DEPUTY SECRETARY'S MEETING WITH DANISH FM MOELLER

C O N F I D E N T I A L COPENHAGEN 000336 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL SENV ETRD PBTS MARR KGHG AORC DA SUBJECT: DEPUTY SECRETARY'S MEETING WITH DANISH FM MOELLER IN GREENLAND Classified By: Regional Environmental Officer Erik Hall. For reasons 1.4 b&d. ¶1. (C) Summary: In a May 27 meeting before the opening of the Arctic Ocean Conference in Ilulissat, Greenland, Deputy Secretary Negroponte and Danish FM Per Stig Moeller exchanged perspectives on cooperation in the Arctic; underlined shared goals for a climate change agreement and resolution of the Doha trade round; reviewed prospects for NATO membership for Georgia and discussed the current situations in Georgia, Afghanistan, Pakistan. The Deputy Secretary urged Denmark to consider the candidacy for IOM DirGen of Ambassador Swing; Moeller said he would do so "constructively and positively." End Summary. ¶2. (U) Background: The Deputy Secretary was accompanied in this meeting by Ambassador Cain, OES A/S McMurray, Legal Advisor Bellinger, D Special Assistant Wittenstein, and REO Hall (note taker). Moeller was joined by MFA Legal Advisor Peter Taksoe-Jensen; MFA Press Secretary Ulrik Vestergaard Knudsen; FM Personal Secretary Nicolaj Petersen; and MFA Arctic and Greenland Affairs Officer, Anja Bikram Jeffrey. Arctic Ocean Conference -------------- ¶3. (C) FM Moeller thanked the Deputy Secretary for attending the conference and for U.S. cooperation in its preparation. He explained that Denmark's initiative convoking and organizing the Arctic Ocean conference arose in light of controversy following the Russian flag-planting on the North Pole seabed. In that context Denmark had perceived a need for the five coastal Arctic states to come together to recognize and affirm their commitment to an orderly claims process and special responsibilities to ensure the safety and preserve the marine environment of a changing Arctic Ocean. Moeller said he had spoken to then-FM Bernier of Canada days before, and Russian FM Lavrov the day before, and received assurances of their commitment to these aims of the conference. He said Lavrov had downplayed Russia's flag-planting, comparing it to U.S. flag-planting on the moon. Asked by the Deputy Secretary how Sweden, Iceland and Finland, the three Arctic Council states not included in the conference, had reacted, Moeller said there were "no bad feelings, you don't lose friends by coming here." ¶4. (C) The Deputy Secretary said the Administration continued to urge the Senate to ratify the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),and had not given up all hope of achieving this during the Bush Administration. Ratification was clearly in the U.S. interest. Moeller agreed, joking that "if you stay out, then the rest of us will have more to carve up in the Arctic." The Deputy Secretary raised the possibility of U.S. Coast Guard follow-up on search and rescue in the Arctic, which Moeller welcomed. The Deputy Secretary also described U.S. concern that Russia has not been forthcoming on U.S. requests to conduct scientific research within Russia's exclusive economic zone, saying he would raise the issue with Lavrov. A/S McMurray urged the Danes to do the same. Danish Legal Advisor Taksoe-Jensen said the Russians had resisted Denmark's attempt to insert stronger language on this issue into the draft conference declaration. Georgia -------------- ¶5. (C) FM Moeller said Denmark and Sweden had supported the U.S. position on Georgia in NATO, although some so-called "old European" countries like Germany were opposed due to their accommodating "Ost politik." The Deputy Secretary noted that PM Fogh Rasmussen and President Bush had been strongly in agreement on the subject at their Crawford meeting in March. As expected, the lack of a NATO decision had provoked Russian bullying. Since the NATO summit, the U.S. has been concerned with preventing a Georgian conflict. EUR DAS Bryza was in Georgia to promote dialogue between the Georgians and Abkhazians. Moeller said Russian FM Lavrov had told him Russia would permit that dialogue to take place. Afghanistan -------------- ¶6. (C) FM Moeller noted that President Karzai was weakening. Denmark was particularly concerned that Afghan courts would soon decide whether to execute a man for downloading material on women's human rights from the Internet. Should the man be executed, parliamentary support for Denmark's military assistance in Afghanistan could weaken. President