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Viewing cable 08STATE127023, APPROACHING THE EU IN ADVANCE OF THE DECEMBER

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08STATE127023 2008-12-02 21:50 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Secretary of State
VZCZCXRO4336
OO RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHC #7023/01 3372159
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 022150Z DEC 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
INFO RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 8842
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 6474
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 4029
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 6383
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 6488
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 7880
RUEHVJ/AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO 0307
RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 1871
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 1236
RUEHSQ/AMEMBASSY SKOPJE 6150
RUEHTI/AMEMBASSY TIRANA 2424
RUEHPOD/AMEMBASSY PODGORICA 1569
RUEHPS/AMEMBASSY PRISTINA 4982
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 STATE 127023 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ETRD EUN ZL IS PK CG TU
SUBJECT: APPROACHING THE EU IN ADVANCE OF THE DECEMBER 
8-9 FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING (GAERC) 
 
1. (U) This is an action request.  See paragraph 13. 
 
2. (SBU) Summary:  EU Foreign Ministers will hold their 
next General Affairs and External Relations Council 
(GAERC) meeting in Brussels December 8-9.  We expect the 
formal agenda to include:  Israeli-Palestinian peace 
process, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Western 
Balkans and EU enlargement, Pakistan, and WTO/Doha 
Round.  A background section covering some of these 
issues is provided prior to a section containing talking 
points.  Talking Points only are to be delivered as soon 
as possible at the appropriate level to EU members only. 
Other posts should not/not deliver these points.  Posts 
are requested to include the SIPDIS caption on their 
response cables and to reference this cable.  End 
Summary. 
 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
 
WESTERN BALKANS 
 
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 
 
3. (SBU) The November 8 Prud/Odzak Agreement between RS 
Prime Minister and SNSD Party President Milorad Dodik 
(Serb), SDA Party President Sulejman Tihic (Bosniak) and 
HDZ Party President Dragan Covic (Croat) that lays out a 
common approach to several critical issues is welcome, 
but needs to be put in to concrete form to break through 
the political impasse and to meet the outstanding "5+2" 
closure objectives and conditions for the Office of the 
High Representative (OHR).  We want to be in a position 
to make a decision on OHR closure at the next meeting of 
the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) in March 2009, 
but this will require completion of the 5+2 agenda.  We 
are particularly concerned about a durable solution on 
Brcko District by March, as the Prud/Odzak proposal for 
a "constitutional law" may not be viable.  Prime 
Minister Dodik's anti-State efforts continue, including 
his refusal to comply with a request for information 
from the State Prosecutors office and recent threats to 
file suit against international community and Bosnian 
officials in the context of the document request.  We 
also remain concerned about President Silajdzic's 
radical anti-RS agenda. 
 
EU ENLARGEMENT - STOCK TAKING AND CONCLUSIONS ON TURKEY 
 
4.(SBU) Turkey and the European Union signed an 
Association agreement in September 1964 aimed at 
bringing Turkey into the customs union and eventual 
membership.  The United States strongly supports 
Turkey's aspirations to join the EU. 
 
5. (SBU) The GOT has struggled to implement needed 
reforms.  The EU has also been internally deadlocked 
over Turkish accession issues by Cyprus, as well as by 
objections of other members like France and Austria.  In 
November 2006, the European Commission ordered the 
suspension of eight of the 32 chapters of the EU's 
"Acquis", or body of EU laws, until Turkey meets 
obligations to open ports in Turkey to Republic of 
Cyprus ships and aircraft.  Turkey has said it will do 
so only in conjunction with the EU opening of commercial 
access (i.e., direct trade) for Turkish Cypriot goods 
and people.  Greek and Turkish Cypriots commenced talks 
in September 2008 and, if they can reach a re- 
unification settlement in early 2009, Turkey's accession 
progress could accelerate significantly. 
 
6. (SBU) In the November 2008 annual accession report, 
the Commission noted negotiations had "moved forward 
over the reporting period."  The Commission cautioned 
 
STATE 00127023  002 OF 006 
 
 
that progress had been limited because of the 
Constitutional Court case against the governing party 
and called on Turkey to "reinvigorate" the process of 
political reform.  The report again stressed the EU's 
view of the PKK as a terrorist organization. 
 
7. (SBU) In June 2008, the EU opened two new chapters in 
its negotiations with Turkey: Chapter 6 - Company Law 
and Chapter 7 - Intellectual Property Law.  During an 
October U.S. " EU troika meeting, the French EU 
Presidency restated its commitment to keep pace on 
opening two chapters each Presidency and reached 
agreement with Turkey in November to open Chapter 4" 
Free Movement of Capital.  Since the start of EU-Turkey 
negotiations in 2006, nine chapters out of 35 have been 
opened and only one has been provisionally closed. 
 
