PORTUGUESE MFA POLITICAL DIRECTOR, AMBASSADOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LISBON 000251

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2018
TAGS: PREL ENRG EPET PINR PO IR
SUBJECT: PORTUGUESE MFA POLITICAL DIRECTOR, AMBASSADOR
DISCUSS KOSOVO AND IRAN

REF: A) LISBON 238 B) LISBON 183

Classified By: Ambassador Thomas Stephenson for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)
.

Summary
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1. (C) During a friendly, one-hour courtesy call at the
Foreign Ministry on January 29, MFA political director Bramao
Ramos told the Ambassador the EU is about two weeks away from
agreement on a public statement to be issued in response to a
Kosovo declaration of independence. The statement is
intended both to send a message of EU unity and to provide
flexibility for member states to devise individual responses
at their own pace. The political director believes it is
critical that the EU and U.S. issue statements
simultaneously; the EU is aiming to act within 24 hours after
a Kosovar CDI but may need an additional 24 hours. For its
part, Portugal plans immediately to announce its intention to
recognize Kosovo; formal recognition would likely follow
within a matter of weeks. The Ambassador expressed concern
about the Iranian Foreign Minister's visit the week before,
particularly indications of expanding collaboration between
Portugal's principal oil and gas company, Galp (which is
privately owned),and Iran's national oil company. At a time
when the international community is trying to increase the
pressure on Iran, expanding trade linkages was unlikely to
convince Iran to back away from its nuclear ambitions, the
Ambassador emphasized. End Summary.


2. (U) Ambassador Stephenson paid his initial courtesy call
on MFA political director Vasco Bramao Ramos on January 29.
He was joined by DCM and polecon counselor. Bramao Ramos was
joined by deputy political director for bilateral affairs
Jorge Cabral and deputy director of the Americas department
Manuel Grainha do Vale.

Kosovo
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3. (C) After initial pleasantries, Bramao Ramos told the
Ambassador he had chaired an EU political directors meeting
on Kosovo the day before at the General Affairs and External
Relations Council (GAERC). Participants had focused on
managing the EU's response to a Kosovo coordinated
declaration of independence (CDI). Although a majority of EU
member states "can deal" with a CDI, there are a few
countries for whom it will pose significant difficulties,
such as "our Spanish friends." Nonetheless, this is the only
way and time to proceed, and what the EU is aiming for is a
public statement that permits all 27 member states to go as
far as each of them can. Such a statement is very important
because it sends a strong message of EU unity while providing
flexibility to member states. "We are very close" to
reaching agreement, perhaps "two weeks away," the political
director said. Asked when the ESDP mission would be
deployed, Bramao Ramos said almost certainly not prior to a
CDI but likely within 120 days thereafter.


4. (C) Regarding timing, the EU is looking to respond within
24 hours after a CDI but may need an additional 24 hours to
"get its act together," given the internal EU bureaucracy and
the difficulty of getting anything vetted and cleared
quickly. Asked why such preparations could not be done in
advance, Bramao Ramos said the EU cannot prepare a formal
response to a situation that "does not yet exist." Pressed
on why 48 hours would be significantly better than 24 hours,
Bramao Ramos said a day's delay -- if that ultimately proves
necessary -- would ensure there is no gap between U.S. and EU
announcements. It is "extremely important" that the EU and
U.S. act simultaneously. Bramao Ramos said Portugal's own
reaction to a CDI would be quick, since no parliamentary
action is necessary. The GOP plans to issue a statement
right away announcing its intent to recognize, followed by
formal recognition within several weeks.


5. (C) Noting the "unbelievable proliferation of mosques and
madrasas" in Kosovo and Bosnia, Bramao Ramos underscored the
importance of undertaking a major effort to boost economic
development in those countries, partly in order to reduce the
prospects for growth of Islamic fundamentalism.

Iran
--------------


6. (C) The Ambassador raised the visit to Lisbon the
previous week by Iranian FM Mottaki (reftels),expressing his
surprise at potentially expanding collaboration between Galp,
Portugal's major (private) oil company and Iran's national
oil company. It would certainly be helpful in turning up the
heat on Tehran if there were fewer such economic linkages

LISBON 00000251 002 OF 002


between Europe and Iran. "I know," the political director
replied, but pivoted quickly to underscore global unanimity
that Iran should not become a nuclear weapon power, while
expressing support for Tehran's right to a civilian nuclear
program. The Ambassador pressed, noting that UN sanctions
have had an important political impact and asserting that
reduced trade linkages would strengthen the international
community's efforts. The political director refused to be
drawn into that, declaring only that the best solution is for
Iran to be permitted to build reactors subject to vigorous
IAEA scrutiny, while requiring that the enriched fuel be
imported.


7. (C) Bramao Ramos added his personal view that the best
way to prevent Iran from continuing down its current path is
for the United States to sit at a negotiating table with
Iran. That development would drive Iranians to push their
government to back down, Bramao Ramos believed. Secretary
Rice has indicated our willingness to do so, the Ambassador
pointed out, so long as Iran first suspends its enrichment
program. In any event, the more pressure we can all bring to
bear on Tehran, the likelier it is that a meeting of that
sort would be productive, the Ambassador added.


8. (C) The Ambassador asked whether FM Amado had raised the
case of missing American citizen Robert Levinson with
Mottaki. Bramao Ramos was unsure but promised to inquire
when he spoke with Amado later in the day.

Bilateral Commission
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9. (C) The political director noted the upcoming Bilateral
Commission meeting was scheduled for February 21. He was
considering recommending changes to the format that would
allow more substantial discussion of important issues during
the plenary session. The Portuguese side is fleshing out
some ideas and would share them with us in advance of the
meeting.

Comment
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10. (C) As usual, Bramao Ramos was both amiable and
long-winded, but there was more substantive discussion of
issues than we had expected in an initial courtesy call. He
provided more concrete detail than usual about how the EU
response to a CDI is likely to unfold. Regarding the timing
of the EU statement, we would welcome the Department's
guidance on how to respond to his point that the EU might
need 48 hours rather than 24. Bramao Ramos seemed to believe
the multi-layered EU bureaucracy might preclude the
production of a fully cleared statement within 24 hours,
although it is unclear to us why that ground work cannot be
done in advance.
Stephenson