FLEMISH GOVERNMENT SEEKS A FEDERAL BELGIUM:

S E C R E T BRUSSELS 001626 SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D COPY SIGNATURE E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL BE SUBJECT: FLEMISH GOVERNMENT SEEKS A FEDERAL BELGIUM: CORRECTED COPY Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Robert Kiene for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (S) The Chief of Staff to Head of the Flemish government Koen Geens provided a quick sketch of Flemish goals in the intra-regional negotiations on government reform to Poloffs October 16. The long term Flemish goal is a federal state, with a "lean and mean," central government equipped with only necessary powers. A constitutional legal scholar, Geens said he admired how the U.S. constitution lists the specific r esponsibilities of the federal government and leaves all other responsibilities to the states. The challenge is to achieve a gradual reform and devolution of power to the regions, while the French speaking parties support a strong central government to channel funds to the poorer south. Geens said that Kris Peeters, the Flemish Head of government, receives high marks for confidentiality and trust and was an able negotiator, and that if no quick breakthroughs were achieved, the Flemish goal would still be achieved over time. ¶2. (S) The negotiations, which began October 8, are being held in secret at the Belgian Academy of Sciences in Brussels. Geens emphasized the importance of Brussels, a historically Flemish city (now 90 percent French speaking) to the Flemish negotiators. He said that Brussels will always be the capital of Flanders, Belgium, and the European Union. Of the six negotiators on the Flemish side, five are ministers from the Flemish regional government, and the sixth is a Dutch speaking minister of the Brussels regional government. The French negotiators on the other hand are a mix of Walloon regional and national politicians of differing ranks. ¶3. (S) Comment: The Flemish government is confident Flemish negotiators will succeed in time. There has not been any notable media leakage from either side, which may well indicate the talks are proceeding amicably. Even though the French speaking parties are unenthusiastic about further devolution, it will not be possible to resist the will of the Flemish majority indefinitely. More importantly, it is clear the Flemish government, the side actively pushing the governmental reform and devolution, seems committed to the idea of a federal Belgium with Brussels as its capital. FOX