LATVIAN VIEWS ON FEB 12-13 GAERC

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIGA 000102 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV ETRD EUN LG SUBJECT: LATVIAN VIEWS ON FEB 12-13 GAERC REF: STATE 13840 Classified By: Ambassador Catherine Todd Bailey, for Reasons 1.4 (b) an d (d) ¶1. (C) Pol/Econ Off delivered points in reftel to Veronika Erte, MFA A/S-level official responsible for EU affairs, on February 7. Latvia's GAERC positions had already been set, but Erte welcomed the US points. Latvian positions are very close to US views on the issues discussed. Kosovo and Serbia -------------- ¶2. (C) Erte said that Latvia is in agreement with the US position on Kosovo and does not support waiting until a new government is formed in Serbia in order to resume negotiations. She said that Latvian does encourage the formation of a reform-oriented, pro-Western government in Serbia and the GOL will continue to support Special Envoy Ahtisaari's efforts to convince the Serbians to pursue their EU integration aspirations. Albania -------------- ¶3. (C) Erte agreed that Albania needs improvement in the areas of democracy, rule of law and corruption, and that the Feb. 18 elections would be very important for any decisions next year on the future of Albanian NATO membership. Israel-Palestine, Iran -------------- ¶4. (C) Latvia maintains its policies on Israeli-Palestinian issues, stated Erte, and the GOL hopes that the current PA-Hamas talks in Saudi Arabia conclude well. On Iran, Erte had no specific comment on our request to take action against Banks Saderat and Sepah, but said that the GOL supports full implementation of UNSCR 1737 and allowing EU member states to interpret the resolution broadly. She commented that Latvia supports efforts to promote democracy in Iran and believes that peaceful, internal change in Iran would be ideal. She noted our request that EU states halt export credits to Iran, but had no immediate response. Afghanistan -------------- ¶5. (C) Erte said that the GOL strongly backs the EU mission to train police in Afghanistan and plans to have Latvian police participate, though they have not reached a decision on how many police Latvia might send. Sudan/Darfur and Somalia -------------- ¶6. (C) Latvia supports African Union efforts in both Darfur and Somalia, according to Erte, and would like to see both aided by the voluntary contributions of individual EU member states. On the subject of parallel US-EU sanctions against Sudanese officials should progress not occur on Darfur, she said that she had heard no mention of sanctions among EU members. WTO/Doha Round -------------- ¶7. (C) Erte said that the GOL supports efforts to revive the Doha Round, but that French positions on agricultural policy make such efforts challenging. BAILEY