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO (DRC) 
 
8. (SBU) The situation in the eastern DRC has continued 
to deteriorate despite repeated calls for cease-fires 
and the opening up of humanitarian zones that would 
allow access to the hundreds of thousands of internally 
displaced persons (IDPs) who have been fleeing the 
fighting.  UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recently 
named former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo as the 
UN Special Envoy for the eastern DRC.  President 
Obasanjo is now leading the international diplomatic 
effort to bring peace to the DRC, in tandem with former 
Tanzanian President Benjamin Nkapa, representing the 
International Conference of the Great Lakes Region.  The 
UN Security Council voted on November 20 to increase by 
nearly 3,000 the troop ceiling of the UN Mission in the 
DRC (MONUC) to help restore peace and stability to the 
region, particularly the DRC's North Kivu province.  The 
UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) is now 
looking for countries to contribute troops to this 
expanded MONUC force.  Both the European Union and the 
Southern African Development Community (SADC) have 
discussed a possible multi-national force to complement 
MONUC, but thus far no such force has been realized. 
 
PAKISTAN 
 
9. (SBU) Some European officials have expressed 
pessimism over President Zardari's leadership of 
Pakistan.  We take a more optimistic view, noting 
Zardari's ability to forge political consensus and lead 
Pakistan through the politically unpopular but necessary 
adoption of an IMF program.  The $7.6 billion IMF bail- 
out, agreed Nov. 15, will help the country stabilize its 
economy and prevent Pakistan from defaulting on its 
foreign debt.  But the economy is still in crisis, and 
Pakistan needs international support to implement the 
IMF program successfully. We hope the EU will take the 
lead among potential donors and pledge a significant 
assistance package that will provide a social safety net 
to those adversely affected by the difficult economic 
and financial reforms required by the IMF. 
 
10. (SBU) The EU and several member states (the UK, 
France, Germany, and Italy) helped launch the "Friends 
of Democratic Pakistan" group at the ministerial level 
in September.  The "Friends" group also includes the 
U.S., Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Turkey, 
Canada, Australia, Japan, and the UN.  The Friends 
initiative is meant to catalyze political and economic 
support for the democratically-elected government of 
Pakistan, and will work to help the GoP achieve its 
counter-terrorism, border management, and economic 
development goals.  The Friends of Pakistan will meet at 
the expert level in January. 
 
WTO DOHA ROUND 
 
11. (SBU) WTO Doha Round talks are at a critical 
juncture as negotiators continue to work toward a 
breakthrough in Agriculture and Non-Agricultural Market 
Access (NAMA).  WTO Director General Lamy will hold 
 
STATE 00127023  003 OF 006 
 
 
green room meetings on a daily basis to discuss 
horizontal Agriculture and NAMA issues.  Regarding a 
potential December ministerial meeting, Lamy has not set 
an official date, but did say that we have our marching 
orders from our Leaders.  Lamy envisions that Ministers 
could meet during the December 10-19 window and that it 
would be a relatively short meeting unlike the meetings 
in July.  Senior officials will continue to meet the 
week of November 24 to resolve difficult issues 
including the special safeguard mechanism, special 
products and NAMA sectorals.  If progress is made in 
these areas, Ag Chair Falconer and NAMA Chair Wasescha 
may issue new texts in late November or early December. 
 
12. (SBU) To date, we have not seen positive movements 
from the key players (India, Brazil and China) on 
providing critical market access, particularly with 
regard to the NAMA sectorals.  On November 19, the 
National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), Coalition 
of Service Industries (CSI) and the American Farm Bureau 
Federation issued a letter to the President expressing 
strong concerns that a WTO Ministerial meeting should 
only be held when there is sufficient evidence that WTO 
members are truly committed to opening their markets. 
We have not seen this commitment.  In fact, following 
the G-20 summit, several key WTO members (India, Brazil 
and Argentina) have announced their intent to raise 
tariffs on certain products. 
 
13. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST:  Please deliver the following 
points to the appropriate MFA official(s) as soon as 
possible (in advance of the December 8-9 GAERC). 
 
