Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09LONDON714
2009-03-23 17:36:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy London
Cable title:
MAURITANIA/EU: APRIL GAERC CONCLUSIONS TO TAKE
how-toVZCZCXRO7426 OO RUEHBZ RUEHDBU RUEHDU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHMR RUEHNP RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHTRO DE RUEHLO #0714 0821736 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 231736Z MAR 09 FM AMEMBASSY LONDON TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1787 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY 0299 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 3434 RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 0230 RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME PRIORITY 0025 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 000714
SIPDIS
NOFORN
ADDIS FOR USAU
USEU FOR DANA FRANCIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2019
TAGS: EAID EU MR PGOV PREL UK XY
SUBJECT: MAURITANIA/EU: APRIL GAERC CONCLUSIONS TO TAKE
"FIRM" LINE
Classified By: Political Counselor Richard Mills, reasons 1.4 (b/d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 000714
SIPDIS
NOFORN
ADDIS FOR USAU
USEU FOR DANA FRANCIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2019
TAGS: EAID EU MR PGOV PREL UK XY
SUBJECT: MAURITANIA/EU: APRIL GAERC CONCLUSIONS TO TAKE
"FIRM" LINE
Classified By: Political Counselor Richard Mills, reasons 1.4 (b/d).
1. (C/NF) The April EU GAERC conclusions will have "firm"
language on Mauritania, Foreign Office Mauritania Desk
Officer Emily Summers told Embassies London and Nouakchott
poloffs March 23. The European Commission (EC) report issued
in early March recommends that Cotonou Agreement Article 96
consultations be closed and that "appropriate measures" be
imposed to help restore Mauritania's democracy. After
difficult EU discussions in which Germany, Spain, and
Portugal advocated that the Article 96 consultation period be
extended, Summers said GAERC language was agreed last week
and is currently in silence procedure that will end the
Cotonou Agreement consultations, call for continued political
dialogue, suspend development assistance, and establish clear
benchmarks for resumption of aid. EU humanitarian assistance
will continue.
2. (C/NF) In a departure from most EC reports to members,
Summers said the March Commission report also indicated that
individual EU member states could consider targeted
sanctions. The UK, according to Summers, supports targeted
sanctions, but wants them imposed through the EU, as the
impact would be more significant. She conceded, however,
that many EU members, including Germany, Spain, and Portugal
do not support sanctions, though she noted France seems
supportive.
3. (C) Summers said the European Commission had been asked to
observe the June 6 elections, but that the UK opposed an EU
Observer Mission because there was not enough time to set up
a "proper" elections observation mission and because it was
clear that the elections already lacked credibility. She
said the UK may support an EU elections observer mission in
the future, but only if there is a more credible electoral
process.
4. (C/NF) Summers noted that from March 2009 the British
Embassy in Rabat will have a Second Secretary (FS-03
equivalent) working on Mauritania, with an aim to have the
officer based in the European Commission office in Nouakchott
by autumn 2009. She said the UK is particularly keen to have
an officer based in country as European Heads of Mission
based in Nouakchott appear to have "gone native."
Visit London's Classified Website:
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Unit ed_Kingdom
LEBARON
SIPDIS
NOFORN
ADDIS FOR USAU
USEU FOR DANA FRANCIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2019
TAGS: EAID EU MR PGOV PREL UK XY
SUBJECT: MAURITANIA/EU: APRIL GAERC CONCLUSIONS TO TAKE
"FIRM" LINE
Classified By: Political Counselor Richard Mills, reasons 1.4 (b/d).
1. (C/NF) The April EU GAERC conclusions will have "firm"
language on Mauritania, Foreign Office Mauritania Desk
Officer Emily Summers told Embassies London and Nouakchott
poloffs March 23. The European Commission (EC) report issued
in early March recommends that Cotonou Agreement Article 96
consultations be closed and that "appropriate measures" be
imposed to help restore Mauritania's democracy. After
difficult EU discussions in which Germany, Spain, and
Portugal advocated that the Article 96 consultation period be
extended, Summers said GAERC language was agreed last week
and is currently in silence procedure that will end the
Cotonou Agreement consultations, call for continued political
dialogue, suspend development assistance, and establish clear
benchmarks for resumption of aid. EU humanitarian assistance
will continue.
2. (C/NF) In a departure from most EC reports to members,
Summers said the March Commission report also indicated that
individual EU member states could consider targeted
sanctions. The UK, according to Summers, supports targeted
sanctions, but wants them imposed through the EU, as the
impact would be more significant. She conceded, however,
that many EU members, including Germany, Spain, and Portugal
do not support sanctions, though she noted France seems
supportive.
3. (C) Summers said the European Commission had been asked to
observe the June 6 elections, but that the UK opposed an EU
Observer Mission because there was not enough time to set up
a "proper" elections observation mission and because it was
clear that the elections already lacked credibility. She
said the UK may support an EU elections observer mission in
the future, but only if there is a more credible electoral
process.
4. (C/NF) Summers noted that from March 2009 the British
Embassy in Rabat will have a Second Secretary (FS-03
equivalent) working on Mauritania, with an aim to have the
officer based in the European Commission office in Nouakchott
by autumn 2009. She said the UK is particularly keen to have
an officer based in country as European Heads of Mission
based in Nouakchott appear to have "gone native."
Visit London's Classified Website:
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Unit ed_Kingdom
LEBARON