POLAND: MFA OFFICIAL REVIEWS GAERC AGENDA;

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 WARSAW 002091 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2017 TAGS: EUN PREL PGOV ETRD ETTC KPAL WTO PL SUBJECT: POLAND: MFA OFFICIAL REVIEWS GAERC AGENDA; EXPRESSES OPTIMISM ON UPCOMING EU SUMMIT REF: SECSTATE 141316 Classified By: Polcouns Mary T. Curtin for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: PolCouns met October 11 with Pawel Herczynski, MFA Deputy Director for EU Affairs, to review reftel issues in advance of the October 15-16 EU Foreign Ministers meeting. While most of his comments were predictable, Herczynski added a new twist on Poland's approach to EU-Russia policy, saying that, if the meat ban is not resolved, Poland will block not only a new EU-Russia agreement, but also will block EU common policy on Russia's admission to the WTO. Separately, on the upcoming EU Summit, Herczynski expressed optimism for a successful Summit, indicating that Poland will accept reference to the Ioanina mechanism outside the EU Reform Treaty itself. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Regarding the Summit, Herczynski opened by saying that, while he had "no idea" of what would eventually transpire, there was, since President Kaczynski's October 8 visit to France, a very "constructive spirit" toward the summit and the unresolved issues regarding the EU Reform Treaty, something we had heard earlier from other EU diplomats. Herczynski said Kaczynski would travel to Berlin October 12 to continue discussions, and that it looked like countries were "close to a satisfactory solution." Poland did not, he said, want to be seen to be blocking the Treaty. On the Ioanina mechanism to allow countries to block action they did not support, he said Poland had wanted to have it in the main body of the Treaty, but Poland was the only country supporting the idea. Poland's "main partners" are, he said, ready to find some other way to refer to mechanism and to make it "legally binding." (Note: We separately heard from French and German diplomats that Poland will accept reference to the mechanism in a political statement. End Note) Poland will likely decide to opt out of the Chart of Fundamental Rights, but will note its acceptance of the social rights, with which it has no problems. ¶3. (C) Herczynski said Poland had two other procedural/administrative issues it would press for. It wanted the number of Advocates General increased from eight. The number needed, he said, to be increased to reflect the larger number of member states. Under the rotational method currently in place, Poland would not have someone in the position for decades. Poland also wants to change how decisions are made at the European Central Bank (ECB), especially with regard to the financing of major infrastructure projects. In particular, it wants to make sure that projects such as the Russian-German pipeline, which bypasses Poland and other EU countries, does not receive ECB financing. ¶4. (C) On the GAERC, Herczynski provided the following comments: --DOHA issues will not be addressed at the upcoming GAERC. --Kosovo: Poland's position remains close to that of the U.S. He noted that Slovenia has put forth a proposal, which Poland opposes, to speed up the opening of the EU to Serbia, in order to get Serbia to move on Kosovo. Poland is open to expansion, but believes Serbia must meet all criteria, including full cooperation with the ICTY. Opening to Serbia should not, Poland believes, be linked to its acceptance of Kosovo's status. --Russia: Expectations are low for the upcoming October 26 EU-Russia Summit. Poland will press the Troika to raise Russia's ban on Polish meat and plants. He emphasized that Poland is still very determined not to let negotiations on a new EU-Russia agreement go forward until the meat issue is solved. He then added that, "if forced," Poland will also block a EU common position supporting Russia's entry into the WTO if there is no progress on the meat ban. Herczynski said he could not predict the outcome of Poland's October 21 elections, but said that if this government remains in place, this position will hold firm. (Note: He would not speculate on what other parties would do.) --Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process: Herczynski said that Poland is looking forward to the international meeting, and hopes that Arab states, especially Saudi Arabia, will participate. --Iran: Poland believes the EU should start internal preparations for autonomous sanctions on Iran, outside the UNSC framework, supporting the French/German initiatives on this issue. He said he expected the COREPER to address the issue today (October 11). --Chad: Poland will be sending troops to Chad under the WARSAW 00002091 002 OF 002 French-led joint ESDP/UN peacekeeping operation to Eastern Chad. Herczynski did not have the details on the deployment, and indicated that those were still being worked with the French. --Zimbabwe: Herczynski said Poland is undecided how to approach the difficult issue of deciding about the presence of Robert Mugabe at the December EU-Africa Summit. He noted the UK position that it will not attend at a high level if Mugabe is there. Poland has sympathy for this position given its own struggle for democracy and its support for democracy around the world, but also wanted the Summit to go forward because of the large number of important issues that needed to be addressed. He asked if the U.S. had a position on that issue. ASHE