POLAND-EU: DELIVERY OF DEMARCHE IN ADVANCE OF THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L WARSAW 000500 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/ERA AND EUR/NCE E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ETRD EUN ENRG PL IR SUBJECT: POLAND-EU: DELIVERY OF DEMARCHE IN ADVANCE OF THE MARCH 5-6 FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING (GAERC) REF: STATE 23592 Classified By: Political Counselor Mary T. Curtin, reasons 1.4(b) and ( d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. According to MFA EU Department Deputy Director Pawel Herczynski, the March 5-6 GAERC will be heavily focused on energy and climate issues, in advance of the March 8-9 European Council (EC) meeting. Emissions standards will be the most difficult part of the discussion. Herczynski expressed Poland's agreement with the U.S. on Bosnia issues, and noted the German presidency is trying to bridge differences over how to approach Serbia, with Poland wanting to see any opening of negotiations conditioned on ICTY cooperation. On Iran, Herczynski said the GAERC will likely call for further UNSC measures because of Iran's non-compliance, but call also for diplomatic efforts to continue. End Summary. ¶2. (C) ENERGY AND CLIMATE ISSUES: PolCouns met March 1 with Herczynski to convey U.S. positions outlined in reftel and discuss Poland's views on the subjects likely to be discussed at the March 5-6 GAERC. Herczynski emphasized that energy and climate issues, which he linked, would take up most of the GAERC meeting, in order to prepare for the EC meeting the same week. He noted that Poland and the U.S. agree on energy security matters, but the climate change issues involved internal EU negotiating in which Poland (as well as other countries) had very particular concerns. He noted that Poland was particularly concerned over efforts to set EU targets for CO2 emissions. The current proposal is to use 1990 as the baseline for emissions, which would be more difficult for countries like Poland which have experienced considerable economic development, and thus energy consumption, since then. Poland feels the 1990 baseline would negatively impact newer EU members. Herczynski predicted that this "tricky" issue, rather than energy security, would dominate the discussion. ¶3. (C) WESTERN BALKANS: Herczynski noted that of all the Western Balkans issues, only Bosnia is on the agenda, and U.S. and Polish positions on Bosnia are very similar. Poland supported the decision to extend the Office of the High Representative. On Serbia, Poland believes the EU should give positive signals to Serbia in order to encourage its European perspective. He noted that the German presidency had floated a proposal to bridge differences within the EU under which the EU would set cooperation with the ICTY as a condition for closure of negotiations on a Stabilization and Association Agreement, rather than as a condition for opening the negotiations. Poland believes the negotiations themselves should not be opened until there is Serbian cooperation. On Kosovo, Herczynski reiterated Poland's agreement with the U.S. positions. He opined that, although there are differences of opinion within the EU, there was also an understanding that the EU would speak with one voice on Kosovo, and take a position as close to that of the U.S. as possible. ¶4. (C) ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN ISSUES: Herczynski said Poland welcomed stepped up U.S. diplomacy, including Secretary Rice's recent trip. ¶5. (C) IRAN: Herczynski said that EU Ambassadors adopted conclusions at their February 28 pre-GAERC meeting that basically set the stage for GAERC conclusions. The EU will express disapproval with Iran's lack of cooperation, note that Iran has not fulfilled its obligations under UNSCR's, and state that new measures should be taken in light of Iran's non-cooperation. However, the EU will also state that channels to negotiation should remain open and that a diplomatic solution should be found. ¶6. (C) SUDAN/DARFUR: Herczynski said that the Sudan/Darfur issue was not on the agenda, but the EU is now encouraging member states to make contributions to the EU fund that supports the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS). When PolCouns asked if Poland would contribute, he said Poland was considering at least doing something symbolic, but no government decision had yet been made. ¶7. (C) UZBEKISTAN: Herczynski said there had been only limited EU contacts with Uzbekistan since Andijon. The EU is pressing for a human rights dialogue, but Uzbekistan does not want discussion of the Andijon events to be part of that, saying they have done enough. The EU disagrees with this approach and so talks have not gone forward. ASHE