Karzai needed to do more to fight corruption, he said. The Deputy Secretary agreed, but emphasized the need to build institutions. The European Union is uniquely qualified to do so. ¶7. (C) Moeller agreed, saying the EU had "not done enough" and the EC had indeed tried to cut its support in this area. Danish efforts to restore European Commission funding were successful, however, and would now be increased over last year. The Deputy Secretary said the Afghan army was getting stronger. There was debate within the USG over whether to increase the size of the allied peacekeeping force from 80,000 to 120,000. Moeller said Denmark was elaborating a new Afghanistan policy through 2012 which would include sending more trainers for the Afghan army (OMLTs). There were some legal questions to work out first, however, relating to embedding, he said. Pakistan -------------- ¶8. (C) FM Moeller inquired about the Deputy Secretary's impressions from his recent visit to Pakistan. The Deputy Secretary said the good news had been the well-managed election, but the political situation in Pakistan is not encouraging. Unresolved tension between Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif was hampering the government's ability to handle the militants. Moeller asked what could be done, warning that should Pakistan become an Islamist state, Afghanistan would likely be lost. The Deputy Secretary said our options are limited, but encouraged EU support for civil institutional development in the tribal areas. The U.S. is contributing $150 million over five years. FM Moeller said he had included cross-border support in the Danish Afghanistan strategy, and Denmark was "concretely supporting" cross-border projects from its position in Afghanistan's Helmand province. Joint Committee -------------- ¶9. (SBU) FM Moeller told the Deputy Secretary that the U.S.-Denmark-Greenland Joint Committee was "working well," but could always be improved. One area for possible cooperation was in the area of "hydrogen energy research." (Note: Moeller was apparently referring to a new climate research institute recently announced by the Greenland Home Rule government, which is slated to open in 2009. The Joint Committee pledged to investigate opportunities for collaboration with the institute as it develops.) Ambassador Cain responded that the U.S. is very willing to explore all possible avenues of cooperation with its Danish and Greenlandic partners. Climate Change -------------- ¶10. (C) The Deputy Secretary raised the issue of global climate change negotiations, saying the U.S. had shifted its position and would be willing to accept binding emissions mandates as long as China and India accept some form of enforceable obligation under the post-Kyoto regime. Moeller mentioned the Montreal Protocol as a good model for differentiated responsibilities in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Under that arrangement, which solved the problem of the ozone hole, developing countries were given an extra 10 years to meet their phase-out targets. Taksoe-Jensen said China and India want the U.S. to commit to emissions reductions first. The Deputy Secretary expressed concern that EU criticism of the U.S. might give China and India the impression they were "off the hook." Doha Round -------------- ¶11. (C) FM Moeller said Denmark was fighting to "save the Doha Round," and asked for Deputy Secretary Negroponte's views on its prospects. The Deputy Secretary said he understood from USTR that Brazil was a problem. The U.S. had not given up, but the situation appeared "not hopeless but not promising." Moeller said industry was the key for Europe. Brazil might be influenced by the world food crisis, wanting to stop the export of its rice to China. Unfortunately, if a compromise deal is not possible now, it would likely take many more years. Swing Candidacy -------------- ¶12. (C) The Deputy Secretary briefed FM Moeller on the candidacy of Ambassaor William Swing for DirGen of the International rganization for Migration (IOM),noting the Amercan incumbent does not enjoy U.S. support for his re-election bid for a third term. He described Abassador Swing's experience in a variety of challenging assignments and urged FM Moeller to consider him as "your kind of guy." Moeller pledged to look "constructively and positively" on Swing's candidacy. (Note: Ambassador Swing's CV was shared with the Danish delegation during the conference.) ¶13. (U) The Deputy Secretary's party has reviewed this cable. CAIN