BEGIN NON-PAPER TEXT 
 
WESTERN BALKANS 
 
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 
 
--We welcome the November 8 Prud/Odzak agreement, which 
provides the potential for breaking through the 
political stalemate and negative atmosphere that have 
impeded progress in Bosnia for months.  We welcome, in 
particular, the proposed compromise related to state and 
defense property -- a key OHR closure objective -- and 
on the census -- an EU partnership document requirement. 
 
--We are concerned, however, that the proposed 
"constitutional law" on Brcko is insufficient to meet 
the Peace Implementation Council's requirements for OHR 
closure.  Over the next several weeks we will be 
pressing the Bosnians to come up with an acceptable 
solution on Brcko, as well as to translate the other 
elements of the Prud/Odzak agreement into concrete 
action. 
 
--The United States will support OHR closure next March 
only if the 5+2 conditions and objectives are met in 
full. 
 
--We are concerned by the RS government's continuing 
failure to comply fully and unconditionally with the 
State prosecutor's request of documentation and by 
threats to take legal action against certain 
international and Bosnian officials for performing their 
duties.  These developments raise troubling questions 
about the RS government's commitment to uphold the rule 
of law.  The RS needs to hear a consistent message from 
the international community regarding the need to 
cooperate with State law enforcement authorities and to 
respect the rule of law. 
 
MACEDONIA 
 
--Macedonia's Euro-Atlantic integration remains a key 
factor for regional stability.  Integration can aid 
Macedonia in its pursuit of continued reforms and 
interethnic cooperation. 
 
 
STATE 00127023  004 OF 006 
 
 
--Macedonia must work to ensure free, fair and peaceful 
presidential elections in March 2009 and address serious 
shortcomings made evident in elections in June 2008. 
Full implementation of ODIHR recommendations to prevent 
electoral misconduct, fraud, intimidation and violence 
next March is critical. 
 
--We continue to strongly support the Nimetz process for 
resolving the name issue and have encouraged Macedonia's 
leaders to exercise sound judgment and take a far- 
reaching view based on the long-term interests of the 
country. 
 
--We were pleased with the findings of the European 
Commission's November 5 "enlargement package" and its 
recognition of Macedonia's good progress on judicial and 
police reform and continued consolidation of its multi- 
ethnic democracy.  We hope that the EU will continue to 
remain clear and firm in its benchmarks for Macedonia's 
accession and not allow the dispute over its name to 
impact its progress towards the EU. 
 
CROATIA 
 
--Croatia is a leader in the region and has been a 
strong proponent of Euro-Atlantic integration.  We fully 
support Croatia's EU aspirations and agree with the 
Commission's findings that Zagreb needs to complete the 
return of refugees, implement the judicial reform 
strategy, settle property repossession claims and 
maintain good cooperation with the ICTY. 
 
EU ENLARGEMENT ? STOCK TAKING AND CONCLUSIONS ON TURKEY 
 
--The United States continues to strongly support 
Turkey's candidacy for European Union Membership.  While 
this is a decision for the EU, we have encouraged and 
will continue to encourage the EU and Turkey to reach 
this goal. 
 
--The U.S. continues to support UN efforts toward a bi- 
zonal, bi-communal federation in Cyprus.  We urge the EU 
to fulfill its promise to ease the isolation of the 
Turkish Cypriots. 
 
--The U.S. encourages the EU to work with Turkey to 
update its counterterrorism legislation.  We want to 
ensure that Turkey has the legal tools to stop 
facilitation in Turkey for terrorist activities that 
take place outside of Turkey and to stop terrorists 
traveling through Turkey. 
 
--The U.S. supports opening accession chapters on 
judicial reform and energy.  We understand that the EU 
has asked Turkey to focus on judicial reforms in the 
wake of the closure case against the ruling AKP party. 
 
ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN PEACE 
 
--Annapolis launched the first substantive negotiations 
in nearly a decade. 
 
--The absence of public agreements or a flurry of press 
releases should not be mistaken for a lack of progress. 
 
--The Israeli-Palestinian conflict would not have 
endured for 60 years if the obstacles to peace were few 
and the solutions easily reached. 
 
--The framework for negotiating a final resolution of 
the conflict is before us: Determined, professional, 
confidential negotiations between the parties; 
consistent yet constructive international engagement; 
and a vigorous effort to improve conditions on the 
ground. 
 
--In their unprecedented November 9 briefing for the 
Quartet in Sharm El Sheikh, Israeli and Palestinian 
negotiator re-affirmed their commitment to ongoing, 
 
STATE 00127023  005 OF 006 
 
 
bilateral negotiations that address all issues and their 
goal of reaching a comprehensive peace. 
 
