Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BRUSSELS1627
2008-10-21 13:39:00
CONFIDENTIAL
USEU Brussels
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR SILVERBERG,S CONVERSATION WITH SPANISH

Tags:  PREL MARR SENV ECON 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO0460
RR RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHBS #1627/01 2951339
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 211339Z OCT 08
FM USEU BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHEFHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 001627 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/ERA AND EUR/WE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/20/2018
TAGS: PREL MARR SENV ECON
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR SILVERBERG,S CONVERSATION WITH SPANISH
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE

Classified By: Ambassador Kristen Silverberg for reasons 1.5(b) and (d)
.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 001627

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/ERA AND EUR/WE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/20/2018
TAGS: PREL MARR SENV ECON
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR SILVERBERG,S CONVERSATION WITH SPANISH
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE

Classified By: Ambassador Kristen Silverberg for reasons 1.5(b) and (d)
.


1. (C) Summary: Ambassador Silverberg and Spanish PermRep to
the EU Carlos Bastarreche Sagues discussed a range of issues
during a courtesy call on September 29. Bastarreche
described an EU that had made considerable progress since his
first posting to Brussels in 1979, but that still struggled
to act quickly and decisively. He expressed Spain,s support
for EU enlargement to Croatia, Serbia, and Turkey, though he
warned that the Union,s "digestion" was being tested.
Energy security was a difficult question, subject to Member
State differences, but combating climate change was an issue
where "Europe exists" as a united entity. On transatlantic
unity, Bastarreche said Spain supports the initiative to
start a new transatlantic dialogue, and that the EU and U.S.
could continue to work on practical cooperation in the
meantime. Bastarreche said the best the U.S. could hope for
from Spain on the Serb ICJ case would be an abstention, and
that the U.S. and EU need to offer incentives to the Serbs to
integrate with the West. When pressed on the EU,s response
to Russian activities in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, he said
the important thing about the Georgia crisis was that the EU
showed unity. Pressed further, however, he admitted that EU
unity can often be "at the lowest common denominator" and
that it will be difficult to change Russian behavior. The
Spanish Permanent Representation to the EU welcomed the news
that container security would be on the agenda for the next
TEC meeting. End Summary.

Financial Crisis

2.(C) Bastarreche started the meeting by lamenting the day's
financial news. When Ambassador Silverberg noted the
consequences for the European economy, Bastarreche said it
would affect every Member State differently. Spain, for
example, was facing serious problems in its housing sector,
but its banking sector remains strong.

EU Enlargement

3.(C) Amb. Silverberg praised the integrating function of
the EU, which gives countries like Serbia and Turkey

incentives to turn toward the West. Bastarreche agreed, but
said the EU,s "digestion" was being tested. The Union of 27
would soon be 28 with Croatia,s eventual accession, but the
expansion makes decisionmaking more difficult. Spain
supports Turkey and Serbia,s bids for membership, and would
support opening the accession chapter on energy with Turkey.
Turkey,s membership was subject to opposition from states
like Cyprus and France, however. Serbia, on the other hand,
would eventually become a member, he predicted. He agreed
with Amb. Silverberg that the process toward EU enlargement
can help quell latent instability on Europe's borders, but
said it was not the only way to promote security. For
instance, he said Morocco is not entirely stable and lies
just miles away from Spain,s coast, but would never become
an EU Member State.

Energy Policy and Climate Change

4.(C) Bastarreche said a common energy policy was a
difficult issue in the EU, given Member State differences,
but that the EU was united on the need for action to combat
climate change. He expressed the hope that a new President
would change U.S. climate change policy. Amb. Silverberg
responded by emphasizing elements of continuity in U.S.
policy. For example, both Sen. McCain and Sen. Obama have
said that any final deal on climate change must include
commitments from India and China, and Congress would not
approve a U.S. commitment without a similar commitment from
developing economies. She stressed that it was up to the
U.S. and the EU to work together to secure commitments from
all major economies.

New Transatlantic Dialogue

5.(C) Bastarreche said the idea of a renewed transatlantic
dialogue is the "fashion of the day" in Brussels and asked
for Amb. Silverberg,s thoughts. Amb. Silverberg said the
recent French paper on transatlantic relations made some good
points, but focused on how to resolve relatively minor
disagreements rather than how to work together to meet

BRUSSELS 00001627 002 OF 002


ambitious goals. She also stressed that while the U.S. is
open to a dialogue, we do not want to get bogged down
discussing theoretical issues; we need to work together on
practical questions. Bastarreche said relations had improved
since 2003, but that the U.S. and EU might still need to
"renew our vows" after the disagreement over Iraq. We could
do this, he said, while still cooperating on practical
matters.

Serbia and Kosovo

6.(C) Bastarreche said Spain had not decided on a position
regarding Serbia,s referral of Kosovo,s independence to the
ICJ, but could probably agree to abstain from a vote if it
were the EU,s common position. On Kosovo, Amb. Silverberg
said whatever our differences on recognition, it is important
to emphasize to the Serbs that partition is not an option.
She also stressed the importance of taking advantage of this
period of calm to deploy EULEX throughout the country.
Bastarreche said the West needs to offer the Serbs
incentives, rather than simply tell them Kosovo is
independent. Amb. Silverberg agreed that we need to offer a
Western outlook to Serbia, but said we also need to send a
message that Kosovo's independence is irreversible.

Russia-Georgia

7. (C) Amb. Silverberg praised the EU,s action during the
conflict in Georgia, but said the U.S. is concerned about
Russia consolidating its forces in South Ossetia and
Abkhazia. She stressed that Brussels needs to make clear
that Russia has not complied with its obligations until it
returns to status quo ante. Bastarreche repeatedly stressed
that keeping EU unity on the issue was critical. When
pressed, he acknowledged that unity is often preserved only
at the "lowest common denominator," but that unity itself was
an important message to the Russians. Amb. Silverberg argued
that the EU should work to raise that lowest common
denominator to show Moscow its strength, not just its unity.

Container Security


8. (C) Bastarreche seemed surprised by the Ambassador's
focus on high-risk trade corridors, saying the Commission had
told Member States the U.S. was stalling and refusing to have
a conversation about alternative approaches. Amb. Silverberg
stressed that, while the Administration had opposed the 100
percent scanning requirement, Congress had passed the
legislation because of a legitimate concern about the
adequacy of port security. Rather than continuing to argue
about 100 percent scanning, we need to work together
proactively to find a way forward to ensure the security of
our ports. The U.S. proposal focusing on high-risk corridors
is an attempt to do that. Following the conversation, the
Spanish Permanent Representation contacted post to confirm
that container security would be on the TEC agenda and was
pleased to hear that it would be.
.