HUNGARY SUPPORTING MACEDONIA'S EU MEMBERSHIP

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUDAPEST 000867 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE PAUL PFEUFFER AND JERRY ISMAIL, AND EUR/CE JAMIE MOORE. E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2014 TAGS: PREL EU GR MK HU SUBJECT: HUNGARY SUPPORTING MACEDONIA'S EU MEMBERSHIP REF: SECSTATE 117721 Classified By: Political Officer Jon Martinson, reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) PolOff discussed reftel demarche December 3, with the MFA's Deputy Department Head for Southeastern Europe, Laszlo Markusz, and Macedonian Desk Officer Maria Csicsko. Agreeing that Macedonia has made significant strides in preparation for EU membership, Markusz first underscored Hungary's strategic interest in stability in the Balkans and the GOH's full support for Western Balkan integration. Noting that last week he reviewed a draft text prepared for the upcoming EU meeting on December 10, he commented that the text contained no mention of Macedonia. He explained that the Swedish presidency is concerned about early release of language referencing Macedonian due to Greek sensitivities. Markusz said that Sweden still has not decided if the text will be an agenda item at the Foreign Ministers' meetings on December 7-8, or at the December 10 EU Council meeting, and he expressed concern that there is still no prepared text to discuss. ¶2. (C) Continuing, Markusz outlined two possible scenarios. The "most probable" will be text that establishes the March 2010 Council meeting as the time when a date will be set for Macedonia's accession. A less likely, but more negative possibility, would be a decision to establish no accession date until the name issue is resolved. On the name issue, Markusz stated that there needs to be a compromise worked out on a bi-lateral basis, similar to the steps that Croatia and Slovenia recently decided on to resolve their border dispute issue. ¶3. (C) Responding as to who within the EU may be supportive of establishing a date for Macedonia's accession, Csicsko mentioned the Baltics, Austria, and the Visegrad Four as likely strong supporters. LEVINE