AUSTRIAN VIEWS IN ADVANCE OF THE GAERC

UNCLAS VIENNA 001451 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/ERA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EUN PGOV PREL AU SUBJECT: AUSTRIAN VIEWS IN ADVANCE OF THE GAERC REF: A. 11/9/09 EUR/ERA EMAIL ¶B. VIENNA 1427 Polchief discussed the November 16-17 GAERC on November 12 with Klaus Famira, MFA European Correspondent. Famira offered the following views: -- Russia: GAERC participants will discuss EU-Russia cooperation on climate change, energy, Iran, Afghanistan, and non-proliferation, among other issues, as well as the situation in Georgia. The GOA favors the establishment of a new Russia-EU cooperation agreement, and also supports speedy WTO accession for Russia. -- Ukraine: The EU will discuss the impact of the economic crisis on Ukraine as well as Ukrainian reform efforts in the areas of rule of law, justice, and human rights. -- Somalia: Participants plan to adopt a Crisis Management Concept for Somalia, which will allow the EU to implement an ESDP mission to train 2,000 Somali security forces for one year. -- Belarus: The EU will decide whether to extend, and suspend, travel restrictions on Belarus. As Belarus has made little progress on reforms, the most likely outcome is an agreement on a 12-month extension and continued suspension (as previously reported reftel B). -- Development Assistance: Development Ministers will discuss how the EU can raise official development assistance to 0.56 percent of GDP. -- Middle East Peace: The EU has added the Middle East peace process as a discussion item, in light of concerns over the failure to re-start Israeli-Palestinian talks or to create a Palestinian unity government, and the decision by President Abbas not to seek re-election. EACHO