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 - - - - - ¶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 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶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 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶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 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶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 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶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 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶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 .