GERMANY: INTERESTED IN GAZA ARMS INTERDICTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 000074 SIPDIS STATE FOR P SPECIAL ASSISTANT CONSTANTINOS NICOLAIDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/20/2019 TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS KPAL XG EG IR IS GM SUBJECT: GERMANY: INTERESTED IN GAZA ARMS INTERDICTION EFFORT, BUT STILL NEEDS TO DECIDE ON EXACT ROLE REF: STATE 04900 Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR JEFF RATHKE. REASONS: 1.4 ( B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) Post delivered reftel points to MFA Near East Office Director Boris Ruge January 20 and sought confirmation of Germany,s interest in participating in the U.S.-proposed Gaza arms interdiction effort. Ruge was already well familiar with the Amb. Mull,s January 15 presentation to selected reps in Washington on this issue. ¶2. (C) Ruge said he could confirm Germany,s interest in participating in the effort, including the planned workshop, but added it was not yet clear what exact role Germany would play. He said that all the various MFA offices that deal with this question -- including the UN, NATO and ESDP offices -- were scheduled to meet later that afternoon to discuss the U.S. proposal. He suggested that we check back the next day to get a read-out of the January 20 MFA meeting, which should provide more clarity on what Germany will do. Ruge did not rule out or give specific comments on any of the three elements of the U.S.-proposed interdiction regime. Post will report septel as soon as we receive further information on Germany's internal deliberations. ¶3. (C) Ruge also noted that Chancellor Merkel, French President Sarkozy and British PM Brown had written separate joint letters to both Israel PM Olmert and Egyptian President Mubarak on January 17, expressing their "readiness to take a number of measures which will help stop the smuggling of arms in Gaza." The letter (see para 4 below for the full text) notes that the three leaders have been consulting closely with each other and would work together with Israel and Egypt to "specify" what those measures would be. ¶4. (SBU) Text of joint letter: 17 January 2009 Letter to President Mubarak/Prime Minister Olmert ARMS SMUGGLING INTO GAZA France, Germany, and the UK, together with other partners, are supporting the efforts of the Israeli and Egyptian Governments to reach a durable ceasefire in Gaza. In this context we have expressed our readiness to take a number of measures which will help stop the smuggling of arms into Gaza. In the last days we have consulted closely with each other and we will continue to cooperate, together with the Israeli and Egyptian Governments, to specify these measures. We express our hope that a durable ceasefire in Gaza will be followed by a new drive towards a lasting peace in the Middle East. We are writing in identical terms to the Prime Minister of Israel/President of Egypt. Nicolas Sarkozy President of the French Republic Angela Merkel Federal Chancellor of Germany Gordon Brown Prime Minister of the U.K. Koenig