DENMARK AT THE SEPTEMBER GAERC

C O N F I D E N T I A L COPENHAGEN 000480 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR, EUR/ERA, AND EUR/NB E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL EUN GG RU DA SUBJECT: DENMARK AT THE SEPTEMBER GAERC REF: STATE 96598 Classified By: Pol/Econ Counselor Bill Mozdzierz, reasons 1.4b,d ¶1. (C) In response to reftel demarche, Danish MFA European Correspondent Asif Amin told us that Denmark's primary focus at the upcoming GAERC remains Georgia. The Danes were generally pleased with EU decisions on Georgia and Russia at the recently-concluded Gymnich, Asif reported, adding that Copenhagen was also satisfied with Sarkozy's agreement with Medvedev on a Russian troop pullback. Noting that "for the first time, the EU is giving security guarantees for a territory outside the EU," Asif cautioned that there were still many devils lurking in the details. For example, Asif thought it likely that France would "provide the bulk" of the 200 proposed EU observers (Denmark had already pledged 10 observers to the OSCE mission),and Copenhagen would be looking to this GAERC to begin nailing down this and other operational details. ¶2. (C) Asif also provided a brief readout of the Gymnich discussion of transatlantic relations. Ministers agreed on the need to strengthen transatlantic ties, and to seek EU consensus on a core set of issues to shape discussions. While that consensus on issues is still lacking, the issues are likely to include Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Middle East (including Iran),Russia, the multilateral trading system, climate change, and democracy and human rights. Ministers apparently agreed, spurred on by French FM Kouchner, that it was important to whittle this list down to 5 or so priority topics. Kouchner, according to the Danes, wants to keep this discussion away from the hands of the Brussels bureaucracy and in the purview of ministers. 3, (C) Finally, on the European Security Strategy, Asif said that events in Georgia were causing additional anxiety as EU members reviewed the ESS. Some members fear that the recent conflict between Georgia and Russia will lead some EU members to reopen key portions of the ESS on relations with Russia. Others fear that, if that happens, then, in Asif's words, "everything is then back on the table." The Danes contributed to the ESS discussion with a non-paper on climate change and security, reflecting their interest as host of the December 2009 COP-15 summit. CAIN