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RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0196
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HELSINKI 000221 
 
SIPDIS 
 
EUR/ERA FOR JEFFREY GIAQUE, EUR/NB FOR MIGUEL RODRIGUES 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/12/2019 
TAGS: EUN FI MARR PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: FINLAND: JUNE GAERC DISCUSSION 
 
REF: EMAIL DATED JUNE 5 2009 JEFFREY GIAQUE 
 
Classified By: Political Chief Scott Brandon for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) 
 
 ¶1. (C) On June 12 PolOff met with the MFA Deputy European 
Correspondent for European Common Foreign and Security Policy 
Markku Lampinen to discuss the June GAERC agenda.  Lampinen 
said that the Middle East discussion would dominate in light 
of the Lebanese elections and since the last discussion was 
in April.  He noted that the Western Balkans, Burma, and Cuba 
will figure in further discussions.  Conclusions are expected 
on Iraq, Afghanistan/Pakistan (AFPAK), Moldova, and Somalia. 
He expects a common declaration on Guantanamo to be accepted. 
 Lampinen said that Georgia was dropped from the agenda and 
that Sudan was included under other business at the request 
of the Netherlands to point out that it should be thoroughly 
discussed during the Swedish presidency. Lampinen indicated 
that members were asked not to discuss conclusions reached in 
advance of the meeting in reference to Moldova and Somalia 
and he offered no further details on either discussion. 
 
¶2. (C) MIDDLE EAST: EU Member States will send a strong 
message to the Israeli government urging commitment to the 
two-state solution and previous Israeli government 
agreements.  The EU position has not changed and the Peace 
Process will dominate the discussion. Lampinen commented that 
the Gaza situation remains "catastrophic" and is becoming 
environmental.  He remarked that the Israeli government only 
allows a small part of necessary aid to get through (i.e. 
twenty per cent of trucks) resulting in a constant lack of 
materials and necessities.  Lampinen said that the continued 
settlements in spite of U.S. and EU protests present an 
obstacle and that the East Jerusalem area is critical. The 
Finnish Foreign Minister may raise the possibility of the EU 
imposing restrictions on export products from Israeli 
settlements, described by Lampinen as an effort to get the 
Israeli government's attention.  Lampinen was unsure whether 
this option was legally available under the EU-Israeli 
association agreement. The Finnish Government (GoF) currently 
does not favor deepening EU-Israel relations until they have 
a greater sense of the new government's commitment to the 
two-state solution.  He said that the foreign ministers will 
discuss the possibility of expanding the Quartet's authority 
given to Tony Blair beyond state building and the economy. 
GoF supports strengthening and expanding Blair's mandate. On 
Syria/Lebanon, Lampinen expects movement on the Syrian 
Association Agreement, including an official signing at the 
September GAERC. 
 
¶3. (C) CUBA: Lampinen described the ministers' discussion on 
Cuba as the first annual review based on the restarted EU 
political dialogue. The GoF supports continuing dialogue and 
development cooperation as well as the EU line on peaceful 
self-determination in the reform process.  The GoF believes 
that human rights should be the focus of EU policy, including 
contact with the peaceful opposition, liberation of all 
political prisoners, more internet connections, and a free 
media. 
 
¶4. (C) AFPAK: Lampinen said that Afghanistan-Pakistan is not 
a discussion point for the GAERC although conclusions would 
be given.  The European Council - Foreign Minister dinner on 
Thursday night is expected to focus on preparations for the 
comprehensive AFPAK plan, which should be finished before the 
October European Council meeting.  One topic will be a 
possible expansion of the EU Special Representative to 
Afghanistan's responsibilities to include Pakistan vis a vis 
the AFPAK plan.  The GoF will emphasize EU unity with regard 
to AFPAK, their special representatives and Transatlantic 
positions. Lampinen said that while Special Envoy Holbrooke's 
meeting with the Ambassadors in Brussels was welcome, FM 
Stubb likely will raise the question of a meeting with 
Holbrooke at the minister level. 
 
¶5. (C) WESTERN BALKANS: Chief Prosecutor for the 
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia 
(ICTY) Serge Brammertz will meet with ministers and discuss 
his recent report.  According to Lampinen, in the report, 
Brammertz failed to characterize the Croatian response to 
investigations as "full cooperation" so the Netherlands 
opposes going forward with the stabilization and association 
agreement.  The GoF believes that Croatia should cooperate 
and provide the documents that the ICTY has requested.   The 
 
HELSINKI 00000221  002 OF 002 
 
 
GoF and almost all member states believe that in the case of 
Serbia the EU-Serbia temporary agreement should be effective 
immediately as a clear positive signal.  Regarding visa 
facilitation, the EU recently issued visa road maps for each 
Western Balkan state, and the GoF expects discussions and 
subsequent political conclusions will support visa 
facilitation for the Western Balkans. 
 
¶6. (C) BURMA: Lampinen said that the agenda was set for Burma 
in anticipation of a verdict for Aung San Suu Kyi last Friday 
(June 5) but Burma has now postponed the verdict beyond the 
GAERC meeting.  Consequently, he believes the discussion in 
the GAERC will be brief.  The GoF would like the discussion 
to cover all possible ways to influence the Burmese 
government and to support democratization so that elections 
next year go forward as free as possible.  Lampinen noted 
that "regional players" (China, India and Russia) and ASEAN 
countries had watered down EU-U.S. sanction policies, noting, 
however, that the Chinese attitude appears to be changing. 
 
¶7. (C) IRAQ:  On Iraq conclusions, Lampinen said that the EU 
wants the negotiations underway on the EU-Iraq Partnership 
and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) finished soon.  He said that 
the EU welcomes the Iraqi announcement of parliamentary and 
Kurdish regional elections.  The GoF supports the UN 
assistance mission, would like to see further regional 
cooperation from neighboring countries and would urge Iraq 
not to implement capital punishment.  GoF support will 
continue for a high level EU-Iraq political dialogue and for 
stabilization and conciliation efforts (such as the meeting 
held in Helsinki with former President Ahtisaari's 
assistance). 
 
¶8. (C) GUANTANAMO:  Lampinen said that the EU will propose a 
common declaration on Guantanamo detainees that MSs will 
accept without discussion.  Lampinen said that the GoF 
position on Guantanamo remains the same:  The GoF prefers a 
common EU position, but it should be up to each MS to accept 
detainees if asked to receive them.  GoF would like to see 
Guantanamo closed as soon as possible and notes that the U.S. 
retains primary responsibility for the repatriation or 
resettlement of detainees.  Lampinen said that the GoF also 
believes that dialogue on these questions and the fight 
against terrorism should continue. 
BUTLER