FINNISH RESPONSE - APPROACHING THE EU IN ADVANCE

UNCLAS HELSINKI 000286 SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D COPY(TAGS) SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD KPAL PREL EUN FI SUBJECT: FINNISH RESPONSE - APPROACHING THE EU IN ADVANCE OF THE APRIL 23-24 FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING (GAERC) REF: SECSTATE 51262 ¶1. (U) PolChief delivered subject demarche to Finnish CFSP Director and European Correspondent Jarno Syrjala April 20. Syrjala offered the following comments: ¶2. (SBU) CENTRAL ASIA: Both Finland and the EU are fully committed to supporting political and security reform in Central Asia, Syrjala said, but the process will be a long one. The FMs will discuss the strategy at the GAERC, and hope to have it ready for the Council's final approval in May. On Uzbekistan, the EU will not make decisions on the sanctions question until after the May sanctions review. Syrjala suggested that the Uzbeks appear to be taking the process seriously and that there have been some signs of real progress in a few areas. However, he added, there is little inclination in the EU -- and none in Finland -- "to let the Uzbeks off easy" by rewarding half-measures. ¶3. (SBU) MIDDLE EAST/LEBANON: As the several recent meetings between senior Europeans and Palestinian NUG ministers would indicated, it is "now a done deal" that the EU will reach out to non-Hamas ministers, Syrjala said. However, the EU remains concerned that Hamas has made no moves toward moderating its stance and is maneuvering within the NUG to undermine Fatah moderates. The EU will extend Temporary International Mechanism (TIM) funding to support the population and bolster the non-Hamas ministries. Syrjala added that the German Presidency will briefly raise the German-led border security mission in Lebanon. The GOF's understanding is that the Germans do not wish to see this operation turned into a formal ESDP mission -- a strategy Finland supports. ¶4. (SBU) SUDAN: Syrjala reported that the EU continues to view the sanctions question as a UN issue, not an EU issue. The EU will not block sanctions and generally supports the UK's proposals, but several member states including Finland have questions about how the sanctions will be monitored, implemented and timed. HYATT