LATVIA HAPPY WITH EU COUNCIL ON GEROGIA; LOOKING

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIGA 000529 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/02/2018 TAGS: PREL MOPS EUN GG LG SUBJECT: LATVIA HAPPY WITH EU COUNCIL ON GEROGIA; LOOKING TO NEXT STEPS REF: A) STATE 93264 B) RIGA 497 Classified By: Ambassador Charles W. Larson, Jr. Reason: 1.4 (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Latvia views the Sep. 1 EU council on Georgia/Russia as a good first step and is pleased that many Latvian priorities were included in the final product. But they believe that the EU has much more it can do, including deployment of an ESDP mission. Latvia has been working closely with Germany on the Georgia issue, mistrusts the Italians, and is trying to keep Ukraine on the EU's radar as well. End summary. ¶2. (C) Pol/econ chief met September 2 with Latvian MFA PolDir Peteris Ustubs to review the EU Council and look ahead to the Gymnich. Ustubs said that Latvia was generally pleased with the outcome of the council. They had wanted more forward leaning language on deployment of an ESDP mission to Georgia (vice observers) but were swayed by German and French arguments that agreeing to observers now did not prejudice a future ESDP mission and would be a useful tool in getting the Russian forces out of Georgia proper. EU observers would meet the definition of international force in the Sarkozy plan. Latvia is prepared to contribute to any EU mission and has identified as many as ten people who could possibly be sent, although Ustubs thought 4 or 5 was a more likely number. Latvia believes that deminers are urgently needed in Georgia, especially in civilian areas, and has heard that Germany is considering sending its own. Latvia will attempt to coordinate with Germany on this as the Latvians do not want to make a bilateral deployment of deminers (ref B). ¶3. (C) Ustubs said that Latvia was very pleased to have so many of its ideas included in the final text. He attributed this in part to his close relationship with German NSA Heusgen (they served together in Brussels several years ago), whom he flew to Berlin to meet with on August 29. Ustubs said that Sarkozy presented the language on suspension of the PCA negotiations as a German-Latvian proposal. PM Godmanis personally pushed for the insertion of mention of EU support for Ukraine in the final text. As an aside, Ustubs, said that the three Baltic presidents are considering a joint letter to Sarkozy in advance of the Sep. 9 EU-Ukraine summit. The Latvians were also pleased to see discussion of the eastern neighborhood policy moved up, with ideas due before December's Council meeting and the mention of a conference on reconstruction. Commenting on the atmospherics, Ustubs said that the Italians are hardest to work with on Georgia as Berlusconni is "completely in Putin's shoes." LARSON