ESTONIA: GAERC RESPONSE

C O N F I D E N T I A L TALLINN 001087

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV EUN TU CH AF EU EN
SUBJECT: ESTONIA: GAERC RESPONSE

REF: A. STATE 195044


B. STATE 194456

Classified By: DCM Jeff Goldstein for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Pol/Econ Chief discussed reftel points on GAERC agenda
items with Kristina Meius, the MFA's European Correspondent,
on November 7. Meius provided feedback on the following
issues:

-- Afghanistan: The GOE believes the EU should be engaged
in the
reconstruction process in both Kabul and the provinces.
Afghanistan
should be the number one priority of the EU. Reconstruction
of the
legal system, particularly training and advising the police,
are
suitable tasks for the EU.

-- China Arms Embargo: Meius noted that the China arms
embargo is only
one element of the planned discussion on China at the GAERC.
She noted
that this issue is on the agenda only because some member
states want to
link it to the adoption of a common policy on (general) rules
governing
export of military technology and equipment. Meius said that
while the
GOE is not against repealing the embargo, it believes this
has to be
done at the right time and certain conditions should be
applied. This
is not the right time, Meius added.


2. (C) On Turkey, Pol/Econ Chief spoke December 8 with
Viljar Lubi, the
Director of the General Affairs Division in the MFA's EU
Department.
Lubi noted that the conclusions on Turkey at the Commission
meeting in
Brussels today (the morning of the 8th) were not what the GOE
had
expected and it is not happy with them. In particular, Lubi
noted, the
conclusions still refer to the November 29 Commission report,
which
called for the freezing of 8 chapters and did not allow any
chapters to
be provisionally closed. The GOE believes there needs to be
a
"proportional response" on Turkey, Lubi said, and the
November 29
recommendations are not proportional. Referencing remarks
the FM had
made to the Parliament on December 7, Labi highlighted the
GOE's
position that only three chapters - those directly connected
with the
Ankara protocol (free trade, the tariff union and transport)
- should be
frozen. The EU and Turkey can "easily" continue negotiating
on the
other chapters, but if more chapters are frozen, there will
be a
backlash in Turkey. Lubi said he does not know where the
COREPER
discussion will lead today, but the GOE will likely be vocal
on this
issue at the GAERC meeting next week. The GOE wants there to
be
agreement on Turkey at the GAERC; it does not want this issue
on the
agenda of the Summit meeting.
WOS