GERMANY ON APRIL 28-29 GAERC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BERLIN 000541

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2018
TAGS: EUN PREL GM IR RS KV BK BM IZ ZI PK ZL
SUBJECT: GERMANY ON APRIL 28-29 GAERC

REF: STATE 43742

Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR JEFF RATHKE. REASONS: 1.4 (
B) AND (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Pol-mil/external chief met with MFA Deputy
European Correspondent Thomas Schieb April 25 to discuss
reftel points on key issues to be discussed at the April
28-29 EU General Affairs and External Relations Council
(GAERC). The Western Balkans, the Middle East, Burma,
Zimbabwe and Pakistan will be on the GAERC agenda, but
notably, Iran will not. Attempts to finalize the EU
designations list in time for the GAERC ran into a hiccup, as
two banks on the proposed designation list need to be routed
again through the EU-wide interagency clearance process due
to a technical problem. Meanwhile, the MFA Senior Iran desk
officer reports that EU discussions on implementing UNSRC
1803 have only "just started." The April 28-29 GAERC will
issue Council conclusions on Uzbekistan, Burma, Zimbabwe and
Pakistan. The mandate for negotiations with Russia on
renewing the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) is
likely to remain blocked. Due to other commitments, FM
Steinmeier is not expected to attend the GAERC; Germany will
be represented by MFA State Minister for Europe Guenter
Gloser. END SUMMARY.

Uzbekistan
--------------


2. (C) Schieb said that there will be a Council conclusion
announcing a six-month extension of the suspension of
sanctions against Uzbekistan, in recognition of the recent
progress that Uzbekistan has made on human rights, including
abolition of the death penalty, restoration of habeas corpus,
ratification of the ILO Convention regarding child labor and
the release of four political prisoner in February. On the
other hand, the conclusions will also highlight that human
rights still remain "problematic" and urging Uzbekistan to
take further steps. Schieb indicated that the decision to
suspend the sanctions for another six months had been fairly
controversial and agreement had only been decided in the EU
Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) yesterday
(April 24).

Russia
--------------


3. (C) Schieb said that a controversial issue unlikely to be
resolved at this month's GAERC is the adoption of the mandate
for negotiations with Russia on renewing the Partnership and
Cooperation Agreement (PCA). He said that while Poland was
no longer blocking, Lithuania was now insisting that four
annexes be attached to the mandate, including one on energy
cooperation and frozen conflicts. A Slovenian EU Presidency
compromise for two annexes (one on judicial cooperation and
energy cooperation) has been rejected by the Lithuanians.
Schieb said Germany opposed including things in the
negotiating mandate that "we know the Russians can't accept"
and was worried about EU divisions on this issue becoming
public. Germany is still keen on getting the mandate
approved before the EU-Russia Summit in June.

Western Balkans
--------------


4. (C) Schieb acknowledged the desirability of signing the
Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with Bosnia at
this month's GAERC, but said that for mostly technical
reasons (lack of time to translate and prepare all the
necessary documents),it probably will not happen. Schieb
said that Kosovo will be the topic of the lunch discussion,
but that no decisions or Council conclusions are expected.
Schieb noted that ministers would discuss the need to "adjust
their approach" given that the UN will not be ready to
complete the transition to EULEX by June 15. Schieb said the
U.S. and EU were completely agreed on the need to avoid any
step that would imply a partition of Kosovo.

Burma
--------------


5. (C) Schieb said the Council would adopt conclusions on
Burma that renew restrictive measures for another 12 months.
The EU is willing to consider additional measures in the
months ahead depending on developments.

Iraq
--------------


6. (C) There will be a discussion of the results of the April
22 neighbors conference in Kuwait based on a report from the
Slovenian EU presidency. Schieb said ministers will also
discuss EU engagement on reconstruction efforts in Iraq.

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Sweden is expected to brief on a conference it is hosting in
Stockholm at the end of May regarding the international
compact with Iraq.

Zimbabwe
--------------


7. (C) Schieb said the Council will issue very critical
conclusions that call for the immediate release of the
long-delayed election results and condemn the post-election
violence.

Pakistan
--------------


8. (C) The Council will also issue conclusions on the
situation in Pakistan and highlight the recent decision to
triple EU assistance to Pakistan. High Rep Solana will brief
on his recent visit. Schieb noted that the EU Troika is
expected to travel to Pakistan next week.

Middle East
--------------


9. (C) There will be an exchange of views about developments
in the Middle East, with a view to the May 2 Ad Hoc Liaison
Committee (AHLC) meeting in London. German MFA State
Minister Gloser will brief on preparations for the June 24
Berlin Conference on Palestinian security assistance.


Iran
--------------


10. (C) PolOff delivered GAERC points April 23 to MFA Senior
Iran Desk Officer Deike Potzel. Potzel said that Iran is not
on the April GAERC agenda (confirmed subsequently by Schieb),
noting that it would be "the first time in years" that Iran
is not discussed. She noted that the April 21 RELEX meeting
to finalize the designations list had run into a hiccup, as
two banks on the proposed designation list need to be routed
again through the EU-wide interagency clearance process due
to a technical problem. She emphasized that the UK (and
others, including Germany) are committed to listing the
banks, but that the new clearance process would probably
delay RELEX approval of the list. She said if RELEX does
pass the designation list, Ministers at the GAERC could
officially endorse the designations under the existing Common
Position.


11. (C) As for the other two elements, (1) implementation of
UNSCR 1803 and (2) "beyond 1803" measures, she said that
discussion on implementing 1803 had just started and that two
sides exist: those who favor implementing 1803 by the letter
only (including Italy and Spain),and those who want robust
measures and to go beyond (including the EU3). She noted
that Italy had stressed that it would only agree to the
designations list if 1803 implementation was "by the letter."
She acknowledged that Italy's position may change with the
new Italian government. She stressed the importance of
immediate implementation of 1803 in order to avoid its
announcement coinciding with any new developments from the
P5 1. (NOTE: we heard similar comments from the MFA's
Economic Policy division). She added that moving beyond 1803
will be difficult and will not be fast, citing as an example
Slovenia's unsuccessful attempts to sustain a productive
discussion on the two remaining elements due to fundamental
disagreements among Member States.
TIMKEN JR