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P 131359Z MAR 06 ZDS
FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2707
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS VIENNA 000758 
 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D COPY (ADDED TAGS) 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR, EUR/ERA, EUR/WE, EUR/ AGS AND NEA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL IS FR AU
SUBJECT: EU FOREIGN MINISTERS: HAMAS MUST AGREE TO QUARTET 
PRINCIPLES 
 
 
¶1.  Summary: At their regular informal "Gymnich" meeting on 
March 10-11, EU foreign ministers confirmed existing EU 
policy toward Hamas, insisting it must meet the conditions 
established by the Quartet.  They also discussed continuing 
efforts to strengthen the dialogue between the EU and the 
Islamic world.  Septels will report on their discussions on 
Iran, Ukraine and Belarus. End Summary. 
 
Holding the Line on Hamas 
------------------------- 
 
¶2.  Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik, representing 
the EU Council Presidency, and External Relations 
Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner both confirmed the EU 
policy that any new Palestinian government must meet three 
conditions: recognize Israel's right to exist, renounce 
violence and adhere to existing agreements.  The two also 
defended the EU's decision to continue funding the 
Palestinian caretaker government, citing the need to support 
the Palestinian people. 
 
¶3.  Ferrero-Waldner said that the EU will review funding once 
a new government takes over and noted that the EU cannot 
exclude the possibility that Hamas is seriously considering 
how to respond to calls for it to agree to the Quartet 
conditions.  She said that it was "far too early" to discuss 
whether the EU could possibly maintain contact with Hamas 
once it had formed a government.  Plassnik took a somewhat 
tougher tack in answering a similar question, saying that the 
EU would continue its policy "as long as Hamas is on the 
terror list." 
 
¶4.  Both Plassnik and Ferrero-Waldner stressed the need to 
stand by the Palestinians during  this transition period and 
to provide Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as much 
political support as possible.  Ferrero-Waldner said that the 
EU was also looking for alternative channels for continuing 
humanitarian aid, including the UN Relief and Works Agency 
and NGOs already working in the region. 
 
Douste-Blazy on Hamas 
--------------------- 
 
¶5.  French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy commented 
separately that there has been no change in the EU and French 
position on Hamas, but cautioned that one must also avoid 
"suffocation" of Palestinian terrorities and the resulting 
social, economic and security chaos.  Douste-Blazy stressed 
that it was in the French interest to help the Palestinian 
people and to ensure that the administrators and bureaucrats 
are paid.  Douste-Blazy also expressed France's continuing 
confidence in President Abbas.  He called on Israel to 
refrain from unilateral actions, including on the security 
barrier and settlements in the West Bank.  When asked if the 
EU has seen any evolution in Hamas' stance, Douste-Blazy said 
that he has seen no sign yet that Hamas would be willing to 
foreswear violence and enter the political process. 
 
Ferrero-Waldner on the "Dialogue Between Civilizations" 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶6.  Ferrero-Waldner also addressed the EU's efforts to 
enhance dialogue with the Muslim world in the wake of the 
Danish cartoon controversy.  Calling for steady work over the 
long term rather than a "new, catchy policy," she said that 
the EU must find a way to reach the "hearts and souls" of the 
population.  Ferrero-Waldner pointed to several tools that 
could be used to reach this goal: strengthening the existing 
Euro-Mediterranean dialogue, using the media more effectively 
in affecting public opinion; working with the Organization of 
Islamic Conferences and the Arab League; making more use of 
the Ana Lindh Foundation, particularly with Asian nations 
such as Indonesia and Malaysia; and working more closely with 
the UN and UNESCO. 
McCaw