Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BRUSSELS1602
2008-10-17 15:32:00
UNCLASSIFIED
USEU Brussels
Cable title:
EU-MAURITANIA TALKS SCHEDULED ON POLITICAL WAY
how-toVZCZCXRO8360 RR RUEHAG RUEHBZ RUEHDF RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHIK RUEHJO RUEHLZ RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHPOD RUEHRN RUEHROV RUEHTRO DE RUEHBS #1602 2911532 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 171532Z OCT 08 FM USEU BRUSSELS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE RUCNMEU/EU INTEREST COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS
UNCLAS BRUSSELS 001602
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EAID EUN
SUBJECT: EU-MAURITANIA TALKS SCHEDULED ON POLITICAL WAY
FORWARD
UNCLAS BRUSSELS 001602
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EAID EUN
SUBJECT: EU-MAURITANIA TALKS SCHEDULED ON POLITICAL WAY
FORWARD
1. The European Union has scheduled talks with the
Mauritanian junta for October 20 in Paris to discuss a
mutually acceptable way forward politically in the African
state. Commission contacts say they are not optimistic the
Mauritanian delegation, led by PM Laghdaf, will come prepared
to give imprisoned President Abdullahi a role in negotiating
and participating in a new government, which is the European
Commission's bottom line. Junta leaders have proposed no
solutions during pre-negotiation talks with the EU, according
to a Commission contact.
2. The October 20 consultations are part of an established
process under Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement governing
development assistance and cooperation between the European
Commission and receiving countries in Africa, the Caribbean
and the Pacific. The August 6 coup overthrowing a
democratically-elected president led the European Council to
approve in September the sending of a letter from the EU to
the Mauritanian government requesting the talks. The EU
delegation to the Paris consultations will be led by
Commissioner Louis Michel and French Secretary of State for
Cooperation Alain Joyandet.
3. When the talks are completed, the Commission will report
to the European Council, which will then decide on a course
of action for the EU. If the talks are successful,
development assistance will likely be reinstated, but if they
fail, the Council may consider targeted sanctions, including
travel restrictions and asset freezes against key government
officials and/or companies, according to Commission
officials.
4. European Union officials have consistently said since the
coup that the EU seeks a "rapid return to constitutionality"
in Mauritania. That may be defined, however, as something
less than a complete return to power by President Abdullahi.
An official at the German Permanent Representation to the
European Union said Germany's position is that it is
unrealistic to expect the junta to relinquish power fully and
that some power-sharing or transitional agreement should be
negotiated. The European Council's Africa Working Group has
discussed Mauritania several times since the coup, but it has
made no decisions pending the outcome of the Article 96 talks.
SILVERBERG
.
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EAID EUN
SUBJECT: EU-MAURITANIA TALKS SCHEDULED ON POLITICAL WAY
FORWARD
1. The European Union has scheduled talks with the
Mauritanian junta for October 20 in Paris to discuss a
mutually acceptable way forward politically in the African
state. Commission contacts say they are not optimistic the
Mauritanian delegation, led by PM Laghdaf, will come prepared
to give imprisoned President Abdullahi a role in negotiating
and participating in a new government, which is the European
Commission's bottom line. Junta leaders have proposed no
solutions during pre-negotiation talks with the EU, according
to a Commission contact.
2. The October 20 consultations are part of an established
process under Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement governing
development assistance and cooperation between the European
Commission and receiving countries in Africa, the Caribbean
and the Pacific. The August 6 coup overthrowing a
democratically-elected president led the European Council to
approve in September the sending of a letter from the EU to
the Mauritanian government requesting the talks. The EU
delegation to the Paris consultations will be led by
Commissioner Louis Michel and French Secretary of State for
Cooperation Alain Joyandet.
3. When the talks are completed, the Commission will report
to the European Council, which will then decide on a course
of action for the EU. If the talks are successful,
development assistance will likely be reinstated, but if they
fail, the Council may consider targeted sanctions, including
travel restrictions and asset freezes against key government
officials and/or companies, according to Commission
officials.
4. European Union officials have consistently said since the
coup that the EU seeks a "rapid return to constitutionality"
in Mauritania. That may be defined, however, as something
less than a complete return to power by President Abdullahi.
An official at the German Permanent Representation to the
European Union said Germany's position is that it is
unrealistic to expect the junta to relinquish power fully and
that some power-sharing or transitional agreement should be
negotiated. The European Council's Africa Working Group has
discussed Mauritania several times since the coup, but it has
made no decisions pending the outcome of the Article 96 talks.
SILVERBERG
.