Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LISBON1412
2007-05-21 16:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Lisbon
Cable title:  

PORTUGAL AT THE AUSTRALIA GROUP MEETING

Tags:  PARM PREL CBW PO 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLI #1412 1411601
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 211601Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY LISBON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5896
INFO RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0389
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0467
C O N F I D E N T I A L LISBON 001412

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR ISN/CB AND EUR/PRA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/20/2017
TAGS: PARM PREL CBW PO
SUBJECT: PORTUGAL AT THE AUSTRALIA GROUP MEETING

REF: STATE 58355

Classified By: Dana M. Brown, Pol-Econ Officer, Embassy Lisbon
Reason 1.4 (b) and (d)

(C) In response to reftel points, MFA Deputy Director for
Security and Disarmament Pedro Sousa Abreu confirmed the
GOP's participation in the June 4 Paris meeting and then went
on to detail Portugal's concerns regarding Russia entering
the Australia Group. As Portugal prepares for its upcoming
EU Presidency, Abreu noted that it is positioning itself to
represent EU members on this and other multilateral policy
fronts. According to Abreu, the EU is intent that the
Australia Group remain a forum for like-minded nations and it
believes that Russia would not be a good fit. He confided
that Russia's response on a recent Missile Technology Control
Regime (MTCR) issue had cooled the EU interest in having
Russia join the Group. At the same time, the EU is
reportedly not yet ready to actively discourage Russia, so
Portugal is unlikely to make any statements on Russia.
Hoffman