GERMAN VIEWS ON THE FEBRUARY 23-24 EU GAERC MEETING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BERLIN 000216

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/20/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV EUN XF ZL SU CE IZ AF GM
SUBJECT: GERMAN VIEWS ON THE FEBRUARY 23-24 EU GAERC MEETING

Classified By: POL-MIL/EXTERNAL CHIEF BILL MOELLER. REASONS: 1.4 (B) AN
D (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY. While the Afghanistan discussion at the
February 23-24 GAERC is supposed to be limited to just 30
minutes, Germany says EU foreign ministers will have a
greater opportunity to address this issue at the March GAERC
meeting and at a dinner on the margins of the March 19 EU
Summit. Meanwhile, Germany believes there is a growing
realization among EU member states that the EU has to step up
its game in Afghanistan, especially in regard to EUPOL. The
discussion of the Middle East at this month's GAERC is also
expected to be limited, although Germany will be prepared to
reveal its planned pledge for the March 2 Cairo conference.
On Serbia, Germany is concerned about the cold-shoulder
treatment that the new EU Special Rep in Belgrade received
from FM Jeremic this week. On Bosnia, Germany is coming back
around to the view that it is not yet time to close the
Office of the High Representative (OHR),given the remaining
work to be done in fulfilling the 5 plus 2 agenda. Germany
continues to advocate slow-rolling Montenegro's EU
application until after EU foreign ministers have had a
political discussion on EU enlargement, perhaps at the March
Gymnich meeting. Germany has warned Belarus that recognizing
Abkhazia and South Ossetia would have "consequences" for its
relationship with the EU. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Post met with MFA Deputy European Corespondent Thomas
Schieb February 20 to discuss the February 23-24 EU GAERC
meeting.

AFGHANISTAN


3. (C) Schieb noted that newly appointed MFA Special Envoy
for Afghanistan and Pakistan Bernd Muetzelburg had held an
internal meeting at the ministry earlier in the day to which
all of the offices and sections involved with Afghanistan
were invited. While Muetzelburg may not have the authority
to speak for the whole German government, Schieb thought his
appointment will significantly improve unity of effort
regarding Afghanistan within the MFA. Schieb said that
Muetzelburg, at this point, was still in a "listening mode,"
preparing for his trip next week to the United States, where
he will meet Special Representative Holbrooke, among others.


4. (C) As far as the GAERC was concerned, Schieb thought the
discussion of Afghanistan would be rather limited, no more
than 30 minutes or so. He also did not foresee any Council
conclusions on Afghanistan. He said that a more in-depth
discussion was expected at March 16-17 GAERC, and that
Afghanistan was scheduled to be the main topic at the foreign
ministers dinner on the margins of the March 19 EU Summit.


5. (C) Schieb volunteered that there was a growing awareness
among EU member states that the EU had to step up its game in
Afghanistan, especially in regard to EU Police mission
(EUPOL). He said that many police officers assigned to EUPOL
had been disappointed that the bulk of their time was spent
doing bureaucratic tasks. They thought that EUPOL needed to
become "more operational" by shifting its focus to the
training and mentoring of Afghan police, and by working more
at district level, rather than just in Kabul and selected
provincial capitals. Schieb noted that the EU also had to
make it easier to recruit police officers for service in
Afghanistan by increasing the package of incentives and extra
pay. Otherwise, the EU would continue to make no progress in
reaching its goal of doubling EUPOL to 400 total police
officers.

MIDDLE EAST


6. (C) Schieb said the discussion on the Middle East would be
limited and that no Council conclusions were expected. He
noted, however, that the EU Commission has calculated Gaza's
total need for assistance, and would probably indicate at the
GAERC what it is planning to contribute at the March 2 Cairo
humanitarian assistance conference. Schieb said that Germany
would probably also be prepared to reveal what it plans to
contribute, but would only do so if asked. He stressed that
the GAERC meeting is not supposed to be a "pledging exercise"
in advance of the March 2 conference.

SUDAN


7. (C) Schieb said discussion of Sudan would depend on
whether the arrest warrant for Bashir is issued or not. If
it is, the EU foreign ministers are expected to issue
conclusions supporting it. If no warrant is issued, the
matter will be removed from the GAERC agenda.

WESTERN BALKANS


8. (C) Schieb thought that Kosovo would be discussed "just

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briefly" with no Council conclusions. He noted that the
"hope" was that the EULEX mission would reach full
operational capacity (FOC) sometime in March.


9. (C) Regarding new EU Special Rep in Belgrade Peter
Sorensen, Schieb noted that Serbian FM Jeremic had given
Sorensen the cold shoulder during a February 19 introductory
meeting with UN SRSG Zannier. Schieb found Jeremic's
behavior toward Sorensen odd since the EU had established the
EU office in Belgrade at the express desire of the Serbian
government. It would not be worth maintaining the office in
the long run if this proved to be Serbia's attitude toward it.


10. (C) On the question of successors to Lajcak as High
Representative in Bosnia, Schieb said Germany agreed that UK
candidate Sir Emyr Jones Parry was best suited for the job.
Schieb noted that EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs
Solana would make his recommendation on a successor at the
GAERC.


11. (C) On Bosnia, Schieb indicated that Germany was coming
back around to the view that it was not yet time to close the
Office of the High Representative (OHR),given the remaining
work to be done in fulfilling the 5 plus 2 objectives and
conditions. While continuing to regard the Bonn Powers under
the OHR as obsolete, Germany thought the international
community would lose credibility if it went forward with the
transition to a EU Special Representative without the 5 plus
2 agenda being met.


12. (C) On Montenegro's EU application, Schieb reiterated
that Germany thought it was important that the Council have a
political discussion on the issue of EU enlargement before
forwarding the application to the EU Commission for
evaluation and comment. "Let's take our time," said Schieb.
He thought the Gymnich meeting at the end of March would
offer a good opportunity for such a discussion.

BELARUS


13. (C) Schieb was receptive to the message that the Eastern
Partnership Initiative offered an opportunity to press
Belarus for additional concrete steps on reforms. He also
noted that during FM Martynov's recent visit to Berlin, FM
Steinmeier had made clear that if Belarus bowed to Russian
pressure and recognized the independence of Abkhazia and
South Ossetia, this would have "consequences" for Belarus's
relationship with the EU. Schieb thought that such a move
could obviously affect, for example, whether President
Lukashenko were invited to the planned Eastern Partnership
Summit meeting in May.

SRI LANKA AND IRAQ


14. (C) Schieb said the Council was scheduled to adopt,
without discussion, conclusions on Sri Lanka (expressing
concern about the growing level of violence and the use of
force by the government) and Iraq (welcoming the successful
conduct of the January 31 provincial elections).
Koenig