Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LISBON1425
2006-07-14 16:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Lisbon
Cable title:  

PORTUGUESE VIEWS ON JULY 17 GAERC

Tags:  PREL UN EUN YI MW SR BO IR IZ KPAL SU CG 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9362
PP RUEHAG RUEHKW
DE RUEHLI #1425 1951603
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 141603Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY LISBON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4986
INFO RUCNMUC/EU CANDIDATE STATES COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES
C O N F I D E N T I A L LISBON 001425 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/14/2016
TAGS: PREL UN EUN YI MW SR BO IR IZ KPAL SU CG
PO
SUBJECT: PORTUGUESE VIEWS ON JULY 17 GAERC

REF: A. SECSTATE 114605

B. SECSTATE 115346

Classified By: Dana M. Brown, Pol/Econ Officer, State Department
Reason 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L LISBON 001425

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/14/2016
TAGS: PREL UN EUN YI MW SR BO IR IZ KPAL SU CG
PO
SUBJECT: PORTUGUESE VIEWS ON JULY 17 GAERC

REF: A. SECSTATE 114605

B. SECSTATE 115346

Classified By: Dana M. Brown, Pol/Econ Officer, State Department
Reason 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) P/E officer met with MFA Deputy European Correspondent
Ana Filomena Rocha on July 14 to discuss the Balkans, Middle
East, Sudan, Congo, and North Korea per reftels. Rocha
anticipates this GAERC will be slow since it is the first
under the Finnish EU Presidency.

--------------
Balkans
--------------


2. (C) Kosovo: Rocha said the final status process
discussions were complicated and warned that pressure to
conclude talks by the end of 2006 could harden positions.
She said an open-ended schedule would be better, especially
given Serbia's early election in October.

--------------
Middle East Crisis
--------------


3. (C) Rocha said the EU had decided to discuss recent events
in the Middle East instead of Iraq over lunch. She reported
that the EU's statement responding to the crisis will be
balanced and condemn the kidnappings, attacks, as well as
what she said were Israel's actions to escalate the crisis.

--------------
Sudan
--------------


4. (C) The EU is concerned about the future of Sudan once the
AMIS force leaves and Rocha noted that continued funding
would be a serious problem after August 31. She estimated
that the mission costs 30 million Euros per month and
concluded that the AU Conference on July 18 would have to
generate significant funds to cover the three-month funding
shortfall. Rocha believes that the EU will have to begin
pressuring Sudan to accept a UN mission as soon as possible.

--------------
Democratic Republic of Congo
--------------


5. (C) The EU mission has begun and Rocha agreed that DRC
must keep elections on schedule. She noted with concern the
recent clashes in Kinshasa and said she hoped that the
international presence can stave off future violence.

--------------
North Korea
--------------


6. (C) Rocha said Portugal shared the U.S. concern about
North Korea's recent missile tests. Political Directors
discussed the situation the week of July 3 and plan to
respond as a Union rather than individual member states.
O'Neal