AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH GERMAN FM-DESIGNATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BERLIN 001356 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/CE E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/28/2019 TAGS: PINS PREL GM AF SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH GERMAN FM-DESIGNATE GUIDO WESTERWELLE Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor George Glass for reasons 1. 4 (b/d) ¶1. (C) German Foreign Minister-Designate Guido Westerwelle (Free Democratic Party - FDP) and MFA State Minister-Designate Werner Hoyer (FDP) paid a brief introductory call on the Ambassador at the Embassy on October ¶27. Westerwelle was in a buoyant mood over FDP results in the election, and the surge in Bundestag Deputies his party won in the September 27 elections. Westerwelle said that most of the Social Democratic Party's (SPD) losses in the election went to the benefit of the FDP (now at 15 percent). Coalition Talks -------------- ¶2. (C) Westerwelle said he had been intrigued by the coalition negotiations with the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union over the past three weeks. He said that the negotiating rooms were frequently filled with people who did not know what to do or what they wanted. He said that this was rather alien for some in the FDP, a business-oriented party much more practiced in results and efficiency. DC Trip -------------- ¶3. (C) Westerwelle said he was hopeful that he would be able to travel to Washington on November 5 for a meeting with the Secretary. He said that this particular meeting in Washington was important for setting the right tone in German foreign policy under the new government. He emphasized that he considered it critical to meet the Secretary before her prospective arrival in Berlin for the November 9 Fall of the Wall celebrations. Westerwelle indicated a strong interest in possibly calling on Senator Kerry during his visit. He asked if we could help explore such a meeting. Afghanistan -------------- ¶4. (C) Asked about Afghanistan, Westerwelle said that he had not yet discussed the new German Special Envoy for Afghanistan with Chancellor Merkel. He said that it would take some time to appoint a person to this position. In any event, he understood that MFA Special Envoy Mutzelberg could remain in the position through the end of the year if a new person was not identified soon. SPD/Greens going Left -------------- ¶5. (C) Westerwelle went on to say that he believed both the SPD and the Greens would be experiencing a shift to the left in their political orientations. He explained that the era of Steinmeier and Fischer was passing and that younger people were presenting a challenge. He acknowledged that the Greens, at their Rostock party convention this past week, had confronted challenges from younger people seeking a timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan. He said that the call for a "timetable" was the first indicator of a shift to the left here. ¶6. (C) For its part, the SPD also seemed poised to move to the left. Hoyer noted that he had spoken with outgoing SPD FM Steinmeier that day, and Steinmeier was "under attack" from different directions in the SPD Bundestag caucus. Westerwelle noted that the SPD electoral support had been halved in recent years under Schroeder-Steinmeier. The SPD Bundestag caucus had been dramatically reduced as a result. The party was reviewing this and could only move left. For these reasons, Westerwelle predicted he would not necessarily be able to count at all on any support from the opposition parties on foreign policy issues such as Afghanistan. ¶7. (C) The Ambassador asked about Philip Roesler, the new FDP Health Minister-Designate. Westerwelle said Roesler had a compelling biography, coming as an infant to Germany from Vietnam. He acknowledged that it sent a wonderful message to have this 36-year old ethnic-Vietnamese included in the new German cabinet. ¶8. (C) Comment: Westerwelle spoke fluent English. He was most comfortable speaking about the shifting domestic political scene. He acknowledged that the transition to Foreign Minister would be for him like climbing a mountain. The meeting was originally scheduled at Westerwelle's office, but he decided a few hours out to come to the Embassy to introduce himself. BERLIN 00001356 002 OF 002 ¶9. (C) The Ambassador did not have the chance to clear this message. Murphy