A/S FRIED TALKS EU ENLARGEMENT, CYPRUS, AND KOSOVO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STOCKHOLM 000412

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON IQ EU SW
SUBJECT: A/S FRIED TALKS EU ENLARGEMENT, CYPRUS, AND KOSOVO
WITH SWEDEN'S BELFRAGE

Classified By: Ambassador Michael M. Wood for reasons 1.4(b)and(d).


1. (C) Summary: On May 29 MFA State Secretary Frank
Belfrage told A/S Fried:

-- Sweden, France, and the Czech Republic recently agreed on
an EU tripartite presidency program that does not block
further accession negotiations with Turkey and Croatia;

-- Sweden is encouraging the UN to take a more active role in
Cyprus and asked for U.S. assistance to push the UN on this
issue; and

-- Sweden is willing to support a reconfiguration of
UNMIK/EULEX, but agrees the UN needs to stop asymmetric
negotiations with Belgrade that encourage the Serbs to take a
harder line on Kosovo. End Summary.

EU Enlargement
--------------


2. (C) On May 29, A/S Dan Fried, accompanied by
Ambassador Michael Wood, met with Swedish MFA State Secretary
Frank Belfrage during the International Compact with Iraq
(ICI) conference. Also attending the meeting were Bjorn
Lyrvall, Swedish MFA Political Director; Jonas Hafstrom,
Swedish Ambassador to the U.S.; and Camilla Mellander,
assistant to Belfrage. Belfrage raised the issue of the
ongoing difficulties of the EU enlargement process. He
noted, however, that there had been a recent breakthrough on
a tripartite presidency program agreed to by Sweden, France,
and the Czech Republic. He said the program had an updated
passage on enlargement and that the French agreed not to
block negotiations with Turkey and Croatia. Belfrage said
the French had modified their perspective because they
realized the accession process for Turkey would take many
years and that a protest at this juncture was premature.
Fried said progress on the enlargement process was an
improvement and that the Turkish impulse to join the EU
should be encouraged. Belfrage and Fried discussed the
current court case against the ruling AK party in Turkey.
Belfrage said that a negative case outcome could strengthen
narrow factions within the EU that want to prevent Turkey's
ascension. Fried noted that the EU's reluctance is
encouraging Turkey to build closer strategic ties to the
Middle East, rather than Europe.

Cyprus
--------------


3. (C) Belfrage said there could be a window of
opportunity to move forward on Cyprus. He also said the
Swedes are encouraging UNSYG Ban Ki-Moon to develop a more
robust UN role in promoting party talks and finding a
solution in Cyprus. Belfrage said that because of previous
UNSYG Annan's difficulties with Cyprus the UN is now averse
to an enhanced role without encouragement from all parties.
Belfrage said the new technical working groups or a new
special envoy to Cyprus could help resolve issues. Belfrage
also said he was interested in bringing together a group of
like-minded EU countries to work on a solution in Cyprus.
Belfrage said Swedish MFA Political Director Bjorn Lyrvall
would travel to Cyprus on June 1 and that Belfrage plans to
travel there in early Fall. Fried said he was also
considering a trip to Cyprus in the near future.


4. (C) Fried said that the recent joint statement issued
by Cyprian President Demetrius Christofias and Turkish
Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat was a good step forward, but
that the technical groups did not seem to be making progress.
Belfrage said that the Greek Cypriots are worried and don't
believe that Talat has the strength to maneuver the Turkish
General Staff. Belfrage said that the AK court case may make
it more difficult for the Turks to be flexible on Cyprus.
Fried said that Christofias was doing well and that he hoped
Talat has the courage to push ahead. Belfrage asked Fried if
the U.S. could encourage UNSYG Ban Ki-Moon to move forward on
this issue, including reaching out to UN U/SYG for Political
Affairs, Lynn Pascoe.

Kosovo
--------------


5. (C) Belfrage raised Kosovo and Fried said while the EU
had done well, the UN had wasted weeks resolving the issues
with UNMIK and EULEX. Fried said EULEX -- with UNMIK as an
umbrella -- needed to replace UNMIK control by June 15.
Fried also said the UN'S recent attempt to negotiate with
Belgrade was only encouraging Belgrade to continue to view
Kosovo as part of Serbia. Fried stressed that EU
prerogatives in Kosovo must be respected and that there
should be no asymmetry, the UN should treat Pristina and
Belgrade as equals. Belfrage said the UN was trying to
overplay its hand, believing that the EU and U.S. needed its
assistance. Fried said that while UN help was needed, the EU
had shown the extent of this need when two-thirds of EU
countries recognized Kosovo without the UN Security Council's
agreement.


6. (C) Lyrvall suggested by restructuring UNMIK, an EU/UN
command and control arrangement could be worked within the
UNSCR 1244 framework. Lyrvall further suggested that if
UNMIK was reconfigured it would allow Serbian Foreign
Minister Vuk Jeremic to become less aggressive. Fried noted
that achieving this reconfiguration by June 15 would be
difficult and that the Serbians were likely to respond
negatively to any negotiations letter UNSYG Ban Ki-Moon sent.
Fried noted that the EU's Javier Solana had relayed to
Secretary Rice that he already had a tense conversation with
Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic on this issue. Belfrage
asked if the Russians had changed their position and Fried
responded that the Russians were willing to accept light
UNMIK oversight. Fried cautioned, however, that this
acceptance was being undermined by DPKO U/S Guehenno's press
for negotiations with Serbia. Fried said the Balkan Quint
political directors would be discussing these issues with
Guehenno on May 30.

Georgia and CFE Issues
--------------


7. (C) Belfrage raised the issue of Georgia and Fried
said that if the meeting Swedish FM Bildt was organizing
between the Abkhaz and Georgians went well the Germans were
interested in sponsoring a follow-up meeting in Berlin.
Fried said the follow-up meeting would include the Russians
-- ensuring they were not shut out of the process. Belfrage
also asked Fried about CFE and the two-plus-two
configuration. Fried said Georgia/Moldova/Baltics had agreed
to a U.S. proposal and that it had been offered to the
Russians, but the Russians said no. Fried said the offer was
still on the table and that the ongoing tensions in Georgia
remained the biggest problem to moving forward.


8. (U) Assistant Secretary Fried has cleared on this cable.
WOOD