Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BRUSSELS2983
2007-09-24 12:53:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Brussels
Cable title:  

BELGIAN VIEWS ON EU-AFRICA SUMMIT -- OPPOSED TO

Tags:  PREL BE 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO2403
RR RUEHAG RUEHROV
DE RUEHBS #2983 2671253
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 241253Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6438
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 0503
RUEHSB/AMEMBASSY HARARE 0088
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 002983 

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/24/2017
TAGS: PREL BE
SUBJECT: BELGIAN VIEWS ON EU-AFRICA SUMMIT -- OPPOSED TO
MUGABE, BUT NOT INVITING HIM TO SUMMIT A MISTAKE

Classified By: Political Counselor Ted Andrews, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 002983

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/24/2017
TAGS: PREL BE
SUBJECT: BELGIAN VIEWS ON EU-AFRICA SUMMIT -- OPPOSED TO
MUGABE, BUT NOT INVITING HIM TO SUMMIT A MISTAKE

Classified By: Political Counselor Ted Andrews, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Belgian FM De Gucht strongly supports the idea of
holding the EU-Africa Summit, according to MFA African
Affairs Director Trouveroy (protect). It could play a useful
role in limiting Chinese influence on the continent, as well
as offer a forum to discuss other important issues. That
said, De Gucht thought the summit plan had at least one
fundamental flaw. It would have been better, Trouveroy told
polcouns on September 21, for the planners to have selected
several topics of common interest and then invited "those who
wanted to discuss them." Doing so might have obviated the
need to invite every African leader to attend the meeting.
De Gucht's greatest fear now was that the present "bloc to
bloc" approach had created conditions in which one side or
the other would have to give way under potentially harmful
circumstances.


2. (C) With regard to the issue of inviting President Mugabe,
De Gucht has expressed doubts about any decision not to issue
an invitation. Although "we obviously don't like what is
happening in Zimbabwe," Trouveroy argued, "there are some
leaders doing worse than Mugabe." If the latter retained a
broad measure of support from other African states, the
invitation question will threaten the entire summit.


3. (C) The Belgians reportedly have outlined their views at
the most recent Gymnich meeting. They will continue to do so
as the summit date approached, Trouveroy indicated. Fox
.