Estonia Response to July GAERC Topics

C O N F I D E N T I A L TALLINN 000193 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/ERA E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/07/22 TAGS: PGOV PREL EN EUN SUBJECT: Estonia Response to July GAERC Topics REF: GIAUQUE JULY GAERC DEMARCHE EMAIL, JULY 16, 2009 CLASSIFIED BY: Marc Nordberg, Political/Economic Chief; REASON: 1.4(B),(D) ¶1. (U) PolCouns met with Kristina Meius, Director of the MFA's European Division on July 22 to discuss reftel GAERC topics. Meius provided the following Estonian positions: ¶2. (C) Georgia: Meius stated the only possible long-term solution respects Georgia's independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty. The GOE will press the EU to extend the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) for another year, until 14 September 2010. Meius saidd the EUMM is the key factor providing stability to Georgia and the region, particularly after the UN and OSCE departed. The GOE supports U.S. participation in the EUMM in principle, but there has not yet been any internal EU discussions on what form the EU would like U.S. participation to take. The GOE wants the EUMM to press for access to Abkhazia and South Ossetia, since it has a countrywide mandate. The GOE would also like talks in Geneva to continue under joint EU-UN-OSCE chairmanship. ¶3. (C) Iran: The GOE prefers finding a diplomatic solution to ending Iran's nuclear program, but is concerned by Iran's non-transparency, by their enrichment of fissile material, and by their unwillingness to cooperate with the IAEA. Meius said Estonia's preferred solution would be for the UN Security Council to approve strengthened sanctions, but she admitted this was unlikely. Therefore Estonia is open to discussing EU autonomous sanctions. However, she believed that Iran's continued detention of French citizen Clothilde Reiss would complicate EU decision-making. ¶4. (C) Somalia: According to Meius, the GOE supports Somalia's Transitional Federal Government and wants the international community to better support the African Union mission. The GOE desires enhanced EU policy coordination, and favors naming a EU Special Representative for the Horn of Africa. The GOE also would like to see further EU support for Somalia's security sector, possibly through the training of police or security services. However, Meius stated EU trainers are in strong demand elsewhere. DECKER