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