a date
for opening its office in Baghdad. Sudan, she noted, is
another area that the EU and the U.S. are working closely
together.

EXPECTED CRITICISM OF BELARUS
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5. (C) Gebetsroithner predicted that Hamas and Belarus would
dominate discussions. Even though Belarus is technically
under "any other business," (given the fact that the
international observers may not have issued their reports on
the Belarusian elections in time for ministers to consider
them),Gebetsroithner said she could not imagine, given
recent arrests and anti-democratic rhetoric coming out of
Minsk, that ministers would not review the situation and
strongly criticize Belarusian actions, particularly if there
is violence. We asked if the EU had expanded the list of
officials against whom it would impose visa bans.
Gebetsroithner said yes, but cautioned that the current visa
ban did not appear to have had much effect. We pressed for a
strong EU reaction to the pre-electoral actions by the
Belarusian Government and noted that an expansion of a visa
ban and an assets freeze could send a strong signal to both
the Belarusian Government and people about the need for
genuine democratic reforms in Belarus.

RUMORS THAT HAMAS MAY NAME MINISTERS
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6. (C) Turning to the Middle East, Gebetsroithner said there
are rumors that Hamas could name the personnel in wants in a
government over the March 18-19 weekend, in which case, EU
ministers would have to consider seriously next steps.
GRAY
.