NETHERLANDS/EU: SEPTEMBER 15 GAERC TO FOCUS ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 THE HAGUE 002000

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/13/2016
TAGS: PREL EUN NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/EU: SEPTEMBER 15 GAERC TO FOCUS ON
EXTERNAL ISSUES

REF: A. A) STATE 151189


B. B) STATE 150777

Classified By: Political Counselor Andrew J. Schofer; reasons 1.4 (b) a
nd (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: The September 15 GAERC will focus
exclusively on "external" issues rather than "general" issues
such as enlargement, according to Dutch MFA contacts. The
Dutch will continue to push for Serbian cooperation with ICTY
but believe it is too early for a meaningful GAERC discussion
on Kosovo. On Sudan, the Dutch see events moving in the
wrong direction but expect to pledge additional funds anyway.
The GAERC may call on Congolese parties to sign a "code of
conduct" prior to the next round of elections. While the
Dutch see the situation in the Middle East improving, they
will hold the new Palestinian Government to the Quartet's
conditions and do not support engaging with Syria at this
time. The GAERC will endorse the Iraqi Compact and seeks to
increase Iraqi "ownership" of internal developments.
Discussion of ref b points on Iran reported separately. END
SUMMARY.


2. (C) POLCOUNS delivered reftels points to Desiree Kopmels
(European Correspondent and Deputy Political Director) and
Marissa Gerards (Deputy Director for European Integration
Affairs) at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on
September 13. POLCOUNS also separately discussed ref b Iran
points with Wim Geerts, Deputy Director General of Political
Affairs. Kopmels and Gerards noted that the September 15
ministerial meeting would be unusual because the agenda was
exclusively focused on external, rather than general, affairs
-- a situation Kopmels suggested had not occurred since the
EU expanded to 25 members. According to Gerards, significant
enlargement-related issues and other general affairs would
probably not be addressed until the later October and
mid-November GAERC's.

Western Balkans
--------------


3. (C) Kopmels said she expected most of the discussion of
Balkans issues to be "boring" and predictable. With regard
to Bosnia and Herzegovina, she agreed that current rhetoric
is "not good" and progress toward stabilization is too slow.
In this context, reforming the police sector is an especially
critical task. Kopmels said the Netherlands will continue to
highlight the need for Serbia to cooperate with the ICTY in
the GAERC. On Kosovo, Kopmels stressed that the EU did not
want to undermine Ahtisaari's efforts; the September 15
GAERC, therefore, was "too early" for a substantive GAERC
discussion as Ahtisaari has not yet finished his report.

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


4. (C) Kopmels described the situation on the ground in Sudan
as deeply troubling. The fact that Khartoum had withdrawn
its ultimatum to the AU is a "better signal," but the
Sudanese government's build-up of troops and the continuing
failure of all parties to agree to the cease-fire agreement
suggest that things are moving in the wrong direction. The
GAERC will endorse UNSCR 1706 on transferring AMIS to UN
forces, she said, but finding ways to actually move the
process forward will be difficult. Kopmels noted that Dutch
development minister van Ardenne would be speaking to
Parliament about Sudan this week but was not expected to
attend the GAERC. Reconstruction is not going well in the
South despite additional humanitarian aid pledges, she added.

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


5. (C) According to Kopmels, the GAERC would express concern
about the violence in July and may call on all parties to
sign a "code of conduct" committing them to act with
restraint going into the next round of elections this fall.
Kopmels stressed that the presence of EU troops and observers
on the ground was a strong motivation for the EU to press for
a signed code of conduct, but noted that the language on this
subject was still in brackets.

Israeli-Palestinian Issues/Lebanon/Syria
--------------


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6. (C) Noting that the situation in the Middle East had been
discussed extensively at the August 25 extraordinary session,
Kopmels described subsequent developments as generally
positive. She expressed hope that the formation of a
Palestinian government could be a step in the right
direction, but stressed that the Dutch would continue to
insist that any Palestinian government observe the Quartet's
three conditions. On Lebanon, Kopmels said the GAERC would
recognize the lifting of the blockade and the deployment of
European UNIFIL troops as good steps. Asked whether the EU
would discuss engagement with Syria, Kopmels argued that, as
far as the Dutch were concerned, it was "too soon" to engage.
While Syrian involvement would be necessary at some stage,
she added, Damascus first has to prove it is serious about
playing a constructive regional role -- which is has so far
failed to do.

Iraq
--------------


7. (C) The upcoming GAERC will express support for the recent
Iraqi Compact, according to Kopmels, and will review recent
developments. Otherwise, Kopmels did not expect "anything
heavy" to be on the table. She added that the EU's prime
interest at this point is ensuring that the Iraqi government
increases its "ownership" of the process.

Ukraine
--------------


8. (U) Kopmels and Gerards did not expect Ukraine to be on
the agenda for the September 15 meeting.
ARNALL