LUXEMBOURG PRESSED TO REIN IN ITS FOREIGN MINISTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L LUXEMBOURG 000110 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR EUR/NCE, EUR/PRA - MAZEVEDO, EURPPD - TCORN, VCI/MDSP - STEVEN ROSENKRANTZ, NSC - MAHAYWARD E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2017 TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL NATO MARR PL EZ RU LU SUBJECT: LUXEMBOURG PRESSED TO REIN IN ITS FOREIGN MINISTER ON MISSILE DEFENSE REF: A. LUXEMBOURG 108 ¶B. KRAFT/GALLAGHER EMAIL 03/15/07 ¶C. STATE 30480 Classified By: DCM Steven Kraft for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Following up to ref A, Embassy translated and sent to EUR/UBI the text of a statement by Foreign Minister Asselborn made March 13 before the Chamber of Deputies explaining his public comments crticizing the planned European missile defense system (MDS)(ref B). Embassy believes that the statement lacked focus and did not satisfactorily address USG concerns. ¶2. (C) Ambassador Wagner raised the issue with senior Luxembourg government officials March 14 and 15. MFA International Economic Director and former ambassador to the U.S. Arlette Conzemius assured the Ambassador that the GOL position remains that the MDS should be addressed within the framework of NATO. Similarly, former Minister of Defense and current Justice Minister Luc Frieden confirmed to the Ambassador that Asselborn was voicing his own opinions. Ambassador Wagner emphasized to both officials the very serious depth of U.S. concerns about the Foreign Minister's statements. ¶3. (C) Comment: We are pressing the MFA from all sides on this issue to keep up pressure on the Foreign Minister to rein in his rhetoric on MDS. Ambassador Wagner also intends to raise the matter with Prime Minister Juncker as soon as possible. End comment. ¶4. (U) In response to ref C, Mission Luxembourg POC for this issue is Pol/Econ section chief Tom Boughter, boughteret@state.gov. WAGNER