DEPUTY SECRETARY STEINBERG'S FEBRUARY 13, 2009

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 018323 E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2019 TAGS: PREL SENV KGHG EAID ECIN ECON EUN SUBJECT: DEPUTY SECRETARY STEINBERG'S FEBRUARY 13, 2009 MEETING WITH THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT'S CHIEF OF STAFF JOAO VALE DE ALMEIDA (U) Classified by Acting EUR Assistant Secretary Marcie Ries for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) February 13, 2008; 8:30-9:00 a.m.; Washington, D.C., USA. ¶2. (U) Participants: U.S. -------------- The Deputy Secretary EUR - PDAS Marcie Ries EUR/ERA Director - William Lucas D Staff - Mary Sue Conaway EUR/ERA Deputy Director - Jonathan Kessler (note taker) EU -- European Commission President's Chief of Staff - Joao Vale de Almeida Chief of Staff to the External Relation Commissioner - Patrick Child European Commission President's Diplomatic Advisor - Fernando Andresen Guimaraes European Commission Representation DCM - Angelos Pangratis European Commission Representation Political Min Couns - Luc Veron ¶3. (C) Vale de Almeida told Deputy Secretary Steinberg the Commission President was committed to a joint partnership with the U.S. The Deputy Secretary wanted to build that partnership on a broader set of issues and pointed to the G-8 sherpa process as a possible model for U.S.-EU policy coordination. Vale de Almeida cited the Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC) as a current example of relatively effective U.S.-EU cooperation. ¶4. (C) The Deputy Secretary called for U.S.-EU joint work on Afghanistan and Gaza. The EU side suggested improved civil-military cooperation was necessary in Afghanistan, and that it may be an appropriate time to rethink the Quartet process. Both agreed on closer cooperation on climate change -- with Vale de Almeida calling on the U.S. to help the EU with developing countries, especially China, India, and Brazil -- and energy security, with Vale de Almeida warning that the Russia-Ukraine gas transit problem was by no means fully resolved. ¶5. (C) Vale de Almeida closed by pressing for the President to meet with the 27 EU Heads of State on his first visit to Europe and for Secretary Clinton to meet President Barroso and select Commission members when she visits Brussels on her March NATO Ministerial trip, noting the symbolic importance of these first visits. DepSec Steinberg suggested that, while meetings had their role, we needed to focus on real achievements. CLINTON