GERMANY SUPPORTS EU'S DOUBLE-EDGED APPROACH TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 001567

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREL UN GG RS GM NATO EUN
SUBJECT: GERMANY SUPPORTS EU'S DOUBLE-EDGED APPROACH TO
RUSSIA

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Jeffrey Rathke
for reasons: 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY. Germany appears satisfied with how the
EU-Russia Summit unfolded in Nice on November 14, according
to contacts in the Chancellery and MFA. Germany was eager to
restart Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA)
negotiations, but supports launching an Eastern Partnership
with countries bordering Russia as a direct response to
Russia's "power play." Although the Geneva talks are plagued
with difficulties concerning how to seat Abkhazia and South
Ossetia, contacts were convinced that the talks represent an
international process that eventually could bring about
normalized relations in the region. Chancellery EU Division
Head Petra Sigmund also shared that Russian President
Medvedev's proposal for a new European security architecture
is not a hot topic in the EU, and Simon expected the launch
of expert-level talks next week, when a Russian team visits
Berlin. END SUMMARY

EU-RUSSIA: THE EU GIVETH AND TAKETH AWAY


2. (C) Sigmund and MFA Deputy Division Head for Russia and
Ukraine Henning Simon appeared satisfied with the outcome of
the EU-Russia Summit. Sigmund affirmed the basic German view
that it is "better to talk with Russia" than not, especially
given that the ground situation in Abkhazia and South Ossetia
is "unlikely to change." The resumption of the PCA
negotiations is a signal that it "is time to move on" rather
than an approval of Russia's actions, according to Sigmund.
Simon said that the working-level meetings will resume on
November 20 and 21.


3. (C) At the same time, Germany supports the European
Commission's proposal for a Eastern Partnership encompassing
Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and
potentially Belarus, as a "direct reaction" to Russia's
"power play" in the South Caucasus, according to Sigmund.
Sigmund expected the proposal to be adopted in early
December, and said that Germany "would not have agreed to go
so far if Russia had not attacked Georgia." The Partnership
will represent a "special category with a close relation to
the EU" with the possibility of unfettered travel in the
future, but Sigmund stressed that it does not guarantee
membership, which Germany opposes at this time. Sigmund said
the Partnership is signal that the EU "will not abandon these
states" and will respond to the Russian "power play with an
EU soft power play, which will succeed." Simon said the
Swedes and Poles proposed the new Partnership in October,
which was quickly supported by all members. The inclusion of
Belarus hinges on whether specific criteria, including media
freedom, are met, according to Simon, and the final structure
of the partnership will be unveiled in a June 2009 Summit
hosted by the Czech EU-Presidency.


4. (C) Overall, Sigmund and Simon stressed that Germany and
the EU's engagement with Russia is not only influenced by the
geopolitical proximity and gas dependence but also a
recognition that Russia has a severe "inferiority complex."
Such a complex makes it better to "talk with rather than
about" the Russians, according to Sigmund. In the German
view, Russia strives to regain its lost superpower status
through "evil means" to regain stature with the U.S. Sigmund
compared Russia to a child who recognizes that those who
create trouble garner more attention. In light of Russian
sensitivities to being slighted, Sigmund related that the EU
has decided to hold off for now on proposals to trim the
EU-Russia Summits down to once a year.

HOPE FOR THE GENEVA TALKS


5. (C) Sigmund and Simon conveyed the German dedication to
the Geneva talks as an international process that could bring
about normalized relations for the region. Although their
expectations for the November round were fairly low, they
expected to the parties to convene twice in December. Simon
said that Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov in Nice relayed his
continued expectation that the talks will end this year,
contrary to what the EU hopes. The EU raised the issue of
Russian troops in Perevi and Akhalgori, but saw little
Russian response, and Simon expected the topic to remain a
source of contention in the November and December rounds.

RUSSIAN SECURITY PROPOSAL


6. (C) Simon informed poloff that a Russian team of experts
will visit Berlin next week to launch expert-level talks with
the MFA concerning Medvedev's security architecture proposal.
The same team was in London last week, according to Simon.
The Russians provided a "fuller" three-page summary of the
proposal, although Simon opined that it remained light on
details. Sigmund said opinion in the Chancellery was
strongly against a Russian security structure while Simon
said the MFA was in "exploratory mode." The MFA sees the
proposal as an "opportunity" to engage with the Russians to
discuss important topics such as "human rights and peaceful
settlement of conflict." However, Simon stressed that the
MFA recognizes that the Russians "like to play and seek to
divide the Alliance." Moreover, the MFA expects little to
happen in regard to the proposal during the next couple of
months and views the consultations as a Russian attempt to
keep the proposal alive. Chancellery and MFA contacts
stressed the centrality of NATO for German security and their
unwillingness to weaken the Alliance.
TIMKEN JR