Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BRUSSELS1419
2008-09-12 14:04:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Brussels
Cable title:  

FORTHCOMING EU FONMIN MEETING (GAERC) SEPTEMBER

Tags:  EU PHUM PREL ZI SO TU YI RS BE PGOV ZL 
pdf how-to read a cable
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 001419 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/WE K SHARP, BELGRADE PASS TO PODGORICA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2018
TAGS: EU PHUM PREL PGOVZL ZI SO TU YI RS BE
SUBJECT: FORTHCOMING EU FONMIN MEETING (GAERC) SEPTEMBER
15-16, BELGIAN RESPONSE TO OUR DEMARCHE

REF: STATE 096598

Classified By: (U) Classified by Elizabeth Ewing, Acting Pol/Econ Couns
elor. Reasons 1.4(b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 001419

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/WE K SHARP, BELGRADE PASS TO PODGORICA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2018
TAGS: EU PHUM PREL PGOVZL ZI SO TU YI RS BE
SUBJECT: FORTHCOMING EU FONMIN MEETING (GAERC) SEPTEMBER
15-16, BELGIAN RESPONSE TO OUR DEMARCHE

REF: STATE 096598

Classified By: (U) Classified by Elizabeth Ewing, Acting Pol/Econ Couns
elor. Reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (SBU) On September 12, MFA Director for EU External
Affairs Filip David told Poloff Heimann the following:


2. (C) Zimbabwe
David said that the COREPER (i.e., EU Permreps)-drafted
conclusions of the forthcoming GAERC included extending the
EU sanctions beyond what they are now -- though David was not
sure that they would include all of what the U.S. sanctions
program contains. But, given the overnight news that
"apparently" the two sides have reached -- though not yet
signed -- an agreement, the EU fonmins are likely to want to
hold off until the next GAERC (October 13) making any
statement in order to take the time to examine the agreement
closely. If during this weekend, however, developments
suggest that the agreement is a "non-starter," then the GAERC
will probably go forward with the sanctions statement as
drafted.


3. (SBU) Somalia
EU's intention to launch a naval operation is one with which
all members agree and will be handled at the GAERC as an " A'
point," meaning that it will appear in the conclusions of the
GAERC without any further discussion. There is, however,
nothing in that text that specifically refers to the NATO-EU
framework. The EU, David says, is experiencing a "growing
understanding" of just how bad the piracy problem is for EU
and international safety and security at sea in the Somali
and Horn straits.


4. (C) Serbia
--Serbia and Georgia (see septel) will be the two main topics
of discussion at the GAERC. David explained that the main
question about Serbia to be considered at the GAERC is
whether the EU will unfreeze the "interim agreement" (i.e.,
the economic portion) of the Stabilization and Association
Agreement that was previously signed between the EU
Commission and Council and Serbia, but which has not begun a
ratification process -- neither at the European Parliament
nor at member-state parliaments. Indeed, the agreement's
ratification process had been entirely frozen since the GAERC
of April 29 pronounced a GAERC conclusion to that effect.
David said that the purpose of freezing the entire agreement,
with its Commission and member-state competencies, was in
order to pressure Serbia to turn in indicted war criminals to
the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
(ICTY). He noted that a similar strategy had worked with
Croatia.

--Now that the Serbs have handed over Karadzic to the ICTY,
the question for the GAERC is: Should the Serbs have the
ratification process of the economic part of the agreement
unfrozen to encourage them to turn over the other major
fugitives? David explained that Belgian Foreign Minister De
Gucht and his Dutch counterpart Verhaegen are both deeply
committed to the eventual entry into the EU as full members
of all the Western Balkan countries. But these two ministers
insist that, as part of their progress towards that goal, the
candidate countries must provide "full, unconditional
cooperation with the ICTY". De Gucht and Verhaegen think
that the correct professional, non-political person to decide
whether the Serbs are meeting that criterion is the ICTY
Attorney General, Serge Brammertz. Brammertz is leaving
Belgrade today and will give his assessment to the EU. David
expects that what the A-G describes will not meet the
Belgo-Dutch requirements for unfreezing the ratification
process for the economic portion of the agreement, much less
the entire agreement.

--The GOB believes that EULEX deployment should be to every
part of Kosovo, including the North, though "perhaps not
immediately." The GOB also favors extension of the UNMIK
mandate.


5. (C) Turkey: Not on the Menu this time.
Although Turkey does not figure on this GAERC agenda, when

BRUSSELS 00001419 002 OF 002


poloff noted favorable mention of Turkey's actions in the
Caucasus by FonMin De Gucht as reported in the Brussels paper
Le Soir September 11, David pointed out that the GOB has
always favored Turkish entry into the EU, however long it
takes, and insists that no rpt no additional conditions be
added to those in the original GAERC conclusion of Cophenagen
in 1993.


6. (SBU) Georgia:
The GoB response to our demarche for the GAERC on Georgia is
being sent septel.

FOX
.