SLOVENIA IN ADVANCE OF MAY 26-27 JUMBO GAERC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LJUBLJANA 000223

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/ERA, EUR/NCE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2018
TAGS: PREL EUN PGOV ZL PK AF ZI IR GG IS SY LE
SI
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA IN ADVANCE OF MAY 26-27 JUMBO GAERC

REF: LJUBLJANA 218

Classified By: Charge Maryruth Coleman, Reasons 1.4 (b,d)

Summary
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1. (C) On May 21, A/DCM delivered the May 26-27 GAERC points
to European Correspondent Aljaz Arih. Arih said that the
"jumbo" GAERC, which would include Development and Defense
Ministers, would issue conclusions on Lebanon, the Middle
East Peace Process, Iraq, Afghanistan, Georgia, the Western
Balkans, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Burma, and children and armed
conflict -- "practically every agenda item." He noted that
Iran is currently not on the agenda. End Summary.

Western Balkans
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2. (C) Arih stated that the GAERC would focus on the
post-election process in Serbia and whether the EU could do
anything to support the pro-European forces in forming a new
government. He doubted that the FMs would discuss Kosovo,
although the EU was still struggling on how to move forward
with the EULEX mission given the UN's lack of cooperation.
He explained that the EU would not sign the SAA with
Bosnia-Herzegovina at the May GAERC meeting due to technical
reasons (translations into all the EU's official languages),
but he expected it to happen at the June GAERC.

Iraq
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3. (C) Arih noted that this would be the first formal
discussion of Iraq during Slovenia's Presidency; it would
take stock of the EU's involvement in stabilization efforts.
The FMs' talks would inform the EU's position for the May 29
Stockholm conference. He expected the Council's conclusions
to highlight the EU's readiness to provide even more
assistance for stabilizing the country and for the reform
process.

Iran
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4. (C) Arih explained that the Presidency did not envisage
Iran being on the agenda, although if there were more
progress on Solana's visit to Iran, which Iran has accepted
but has not yet set a date for, Solana might want to say a
few words. He added that the EU had concluded all the formal
procedures for adopting sanctions, but there was a strong
feeling that sanctions would not be conducive to the process
before Solana travels to Iran. On implementing UNSCR 1803,
Arih reiterated what we have heard elsewhere - that the
member states advocating stronger sanctions do not want to
proceed at this time.

Israeli-Palestinian Peace
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5. (C) Arih said there would be the "traditional exchange of
views on the situation on the ground." The conclusions would
include taking stock of the situation and concern about Gaza.

Lebanon
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6. (C) Arih stated that the FMs would discuss Lebanon and
issue Council conclusions. He mentioned the encouraging
signals from Qatar that the parties would reach an agreement
on parliamentary elections, which the FMs would warmly
welcome. They would also see if the EU needed to assume a
more active role in helping the parties in Lebanon. Arih
noted that it was difficult for Slovenia to take symbolic
action against Syria as Slovenia did not fly to Damascus, nor
did Slovenia have ambassadorial representation there;
however, he undertook to pass our message along (reftel).

Afghanistan
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7. (C) According to Arih, the foreign ministers will use the
draft policy paper as the basis for their discussion. He
speculated that FM Rupel would attend the June 12 Afghanistan

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support conference in Paris. He added that, for Slovenia,
the conference's political message was as important as the
pledging.

Somalia
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8. (C) Arih noted that the GAERC discussion would parallel
our points. The FMs would see what the EU could do,
including about financial support for AMISOM, piracy off the
coast, and the draft UN resolution, which Slovenia hoped the
Council could adopt as soon as possible. He mentioned that
the FMS might raise the situation between Ethiopia and
Eritrea in a regional context.

Georgia
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9. (C) Arih said that the Presidency would issue a statement
after receiving ODIHR's assessment of today's parliamentary
elections. The Ministers would discuss the outcome of the
elections and follow up with a further statement in Council
conclusions. He commented that the EU was divided, with some
member states pushing for more EU support for Tbilisi, while
others were reluctant to jeopardize relations with Russia.
Arih mentioned that the issue of Abkhazia residents using
Russian passports being able to travel more easily to the EU
than Georgian citizens was difficult. He added that there
had been lots of discussion about how to solve this problem,
but no solution thus far. He noted that the EU did not have
a common position as to whether it should use the European
Instant Assessment Mechanism. The EU had offered support to
the UN investigation and was waiting for those results. He
expressed skepticism that the EU would use the mechanism now,
although he thought it might in the future.

Zimbabwe
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10. (C) Arih stated that the GAERC would discuss how to
ensure as free and democratic elections as possible in
Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe had already announced it would not accept
EU monitoring; thus, the EU would provide full support to an
AU monitoring mission. He noted the EU's concern about the
violence on the ground and threats against the opposition.

Other Issues
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11. (C) Arih mentioned a number of other issues the GAERC
would cover:

-- The EU was close to reaching agreement on negotiating a
"post-PCA agreement" with Russia, and could possibly adopt a
mandate for the start of negotiations at the GAERC.

-- Poland would present its ideas on an East European
dimension to the European Neighborhood Policy, similar to
France's Mediterranean Union. Poland is trying to promote
closer ties with the Caucasus and Belarus.

-- At a joint session with the Development and Defense
Ministers, the GAERC would discuss Afghanistan as well as
children and armed conflict.

-- The Presidency would provide the General Affairs Council
information on the substance to be presented at the June
19-20 European Council; the June GAERC would then have a
substantive discussion on those items.
COLEMAN