EU FOREIGN AND DEFENSE MINISTERS FOCUS ON RUSSIA,

C O N F I D E N T I A L USEU BRUSSELS 000725

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2019
TAGS: PREL MARR RS BM IR BK XW XF CE EUN
SUBJECT: EU FOREIGN AND DEFENSE MINISTERS FOCUS ON RUSSIA,
BURMA, IRAN, BOSNIA, PIRACY, AND SRI LANKA

REF: USEU BRUSSELS 702

Classified By: Pol M-C Christhoper Davis for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C//NF) Summary: The EU's General Affairs and External
Relations Council (GAERC) meetings May 18-19 brought together
foreign, defense, and development ministers in a complex
choreography of meetings in Brussels. During the meetings,
foreign ministers laid plans for the June European Council
summit, which will focus on the Lisbon Treaty guarantees to
be conveyed to the Irish people, the financial crisis,
climate change, and external relations. The external
relations portion of the FMs and DefMins meetings on May 18
focused on Russia, Burma, Iran, Bosnia, piracy, and Sri
Lanka. FMs discussed the May 21-22 EU-Russia summit, which
would include discussion of Georgia, Moldova, Iran, the
Middle East, Afghanistan/Pakistan, and Medvedev's European
security proposal. GAERC conclusions on Burma contemplated
further "restrictive measures," although following the FMs
meeting, EU Ambassadors disagreed on how much pressure to
apply. The FMs' discussion of Iran failed to move the EU
forward on preparation of new sanctions and other measures in
support of the dual-track approach. FMs and DefMins approved
some planning documents for a transition of the EU's miltiary
operation in Bosnia, but did not take a decision to
transition yet. FMs and DefMins did not take any decisions
about the EU's ongoing counter-piracy operation ATALANTA,
although they discussed a late-arriving French non-paper
proposing an EU role in training Somali security forces. In
addition, FMs condemned the recent fighting in Mogadishu and
called for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
Conclusions on Sri Lanka centered on calls for an end to the
violence and an all-inclusive political process. End
Summary.


2. (SBU) The General Affairs meeting of EU foreign
ministers on May 18 focused primarily on preparations for the
European Council summit in June. FMs agreed that the summit
would focus on institutional issues, the financial crisis,
climate change, and external relations. Under institutional
issues, Heads of State and Government will discuss the
guarantees to be given to the Irish people before a second
Lisbon Treaty referendum. Speaking to a press conference
after the meeting, Czech Minister of European Affairs Stefan
Fueller said the Czech Republic understands the importance of
these guarantees to the Irish people and has agreed with
Irish counterparts to design a "scheme and roadmap" for those
guarantees. Meetings will begin the week of May 25 with the
aim of reaching a broad agreement ahead of the European
Council meeting. The stated purpose is to allay Irish
concerns without reopening ratification in other Member
States, and without exceeding the commitments made at the
December 2008 European Council. In response to reporters'
questions, Czech FM Jan Kohout acknowledged that an
announcement of a date for the second Irish referendum would
be a positive step, but would be a sovereign decision of the
Irish Government. FMs considered a number of topics for the
external relations sessions, but did not set an agenda.
Notably, the General Affairs conclusions make no reference to
a new European Commission President, but rumors in Brussels
are that some Member States want to nominate a President in
June.


3. (U) The External Relations meetings, which involved FMs,
DefMins, and Development ministers in a complex choreography
of meetings, included discussion of the EU-Russia summit,
Moldova, Sri Lanka, Bosnia, Somalia, the European Security
and Defense Policy (ESDP),Iran, Georgia, Burma, and
development cooperation.


4. (C//NF) On Russia, FMs discussed preparations for the
May 21-22 EU-Russia summit, which would focus on the global
financial crisis and other economic issues. In addition, the
EU planned to discuss Georgia, Moldova, Iran, the Middle
East, Afghanistan/Pakistan, and Medvedev's European Security
proposal. A UK contact told USEU after the GAERC that FMs
generally agreed that the EU needs to be up front with the
Kremlin about what worries the Member States. Germany, the
contact said, argued that Russia has some interesting ideas
which need to be considered.



