Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BUDAPEST423
2009-06-12 23:00:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Budapest
Cable title:  

HUNGARIAN COMMENTS ON THE JUNE GAERC AGENDA

Tags:  PREL EU HU 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0042
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHUP #0423/01 1632300
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 122300Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4236
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE VIENNA
C O N F I D E N T I A L BUDAPEST 000423 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CE JAMIE LAMORE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/11/2014
TAGS: PREL EU HU
SUBJECT: HUNGARIAN COMMENTS ON THE JUNE GAERC AGENDA

REF: JUNE 4 EMAIL
C O N F I D E N T I A L BUDAPEST 000423

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CE JAMIE LAMORE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/11/2014
TAGS: PREL EU HU
SUBJECT: HUNGARIAN COMMENTS ON THE JUNE GAERC AGENDA

REF: JUNE 4 EMAIL

1.(C) MFA EU External Relations and Crisis Situations Section
Chief Andras Dekany discussed ref email with PolOff on June
12, and provided the following comments concerning the agenda
items:

2.(C) Western Balkans:

-- Serbia: We welcome the report of Serge Brammertz
concerning the positive steps Serbia is making. We support
putting into force the Interim Agreement - even if we have to
resort to some compromises for a solution - as this should
not be the last opportunity to ask Serbia to fulfill
commitments. In the Foreign Minister's recent talks in
Belgrade with the Serb leadership, they said they are looking
forward to some type of success in order to demonstrate that
the government coalition is moving the country in the right
direction. The Serbs told the FM that the "coalition is
fragile and needs concrete demonstration" of positive results
the EU relationship would bring to the country.

-- Bosnia: We appreciate vice-president Biden's and EU
representative Solana's visit, as internal politics are a
"cause of concern" for Hungary. We believe that the My 14
Republic Srpska resolution is "unacceptable," and new
conditions such as constitutional reform cannot be linked to
closing the OHR. While Bosnia is lagging in fulfilling
requirements for integration, Hungary is reaching out on a
bilateral basis to assist them.

3.(C) Israel/Palestine: The Foreign Minister plans to take
the floor and express support for President Obama's
initiatives outlined in his Cairo speech, welcoming the
restated commitment to the two-state solution. We expect
Israel to listen to the expectations concerning settlements,
provision of humanitarian aid, and assistance to help the
Palestinian economy. We support the Quartet principles and
the international community should work to strengthen the
Palestinian National Authority's leadership. We also support
the regional dimension, urging Arab countries - moving from
criticism to more active engagement with Israel. As for
upgrading EU/Israel relations, this is still a "sensitive
issue." The EU/Israel Association will meet on the margins
of the GAERC. We must look at ways to upgrade the
relationship, but not directly linking upgrade with progress.

4.(C) Cuba: We've proposed that the FM take the floor to

underscore that human rights and political freedom are a
constant concern in Cuba, and that the EU needs to articulate
its position in a straightforward manner. The EU- initiated
political dialogue has seen little progress by Cuba over the
past year. It is important to restate the common position,
and we should look at the results of the dialogue next year
to decide as to whether we should continue the dialogue
process.

5.(C) Afghanistan/Pakistan: We welcome the decision to work
out a joint EU/AFPAK strategy. It should pay close attention
to the results of the upcoming elections, using a regional
approach to strengthen the civil dimension of a
reconstruction. We welcome the decree adopted by the Afghan
President to restrict bureaucratic interference in the
election process. Hungary has offered civilian election
observers to Pakistan. We need to send a straightforward
message at the June 17 EU/Pakistan summit that we are ready
to provide cooperation, but the EU should only make proposals
consistent with "real requirements - strengthening government
institutions, economic and commercial cooperation, and
development policy."

6.(C) Moldova: We have a common EU responsibility to move
Moldova on the path towards EU integration. The EU has the
potential to influence internal changes, and we welcome the
draft mandate and urge that negotiations start as soon as
possible - delay only raises concerns about the future
orientation of the country. We believe that Moldova should
cease their visa requirement for Romanian citizens, but at
the same time we believe the EU should send a positive
message to start a dialogue with the EU with the aim to
eliminate the visa requirement for Moldavian citizens
traveling to EU countries.

7.(C) Georgia: The internal political crisis needs to be
solved as soon as possible, without violence and respecting
international norms. We support the Geneva process that the
EU needs to have a resolute, clear position on Russia's
violations of the August 2008 agreements. Russia's behavior
is disappointing with respect to the OSCE and UN missions,
and the EU should remain "an actor on the spot" in Georgia.
Pulling out the EU mission would have a clear, adverse
effect, and we would propose to extend the mandate through
September 2010.

8.(C) Burma: We condemn the arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi. The
trial is only a pretext to extend her confinement. Our
engagement should include increased outreach to the region,
in particular we need to further engage ASEAN on the issues.
The EU sanction regime "has not been too successful." It
needs to be reformed and refined to be more effective.

9.(C) Lebanon: The defeat of Hezbollah in the recent
elections should be a serious message to Syria, Iran and
Hamas, but expressing his own views, Dekany said "perhaps we
are too optimistic."
Levine