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