PORTUGAL'S VIEWS ON JANUARY 22 GAERC MEETING

C O N F I D E N T I A L LISBON 000182

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/19/2017
TAGS: YI PREL PGOV ENRG EAID MARR PO
SUBJECT: PORTUGAL'S VIEWS ON JANUARY 22 GAERC MEETING

REF: SECSTATE 5256

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


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: MFA's Deputy European Correspondent Ana
Filomena Rocha offered the Portuguese perspective on items
scheduled for January's General Affairs and External
Relations Council (GAERC) meeting. Portugal agrees with the
EU consensus on most issues but (1) favors greater
flexibility in dealings with Serbia, and (2) insists that the
European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) remain a broad initiative
rather than focus on select nations. End Summary.


2. (SBU) SERBIA: Portugal supports Ahtisaari's proposed
timeline for a February 2 report followed by four weeks to
allow for commentary, according to Rocha. While France
suggested a postponement on Ahtisaari's report, Rocha stated
that other EU members would not be interested in further
delays. Regarding war crimes, the GOP is willing to be
"flexible" on timing to bring Serbia into compliance, and
Rocha insisted that Serbia needs carrots to continue
cooperating.


3. (SBU) IRAN: Germany proposed that the Iran discussion be
split into two phases: nuclear proliferation in January and
economic, political, and human rights in February. Rocha
predicted that the EU would find it too early to endorse
sanctions beyond the scope of UNSCR 1737 and would probably
adopt a "wait and see" approach for the full 60 days allowed
under the resolution.


4. (C) SOMALIA: Rocha reported that the EU has learned from
its mistakes in Darfur and will cap assistance funding at 50
million euros for Somalia. She noted that, when the African
Union (AU) requested funding from the EU, it failed to
declare a mission or offer a budget. Rocha is pessimistic
that the AU will be successful in Somalia given the lack of
planning to date and the AU's inability to make headway in
its Darfur mission.


5. (C) SUDAN: Rocha was openly critical of the AU's efforts
in Darfur and characterized the mission as "AU autonomy gone
awry." She said the EU is unwilling to continue funding the
AU mission further and suggested that other African nations
with resources, such as South Africa or Nigeria, attempt to
support the mission when funds run out this spring.


6. (SBU) EUROPEAN NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY (ENP): Portugal
strongly opposes the suggestion to split the "neighborhood"
into eastern and southern nations of concern during the
German and Portuguese EU Presidencies. She remarked that the
German-backed policy of focusing on select eastern partners
(reftel) would make the policy more unstable and diminish its
usefulness over time.
Hoffman