Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LONDON3422
2007-09-07 11:47:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy London
Cable title:  

UK GOALS FOR SEPTEMBER INFORMAL EU FOREIGN

Tags:  PGOV PREL EUN RS YI IR UK 
pdf how-to read a cable
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R 071147Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5257
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0444
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2390
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0478
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 003422 

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/06/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL EUN RS YI IR UK
SUBJECT: UK GOALS FOR SEPTEMBER INFORMAL EU FOREIGN
MINISTERS MEETING (GYMNICH)

REF: SECSTATE 123576

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Maura Connelly for reasons
1.4 (B) and (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 003422

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/06/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL EUN RS YI IR UK
SUBJECT: UK GOALS FOR SEPTEMBER INFORMAL EU FOREIGN
MINISTERS MEETING (GYMNICH)

REF: SECSTATE 123576

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Maura Connelly for reasons
1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (C) Summary. According to the Foreign Office, the key
agenda items at the September Gymnich meeting are Kosovo, the
Inter-Governmental Conference on EU Reform, the Middle East,
and a review of EU strategic partnerships with a focus on
Russia. As is practice at informal Gynmich meetings, the UK
does not expect any formal conclusions or new policy
statements to come out of the meeting. Foreign Secretary
Miliband wants to impress on other EU Ministers the need to
prepare now for unified EU action on Kosovo, if no agreement
is reached by the December 10 deadline. He wants to use the
discussion on Russia to build consensus on the message for
the next EU-Russia Summit. Miliband will also stress that
the recent agreement on an Iran-IAEA workplan is not
sufficient to meet Iran's obligations under UNSC resolutions.
The British are encouraged by French interest in having the
EU take on a larger assistance role in Iraq. Following
meetings held in Paris last month, the Foreign Office is also
pleased with the French commitment to move forward on a third
UNSC resolution sanctioning Iran. End summary.


2. (C) Poloff discussed ref points with Martin Sherman, head
of the Foreign Office's EU Common Foreign and Security Policy
Group. Sherman, who will attend the Gymnich with the Foreign
Secretary, said that the agenda for the meeting will focus on

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Kosovo, the status of the Intergovernmental Conference on the
EU Reform Treaty, a review of the EU's various strategic
partnerships with a special focus on Russia, and discussion
of the Middle East, which will include Iran and Iraq at the
request of the French. Sherman provided additional comments
on UK goals for the meeting as summarized below.


3. (C) Kosovo: EU Troika Representative Ischinger will
brief the Foreign Ministers. According to Sherman,
Ischinger's September 5 briefing to EU missions in Brussels

struck the right balance of sending the message that the
current Troika process is a serious one to which the EU is
committed, while making clear EU states need to be focusing
now on how to take unified action, if no agreement is reached
by the December 10 deadline. The UK view is that there has
been a "toughening up" among EU members on the Kosovo issue
and even those Members who have been most cautious about
bringing negotiations to an end understand the EU needs to be
prepared to take action this December. London is especially
pleased with new French energy and cooperation on the issue,
Sherman said.


4. (C) Russia: The UK wants a frank discussion on
EU-Russian relations that will lay the groundwork for the
right message at the next EU-Russia Summit: the EU wants to
engage with Moscow, but will be firm in defending EU values
and interests in its relations with Russia. London is
concerned at the lack of consensus within the EU on an
approach to Russia. How to deal with Russia provokes the
"broadest range of positions" among EU members on any issue,
Sherman noted, from those members who want to give Russia
"special treatment" and overlook its internal and external
behavior, to those members who want minimum engagement. This
divide is a "worry to us," Sherman said. The British
understand the Gymnich discussion on Russia will not be
pitched at operational issues, such as the CFE Treaty.
Sherman said that the UK shares the U.S. view on the need to
take a strong line on holding free and fair elections and
pressing Moscow to allow domestic and international
observers, but he did not expect any concrete actions in this
regard to come out of the meeting.


5. (C) Middle East: Sherman did not expect anything new
during the discussion on the Middle East peace process.
Between scheduled Quartet meetings, Quartet Envoy Tony
Blair's visit to the region, and the meetings scheduled on
the UNGA margins, there is "enough of a way forward" that
there is not pressure within the EU to take new action or
launch new policy initiatives. The focus will remain on how
does the EU support capacity-building efforts in the occupied
territories within existing frameworks.


6. (C) Iran: London will use the meeting to reaffirm the
two-track policy, make clear that the recent Iran-IAEA
workplan, though "a step forward," did not meet the
requirements of the existing UNSC resolutions, and explain
the need for a third UNSC resolution. Sherman said the
Foreign Office was pleased with discussions held in Paris
last week on the next steps on Iran and that France is ready
to move forward on a third resolution. When poloff pressed

LONDON 00003422 002 OF 002


further on French commitment to a third resolution, Sherman
said that "there is no doubt" among the Iran specialists at
FCO on the French readiness to move forward.


7. (c) Iraq: According to Sherman, French Foreign Minister
Kouchner put Iraq on the Gymnich agenda, following his recent
visit. The UK is pleased at new French interest in having
the EU join with the UN in taking on a larger role in
providing development and humanitarian assistance in Iraq.
There is still a long way to go to move the EU, Sherman said,
but Kouchner's more constructive approach on Iraq will
"change the internal dynamic in the EU" over coming months.













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