EU'S HELGA SCHMID AND S/P SLAUGHTER DISCUSS RUSSIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 000356

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2019
TAGS: PREL EUN RS GG
SUBJECT: EU'S HELGA SCHMID AND S/P SLAUGHTER DISCUSS RUSSIA
AT INITIAL MEETING

Classified By: USEU POL M-C Chris Davis for reasons 1.4 (b. and d.)


1. (C) Summary: On the margin of the U.S.-EU Ministerial
Troika, S/P Anne-Marie Slaughter met March 6 with EU Council
Secretariat Policy Unit Director Helga Schmid. Schmid asked
that the prospect of improved U.S.-Russia relations not lead
the U.S. to neglect the unfinished Geneva talks on Georgia.
Schmid additionally described the review of the European
Security Strategy as the kind of product her office produces.
Helga Schmid was accompanied by Tania von Uslar-Gleichen,
and Dr. Slaughter by USEU Pol M-C. S/P Slaughter's March 6
meeting with Council Secretariat DG Robert Cooper is reported
septel. End Summary


2. (SBU) In this their first meeting, Helga Schmid
described to Dr. Slaughter her function as a double-hatted
one of heading policy planning, as well as covering Russia
and Eastern Europe (complementing Robert Cooper) for the
Council Secretariat.


European Security Strategy Review
--------------


3. (SBU) Helga Schmid pointed to the recent review of the
2003 European Security Strategy (ESS) as the kind of product
her Policy Unit handles. Approved by all 27 member states in
December 2008, the review was to have been a full-fledged
rewrite of the ESS, had then-EU President Sarkozy had his
way, she said. Instead, explained Schmid, Angela Merkel
talked Sarkozy into doing an appended review of the ESS.
Schmid referred to Dr. Slaughter's article in Foreign
Affairs, that contemporary threats are more complex and
inter-connected. Thus, said Schmid, the ESS review's three
main conclusions are that 1) the EU needs to have better
capabilities, especially in the realm of civilian crisis
managment, which, she added, would be enhanced were the
Lisbon Treaty to be adopted; 2) there are more challenges in
the EU's own neighborhood (a reference to Georgia); and 3)
effective multilateralism was the preferred course of action.


4. (SBU) Helga Schmid said that interlocutors in India and
Australia, which she recently visited, continue to see the EU
only as a trading block. She said that the EU and its member
states, in fact, contribute eight billion Euros in
non-military aid to Afghanistan for the years 2002-2010, for
example. Dr. Slaughter acknowledged the EU's capabilities
and experience in civilian crisis management.


Russia: Better, But Don't Forget Georgia
--------------


5. (C) Helga Schmid said she had detected a "different
atmosphere" in Moscow, where she traveled a few weeks ago, as
a result of the new U.S. administration's stated intention to
improve relations where possible. Schmid cautioned, however,
that Russian leaders might conclude that the U.S. is not as
interested in the situation in Georgia as before. She asked
that the Secretary, in her meeting later that day (March 6)
with FM Lavrov, underscore the importance of the Geneva
process regarding Georgia. Schmid specifically lamented the
fact that the Head of Mission of the EU Monitoring Mission
(EUMM) in Georgia has no Russian intermediary on the ground.
Consequently, when things go array, the HoM calls Schmid, and
she calls Russian Ambassador Vladimir Chizhov to try to fix
them. Schmid admitted that Russia keeps her inordinately
busy and tied down, adding, "You can't just pick up the phone
and call the Russians."


6. (C) S/P Slaughter and Helga Schmid discussed the idea of
a tri-lateral policy planning meeting with the U.S., the EU
and Russia, Schmid noting that Russian FM Lavrov always says,
"Let's work together." Lavrov, she added, would attend the
Brussels Forum later in March.


How Best To Meet?
--------------


7. (SBU) Schmid explained that she had policy planning
consultations, outside the EU, with the U.S., China, Egypt,
Israel, Ukraine, Morocco, Turkey, and soon Qatar. She
planned to visit Washington in late April and hoped to meet
with S/P Slaughter then. Schmid's meetings with EU member
state counterparts, collectively, take place at least twice a
year, the next time being in late May in Brussels. She
suggested that S/P Slaughter could be invited to such a
semi-annual gathering, and Dr. Slaughter suggested a meeting
in the context of the Like-Minded Group. Dr. Slaughter

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noted, however, that preparation for the Summit of the
Americas (April 17-20) was currently taking up a lot of her
time.


8. (U) S/P Slaughter has cleared on this message.

MURRAY
.