AMBASSADOR RICE MEETING WITH EC HEAD OF DELEGATION

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000469 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN EU KGHG SENV SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR RICE MEETING WITH EC HEAD OF DELEGATION VALENZUELA ¶1. On May 5, Ambassador Rice met with European Commission (EC) Head of Delegation Ambassador Fernando Valenzuela. He requested the meeting as an initial courtesy call. Valenzuela raised three specific issues: the future of the EC at the UN; the President of the General Assembly's (PGA) June 1-3 financial crisis conference; and the September high-level meeting on climate change. ¶2. Valenzuela said there is a real chance that the way the European Union (EU) works at the UN will change radically with the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon. He said the treaty may be ratified as early as six to eight months from now. Valenzuela said that two of the remaining three hurdles, the vote in the Czech Senate and a favorable decision by the German Constitutional Court, look to be easily overcome. The third hurdle, the Irish referendum, is more challenging, but polls look good. The vote there could come as soon as October. If this happens, the treaty could go into force on January 1, 2010. Valenzuela said this means that there will no longer be an EU Presidency headed by a member state on a six-month rotation; external relations for the EU would be handled by the professional bureaucracy in Brussels. The public representation of the EU at the UN would probably have to undergo a slow transition of a year or two. The status of the EU will have to be reconsidered. It will continue as an observer, but it would be an observer with different characteristics and special responsibilities. Valenzuela concluded his discussion on this point by saying that the United States has been unhelpful in the past in matters related to EC competency and that he looked forward to more favorable consideration by the United States in this case. ¶3. On the issue of the PGA's June 1-3 conference on the financial crisis and its impact on development, Valenzuela said the EU is trying to remain positive and look for a favorable outcome. To them, this would mean a conference that focuses on the real development impacts of the crisis, makes conclusions as to what should be done going forward, and looks to the UN system's role in response. Valenzuela did voice some concerns regarding the unpredictable nature of the PGA and particularly mentioned his fear that the PGA might try to seize control of the negotiating process from the co-facilitators. Valenzuela also discussed the level of EU participation at the conference. He expects that most countries will be represented at the minister or deputy minister level, but Valenzuela wondered if it would send a bad message if developed countries were all represented at lower levels. While Valenzuela did not rule out the participation of President Barroso, he said that he doubted it. Ambassador Rice said that the United States had not yet made a decision on the level of our participation. ¶4. Regarding the September Secretary-General's high-level meeting on climate change, Valenzuela began by admitting that much remains unclear. Nevertheless, the EU hopes the meeting will be meaningful and provide a positive influence on the December negotiations in Copenhagen. Valenzuela said the world would be looking to the United States to show leadership. Ambassador Rice said we cannot make concrete commitments until Congress acts and that the success or failure of the September 22 UN meeting should not ride on the United States. Valenzuela, saying that the EU had already done all it could, appealed for clear messages and for U.S. pressure on major developing countries, in particular China. He also asked if President Obama would attend the meeting. Ambassador Rice said that no decision had been made. Rice