GERMANY STICKING TO UNSCR 1816 BUT OPEN TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 001597 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2018 TAGS: MOPS PBTS PHSA PTER SUBJECT: GERMANY STICKING TO UNSCR 1816 BUT OPEN TO ADDITIONAL RESOLUTION REF: STATE 125514 Classified By: Acting Political Minister Counselor Stan Otto for reason s 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (C) Poloff delivered reftel to MFA Deputy Division Head of ESDP Jens Beikuefner, ESDP Desk Officer Stefan Roessel, and UN Policy Desk Officer Dirk Stockhausen on November 28. Although contacts strongly opposed a technical resolution delaying UNSCR 1816 for two weeks, they supported extending 1816 and then considering in mid-December a "resolution that would strengthen anti-piracy efforts." Roessel informed poloff that Germany needs to follow a "specific sequence" to launch the EU mission this year, and Beikuefner argued that the EU mission is significant for the French EU presidency as well as France's return to NATO. All agreed that if 1816 were extended for a year, Germany also would be willing to consider a new, stronger anti-piracy resolution in mid-December. In a later conversation, Beikuefner agreed to the addition of such language to 1816, and expressed the MFA's willingness to discuss specific measures (e.g., addressing shortfalls in prosecuting pirates and improving coordination among international organizations). He also stated that such additional measures "were reasonable." TIMKEN JR