Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08STOCKHOLM729
2008-10-31 12:52:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Stockholm
Cable title:
EU'S EASTERN PARTNERSHIP--SWEDEN'S PROPOSAL
how-toVZCZCXRO0113 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHSM #0729 3051252 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 311252Z OCT 08 FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM TO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW PRIORITY 2378 RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3852
UNCLAS STOCKHOLM 000729
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EU SW
SUBJECT: EU'S EASTERN PARTNERSHIP--SWEDEN'S PROPOSAL
UNCLAS STOCKHOLM 000729
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EU SW
SUBJECT: EU'S EASTERN PARTNERSHIP--SWEDEN'S PROPOSAL
1. (U) The Swedish MFA Eastern European Desk met with Poloff
on October 20 to discuss Sweden and Poland's joint proposal
to establish an "Eastern Partnership" between the EU and
Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia.
Director Johan Frisell told Poloff the Partnership aims to go
beyond the current EU Neighbor Policy (ENP) to deepen
bilateral cooperation and integration, including the
possibility of cooperating on security, migration, economic,
environmental and social issues. The goal of the Partnership
is to give these former Soviet republics the opportunity to
have a partnership with the EU similar to what Norway has:
select membership benefits without the membership card.
2. (U) Each country has its respective political and economic
constraints that make it difficult to meet basic EU
membership requirements, even over the next decade. The
Russia-Georgia conflict gave led Sweden and Poland to
fast-track the proposal onto the EU Commission's agenda and
it will go before the Commission at the end of November.
Frisell said the EU members have been unable to agree on
punitive measures, "sticks", towards Russia, but are likely
to agree to offer "carrots" to the former Soviet republics to
bring them westward. Already there is general support at the
low to mid levels of the Commission. Frisell cautioned that
the highest levels of the Commission have yet to see the
proposal, thus it is unknown what the final draft will look
like. Frisell said Russia has yet to object to these
countries cooperating on political level with the West, so
Sweden does not anticipate a harsh reaction such as would
happen if one of the countries joined NATO.
3. (U) The draft text of the Eastern Partnership Proposal has
been sent to EUR/NB.
WOOD
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EU SW
SUBJECT: EU'S EASTERN PARTNERSHIP--SWEDEN'S PROPOSAL
1. (U) The Swedish MFA Eastern European Desk met with Poloff
on October 20 to discuss Sweden and Poland's joint proposal
to establish an "Eastern Partnership" between the EU and
Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia.
Director Johan Frisell told Poloff the Partnership aims to go
beyond the current EU Neighbor Policy (ENP) to deepen
bilateral cooperation and integration, including the
possibility of cooperating on security, migration, economic,
environmental and social issues. The goal of the Partnership
is to give these former Soviet republics the opportunity to
have a partnership with the EU similar to what Norway has:
select membership benefits without the membership card.
2. (U) Each country has its respective political and economic
constraints that make it difficult to meet basic EU
membership requirements, even over the next decade. The
Russia-Georgia conflict gave led Sweden and Poland to
fast-track the proposal onto the EU Commission's agenda and
it will go before the Commission at the end of November.
Frisell said the EU members have been unable to agree on
punitive measures, "sticks", towards Russia, but are likely
to agree to offer "carrots" to the former Soviet republics to
bring them westward. Already there is general support at the
low to mid levels of the Commission. Frisell cautioned that
the highest levels of the Commission have yet to see the
proposal, thus it is unknown what the final draft will look
like. Frisell said Russia has yet to object to these
countries cooperating on political level with the West, so
Sweden does not anticipate a harsh reaction such as would
happen if one of the countries joined NATO.
3. (U) The draft text of the Eastern Partnership Proposal has
been sent to EUR/NB.
WOOD