AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH DANISH FOREIGN MINISTER - MIDDLE EAST PEACE AND AFGHANISTAN MUCH ON PER STIG'S MIND

C O N F I D E N T I A L COPENHAGEN 000365





E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/26/2019

TAGS: PGOV, PREL, DA

SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH DANISH FOREIGN MINISTER

- MIDDLE EAST PEACE AND AFGHANISTAN MUCH ON PER STIG'S MIND



Classified By: Ambassador Laurie S. Fulton, Embassy Copenhagen,

Reasons: 1.4 (B) and (D)



1. (C) In a cordial introductory meeting with the Ambassador

on August 25, Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller

underlined his interest in supporting U.S. leadership on the

Middle East peace process, emphasized his believe that Syria

represented the key to moving forward, and expressed a tough

line on Iran. On the latter, he linked isolating Iran (and

stepping up sanctions if required) with opportunities for

peace between Israelis and Palestinians. On Afghanistan, the

Danish FM praised the administration's approach, which he

termed consonant with Denmark's emphasis on success on the

battlefield combined with deploying resources for

reconstruction and development. He worried that U.S. public

support for the war could turn, while maintaining that

favorable numbers for continued engagement in Afghanistan in

Danish opinion polls were largely due to the government's

explicit effort to seek consensus on foreign policy with the

parliamentary opposition. The challenge for the United

States and Denmark (and the EU),the FM opined, was an

election outcome that was not considered fair and transparent

and -- if Karzai wins as expected -- continued support for a

government that is weakened by allegations of corruption and

that pursues objectionable policies toward Afghan women. End

Summary.



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When is the U.S. Announcing its ME Policy?

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2. (C) The Ambassador met on August 25 with Danish Foreign

Minister Per Stig Moeller for an introductory call. The

Danish FM was gracious and welcoming, but jumped quickly into

an area of long-standing interest, asking bluntly, "when is

the President going to announce his new Middle East Policy?"

Moeller said that he had been one of the original architects

of the Middle East Roadmap, and noted that his impression was

that the process had hit a wall. Moeller added that "Syria

is the key," and claimed that Assad is ready for a separate

peace with Israel, and was prepared to launch indirect talks

"right away." In Moeller's view, drawing Syria into the

process would at once "solve" the Lebanon problem, neutralize

Hamas and isolate Iran. In response to the Ambassador's

comment that Special Envoy Mitchell was meeting with key

parties to the conflict, Moeller said that he was anxious for

a readout. He added that he was prepared to travel to Syria

in early November for discussions with Assad, but "only if

Denmark can be helpful." "Everyone," he concluded, "is

waiting for the Americans."



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Iran - Leveraging Arab Concerns

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3. (C) On Iran, Moeller expressed strong support for a

tougher sanctions regime if the Iranian leadership continued

to stonewall on its nuclear program. Iran is negotiating in

one room, he said, while building a bomb in the next room.

Moeller noted that the Gulf Arabs and Saudi Arabia are scared

of Iran, and urged the U.S. and its allies to use this fear

to draw them into concrete support for a lasting peace

between Israel and the Palestinians ("they are more afraid of

Iran than of Israel"). Dismissing the recent Iranian

presidential election, the Danish FM said that while "there

is not a single pro-western Iranian politician, the Persians

want respect from the outside world," and many Iranians see

Ahmedinejad as an embarrassment and Supreme Leader Khameni as

unqualified.



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Afghanistan - Stay the Course but Karzai is a Problem

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4. (C) The Ambassador told the Foreign Minister that the

United States was deeply grateful for Denmark's engagement in

Afghanistan. In return, FM Moeller praised the U.S.

administration's Afghanistan policy, particularly the

President's decision to increase U.S. troop levels. He added

that Denmark shared the U.S. view that battlefield success

must be combined with reconstruction and development,

particularly outside of the capital. Moeller worried that

U.S. public support for the Afghan war could turn, recalling

the American experience in Vietnam. In response to a comment

by the Ambassador about Danish public opinion and the war,

Moeller said that Danes continued to support Denmark's

engagement in Afghanistan, and this was thanks to the

government's explicit and regular effort to forge a

consensual policy with responsible opposition leaders. "If

we are to have clout" internationally, he said, we must

consult regularly with the opposition to ensure a common

approach to foreign policy.



5. (C) On the Afghan elections, the FM said the U.S. and its

allies faced a critical and impossible situation. If there

is a second round, Moeller worried that the Taliban would

carry out serious attacks to disrupt the voting; if there is

no second round, "everyone will say it's a cheat."

Expressing skepticism about the reported poll numbers for

Karzai, Moeller said that it was not credible for Karzai to

win 68 percent of the vote in north, where Abdullah is

strong. The Ambassador noted that while Abdallah had

complained of Karzai supporters stuffing ballot boxes, he had

left himself some room to negotiate with the Afghan leader on

a future role in the government. Moeller agreed, and said he

had been encouraged by news reports that Karzai planned to

name Abdullah as his special representative for talks with

the Taliban and with Pakistan.



6. (C) The dilemma for the United States and its allies in

Afghanistan, Moeller argued, was a Karzai government weakened

by corruption and intent on pursuing objectionable policies

toward women. Denmark (and the EU writ large) recognized the

need to remain engaged in Afghanistan, and Danes understood

that success "out there" helped to defend Denmark at home.

Having said that, Moeller underscored that Karzai's support

for Shari'a law that sanctioned rape and violence against

women placed Denmark in an impossible situation, and that

this issue loomed larger than allegations of corruption.



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A Greenlandic Coda

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7. (C) The Ambassador briefed the Foreign Minister on her

recent trip to Nuuk (septel),the capital of Greenland, and

Moeller urged her to visit the far north, adding that he had

invited both former Secretary Rice and Secretary Clinton to

come to Illulissat. Ambassador told Moeller that Greenlandic

Premier Kuupik Kleist had raised renewed concerns about

residual radiation from the crash of a U.S. B-52 in 1968.

Kleist, she said, hoped to bring closure to the issue.

Ambassador told the FM that she had replied to Kleist that he

should pursue this through the Danish government and the

Permanent Committee. Moeller took note, but said that two

MPs representing Greenland in the Danish Folketing continued

to raise this old issue, but that other parties "didn't

care." Dismissing the Greenlander's concerns, Moeller said

that Denmark's Health Ministry would soon be releasing a

study of radiation on Greenland's inland ice, and that while

"we found more radiation than we expected, the levels were

not harmful."



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Comment:

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8. (C) Moeller has a reputation as direct and demanding, but

he was courteous and generous with his time in an

introductory session that exceeded an hour. He clearly sees

a role for Denmark (and himself) in efforts to bring peace to

the Middle East, and stands at the ready to be helpful with

the Syrians. On Iran and Afghanistan, the Danish FM's

comments underlined that Denmark remains one of our most

steadfast allies in the region.





FULTON