PORTUGAL TO FOLLOW THE PACK AT JULY FOREIGN

C O N F I D E N T I A L LISBON 001725

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2018
TAGS: IR PHUM PREL PGOV PO
SUBJECT: PORTUGAL TO FOLLOW THE PACK AT JULY FOREIGN
MINISTERS MEETING (GAERC)

REF: SECSTATE 75702

Classified By: Dana M. Brown, Pol-Econ Officer, U.S. Embassy Lisbon
Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: Portuguese MFA Officer Pedro Almeida
predicted that, after last month's busy Lisbon Treaty debate,
this GAERC agenda would be non-controversial and cover the
usual business. He told us that Portugal would support EU
consensus on Iran, Somalia, Chad, and Zimbabwe, despite some
reservations on the latter. He mentioned that the ministers
would discuss the Balkans, the Middle East, and attempt to
update the Transatlantic agenda. End summary.


2. (SBU) Voting Consensus: In response to reftel points on
the U.S. policy views in advance of the Foreign Ministers'
meeting, Portuguese MFA Acting Deputy EU Correspondent Pedro
Almeida told us that Portugal would vote with consensus on
most issues. Specifically, Portugal is willing to expand EU
sanctions on Iran beyond the UN Resolution 1803 limits,
endorses a military support mission to Somalia to bolster the
Djibouti agreement, and agrees with current plans to
transition the EU mission to Chad over to UN control next
year. For all of these, Almeida underscored Portugal's
neutrality and interest in going along with the group.


3. (C) Zimbabwe: Portugal faced the daunting visa restriction
override process in preparation for last December's EU-Africa
Summit, hosted in Lisbon. As a result, the GOP is less than
enthusiastic about the proposed reforms to EU's visa ban.
Almeida explained that the new ban, which is expected to be
approved at the July GAERC, will require unanimous support
for an EU nation to include someone from the EU's visa ban
list at EU-hosted events (especially Mugabe). The provision
would not apply to treaty-mandated events or humanitarian
conferences, such as the recent Food and Agriculture
Organization's conference in Rome, however it would probably
prevent visa banned leaders from attending next EU-hosted
summit with Africa held in Europe in 2013. Almeida opined
that the move would actually limit EU member states rather
than punish visa banned leaders, but asserted that Portugal
was supporting the measure in a sign of solidarity with the
EU bloc.


4. (U) Balkans and Middle East: Almeida claimed that Portugal
was cautiously optimistic of the positive developments in the
Balkans and hoped to move forward. He expected that the
ministers would stress the importance of cooperation with the
ICTY, and encourage action by the new Serbian government.
Regarding the Middle East, he mentioned that France hoped to
introduce topics at this GAERC that would be discussed in
greater detail at the September Gymnich meeting.


5. (U) Transatlantic Issues: Portuguese FM Amado requested
that the Slovenian FM include the Transatlantic relationship
in June's agenda, but it slipped to the French presidency.
Amado's initial request raised the issue as a way to
strategize on how to improve US-EU ties with the next
administration, as well as enhance the US-EU dialogue on
third country initiatives.
Ballard