Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STATE18323
2009-02-27 05:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Secretary of State
Cable title:
DEPUTY SECRETARY STEINBERG'S FEBRUARY 13, 2009
how-toO P 270531Z FEB 09 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE INFO AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY AMEMBASSY KYIV PRIORITY AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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).
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
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