PORTUGAL'S POLICIES IN ADVANCE OF THE DECEMBER

C O N F I D E N T I A L LISBON 2769 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2016 TAGS: PRM PGOV PHUM PREL PO CH EUN YI SR BK IS LEIR, TU, AFIN, KPAL SUBJECT: PORTUGAL'S POLICIES IN ADVANCE OF THE DECEMBER GAERC REF: A. SESTATE 195044 ¶B. SECSTATE 194456 ¶C. LSBON 2719 ¶D. LISBON 2736 Classified By: ep Pol/Econ Counselor Cari Enav for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Deputy Director for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Ana Filomena Rocha provided a review of MFA's preparations for the reftel December 11-12 European Union (EU) General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in a December 7 discussion. On China, Portugal does not support any linkage between lifting the arms embargo and approving a legally binding instrument and predicts a stalemate on this issue at the meeting. Portugal will continue to be the voice of moderation in EU-Turkey Accession talks and maintains its position of strict conditionality with regard to Serbia's accession talks. Spain's proposal for an International Middle East Conference would be discussed at the Dec 14-15 European Council meeting, not at the GAERC, according to Filamena Rocha. FM Amado has already stated that the Road Map should be the central framework for any peace agreement. At the GAERC, Javier Solana is expected to call on Israeli/Palestinian neighbors to play a greater role in the peace process and suggest that moderate Arab states participate in the next Quartet meeting. Portugal does not support the European Security and Defense Policy Initiative to work with the Lebanese Armed Forces, (preferring UN initiatives) nor does it support the initiative to train the Afghani Police Force. Portugal is concerned about developments in Iran and believes it is time to implement sanctions. CHINA ¶2. (C) Filamena Rocha said that France is leading the call to lift the arms embargo and is threatening to block the approval of a legally binding instrument on arms export control if the embargo were not lifted. Portugal does not support any linkage between the two and predicts a stalemate - with neither the arms embargo being lifted nor the legally binding instrument being approved. She was non-committal with regard to Portugal's position on lifting the arms embargo, noting that Portugal did not have a particular interest in the issue. TURKEY EU ACCESSION: ¶3. (SBU) Portugal will continue to be a voice of moderation during the current debate on Turkey's Accession to the EU and reaffirmed Portugal's support for Turkey's EU membership (ref c). WESTERN BALKANS: ¶4. (C) Filomena Rocha commented that the EU was divided on Serbia's integration into the EU. Portugal belonged to the camp that wanted to maintain strict conditionality - that is, full ICTY cooperation and the handover of Mladic before resuming accession talks. She noted that former Austro-Hungarian member states preferred a softer approach, enticing Serbia with a carrot rather than a stick. ¶5. (U) Kosovo and Bosnia are not on the December 11 agenda. The EU plans to wait until after Serbia's January 21 elections to discuss the situation in Kosovo further. ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN ISSUES: ¶6. (C) Filomena Rocha said that Spain's call for an International Middle East Conference would be taken up at the Dec 14-15 European Council, not at the GAERC. In a separate early December meeting, MFA Director for Middle Eastern Affairs Isabel Pedrosa told post that Portugal remained committed to the Roadmap as the central framework for any peace settlement, yet believed ways must be found to reenergize its implementation(ref D). At the GAERC, Filamena Rocha expected Javier Solana to call on the conflict's neighboring states to play a greater role in finding a lasting solution. He would likely underscore the need for greater financial and political commitments on their part.