GERMAN VIEWS ON JANUARY 25 EU FOREIGN AFFAIRS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 000086 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2020 TAGS: PREL EUN IR BK SO AF UP GM SUBJECT: GERMAN VIEWS ON JANUARY 25 EU FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCIL REF: 15 JANUARY KONICK E-MAIL Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR GEORGE GLASS. REASONS: 1.4 ¶1. (C) Post delivered reftel points to MFA European Correspondent Michael Fluegger on January 18 and followed up with him on January 20. ¶2. (C) On Iran, Fluegger said Germany supported all the U.S. points, with the exception of the one calling for the EU to repeat that it stands ready to "accompany" UNSC action. Fluegger noted that this had been the subject of discussion between Undersecretary Burns, EUR A/S Gordon and Political Director Haber at a meeting the previous week. Fluegger explained that Germany was concerned that a reiteration of the EU statement at this point in the UNSCR negotiations could inadvertently signal to the Russians and Chinese that the EU was already giving up on getting a satisfactory result in the UN, thereby reducing their incentive to engage constructively. ¶3. (C) On Bosnia, Fluegger emphasized that Germany could not support the U.S. suggestion of enhancing the dual-hatted OHR/EUSR by granting it the EU "tool kit" envisioned for the post-OHR EUSR. Fluegger explained that investing the OHR/EUSR with such control would essentially give non-EU members influence over EU decision-making, thereby crossing a clear red line. The only way the EUSR could be granted the "tool kit" was if it was de-coupled from the OHR. Fluegger noted that Germany, in fact, supported taking this step. ¶4. (C) On Somalia, Fluegger said that he expected the EU Council to approve the proposed EU training mission in Uganda in February. However, he noted that Germany still had concerns about EU-trained Somalian soldiers returning to Somalia and joining militias rather than supporting the government. Germany also had questions about the payment of soldiers' salaries. ¶5. (C) On Afghanistan, Fluegger agreed that while holding parliamentary elections in May would be very difficult, the decision to postpone must come from the Afghans rather than the international community. The Afghans needed to be convinced that it was not in their own interest to risk a second failed election so soon after last year's presidential election debacle. Fluegger also confirmed that, in accordance with the Lisbon Treaty, the EU was likely to appoint a single EU representative to Afghanistan very soon, replacing the two separate EU representatives present there up to now. ¶6. (SBU) Fluegger said Germany agreed with all the U.S. points on Ukraine and Serbia, but noted that neither one was on the agenda for the January 25 FAC. He said that discussion of Ukraine had been postponed until next month's FAC, given the need for the February 7 run-off to decide the presidential race. MURPHY