5. (C//NF) The GAERC conclusions on Burma condemn the
arrest of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and threaten the
reinforcement of the EU's April 2007 "restrictive measures"
against Burma (REFTEL). By May 19, EU PSC Ambassadors were
already debating these conclusions. During a meeting of
Ambassadors, the Czech Presidency reportedly used the term
"restrictive measures," but the Commission objected saying
the conclusion only called for "measures." The UK's
Ambassador reportedly retorted, "Well, we can't possibly mean
positive measures." Other Ambassadors speculated about
hurting trade opportunities with Burma, which they said could
provide more opportunities for China. Multiple contacts told
USEU that the EU could use a clear message from Washington on
our position on the issue. (Note: The published GAERC
conclusions clearly mention "restrictive measures" originally
adopted by the EU in April 2007. End Note.)


6. (C//NF) The Foreign Ministers' discussion of Iran failed
to move the EU forward on preparation of new sanctions and
other measures in support of the dual-track approach.
According to a friendly EU Member State contact, High Rep
Solana and UK FM Miliband stressed the need to develop
further the EU's policy to support U.S. engagement and
reinvigorated P5 1 efforts. The other EU 3 1 countries --
Germany, France, and Italy -- reportedly made no
interventions in support of Solana and Miliband on this
point, although Italian FM Frattini, evincing some optimism,
noted that he would travel to Iran in the near future.
Polish FM Sikorski is said to have noted that Iran was 7-8
years away from obtaining a nuclear weapons capability.
Picking up on the GAERC's April conclusions on Iran -- which
exhorted Iran to seize the "new direction of U.S. policy" to
engage seriously with the international community -- the
Portuguese FM reportedly said that the U.S. had perhaps not
yet done enough, and that it ought to establish diplomatic
relations wih Iran and North Korea.


7. (C//NF) DefMinsand FMs both discussed the EU's
Operation ALTHEA in Bosnia, officially approving planning
documents for transitioning the mission to a non-executive
capacity building and training operation, but without
approving the transition itself. High Rep Solana reportedly
made a good presentation, saying 5 2 conditionality matters
more now than ever and that the EU should not give up the
executive mandate. Solana reportedly said it was prudent to
start planning for an eventual reconfiguration of ALTHEA,
however, given pressure by contributing countries to draw
down. Poland warned that it could not sustain its current
commitment, as did Spain. The French DefMin also reportedly
expressed France's need to draw down. A UK contact said the
EU Military Staff would probably begin looking at force
numbers, and would likely decide on a manpower figure between
200 and the current 2,500. He added that it will be
important for the U.S. and EU to keep together on this issue.



8. (C//NF) FMs and DefMins did not take any decisions about
the EU's ongoing counter-piracy operation ATALANTA, although
EU Ambassadors meeting later in the week approved an
extension of the operational zone to the Seychelles.
Contacts tell us a late-arriving French non-paper proposing
an EU role in training Somali security forces was discussed,
but without final conclusions. (Note: USEU has forwarded a
copy of the French proposal to the Department via email. End
Note.) A UK contact told USEU that the EU Council
Secretariat would be tasked with looking at the French
proposal. According to a contact in the Czech PermRep, the
Czech Presidency would like to ensure that future
discussions, set to begin in the coming days and weeks,
consider not just the French proposal on its own, but a
package of potential capacity building measures the EU could
undertake to address the root causes of piracy. The contact
responded positively to the idea of the U.S. providing
suggestions for EU action.


9. (U) FMs, in the official conclusions, condemned the
recent fighting in Mogadishu and called for an immediate
cessation of hostilities. They also welcomed the leadership
of President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and underlined the

importance of continued global coordination within the
Internaional Contact Group.


10. (U) On Sri Lanka, FMs regretted the loss of innocent
life and called for an all-inclusive political process.
Speaking to the press afterward, European Commissioner for
External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner emphasized the need
for the UN to have access to those trapped in IDP camps,
saying their basic needs should be provided for. Noting that
she was co-chair of the "so-called peace process," she
stressed the need for a comprehensive solution. She also
noted that the Commission had committed 3 million euros to
the ICRC as the only body that has full access to Sri Lanka.

MURRAY
.