--They asked the international community to respect the 
mutually agreed principles for their negotiations, 
including that third parties should not intervene in the 
negotiations absent a joint request from the parties. 
 
--The negotiators also asked the international community 
to support their historic efforts by focusing on 
providing political and economic assistance to the 
legitimate Palestinian government, particularly with 
regard to security reform, institution building, and 
economic development. 
 
--The United States is committed to the negotiations, 
and there continues to be bipartisan support in the U.S. 
for sustaining the process launched at Annapolis.  We 
have a national interest in the progress that has been 
made and in the conclusion of a final agreement. 
 
--President Bush's vision of a Palestinian state at 
peace with Israel will not come in a single dramatic 
moment, but rather as the result of a methodical, 
sincere commitment by the parties to conclude a lasting 
agreement that benefits both their people. 
 
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO (DRC) 
 
--The United States welcomes and supports the 
appointments of President Obasanjo and President Nkapa 
to lead the international diplomatic efforts to resolve 
the crisis in the eastern DRC. 
 
--Only dialogue will bring about peace between the DRC 
government and the rebel National Congress for the 
Defense of the People (CNDP) headed by Laurent Nkunda. 
The DRC military is incapable of defeating the CNDP 
militarily and we urge EU member states to pass this 
message consistently in their contacts with the GDRC. 
 
--The Congolese government must also work closely with 
MONUC to take action against the Democratic Forces for 
the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which continues to 
operate with impunity in the eastern DRC, and which is 
one of the underlying causes of the current crisis.  The 
U.S. has begun deployment of a Military Information 
Support Team (MIST) to the region to work with the 
Congolese government to undermine the FDLR. 
 
--The United States is pleased that the Security Council 
voted in favor of a 3,000-person troop increase for 
MONUC and encourages all countries to consider 
contributing forces to this effort. 
 
--In addition, the United States would welcome the 
formation of a European multi-national force to work 
alongside MONUC to re-establish peace and security in 
the eastern DRC, so that humanitarian organizations can 
deliver much-needed assistance to the local populations. 
 
PAKISTAN 
 
--We appreciate the EU's support for the Friends of 
Democratic Pakistan initiative. 
 
--We encourage EU member states and the European 
Commission to contribute more aid to Pakistan now that 
Pakistan has reached an agreement with the IMF. 
 
--We encourage better donor coordination on development 
projects. 
 
--We applaud Pakistan's counterinsurgency operations in 
Bajaur and Mohmand, and encourage continued action to 
oust militants from the area. 
 
--We commend Pakistan's improved relations with 
Afghanistan and India, as evidenced by President 
 
STATE 00127023  006 OF 006 
 
 
Karzai's attendance at President Zardari's swearing-in, 
and the recent opening of a transit-trade route between 
Pakistan and India.  We encourage the GOP to continue 
these efforts, which will strengthen regional security 
and the regional economy. 
 
--We encourage the EU to help fight instability in 
Pakistan's border regions by supporting a proposed 
international trust fund that would administer 
development and security projects in the North-West 
Frontier Province and the Federally-Administered Tribal 
Areas (FATA). 
 
WTO DOHA ROUND 
 
--The G-20 Declaration and APEC Leaders Statement 
reflected two key elements on which we must all focus: 
(1) Leaders made a significant concrete commitment to 
"do no harm," agreeing to a stand-still on measures that 
increase barriers to trade and investment. (2) Leaders 
gave a strong concrete boost toward achieving modalities 
in the Doha negotiations by the end of the year. 
 
--We need to give attention to both elements with 
urgency. 
 
--The U.S. remains committed to working to achieve 
modalities in agriculture and non-agricultural market 
access (NAMA) by the end of the year if at all possible. 
 
--We must redouble our efforts to follow-up on the Doha 
political commitments with real showings of flexibility 
and contributions to ensure a modalities package this 
year that will ensure that the negotiations ultimately 
yield meaningful new trade flows and economic 
opportunity. 
 
If Raised on Ministerial: 
 
--The key preparatory work on convergences needed to 
achieve Agriculture and NAMA modalities this year is 
ongoing.  We must reach convergence on many key issues 
before a date can be established. 
 
If Raised on tariff increases: 
 
--On the trade pledge, we already have signs that India, 
Brazil and Argentina may be turning away from their 
commitment. 
 
--We cannot allow this movement on tariffs to take hold 
and each of us needs to shine a spotlight on these 
tariff-raising actions, taken immediately after leaders 
had pledged and agreed not to do so. 
 
END NON-PAPER TEXT 
RICE