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RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1539

C O N F I D E N T I A L COPENHAGEN 000336 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2018 
TAGS: PGOV PREL SENV ETRD PBTS MARR KGHG AORC DA
SUBJECT: DEPUTY SECRETARY'S MEETING WITH DANISH FM MOELLER 
IN GREENLAND 
 
Classified By: Regional Environmental Officer Erik Hall. 
For reasons 1.4 b&d. 
 
¶1. (C) Summary:  In a May 27 meeting before the opening of 
the Arctic Ocean Conference in Ilulissat, Greenland, Deputy 
Secretary Negroponte and Danish FM Per Stig Moeller exchanged 
perspectives on cooperation in the Arctic; underlined shared 
goals for a climate change agreement and resolution of the 
Doha trade round; reviewed prospects for NATO membership for 
Georgia and discussed the current situations in Georgia, 
Afghanistan, Pakistan.  The Deputy Secretary urged Denmark to 
consider the candidacy for IOM DirGen of Ambassador Swing; 
Moeller said he would do so "constructively and positively." 
End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (U) Background:  The Deputy Secretary was accompanied in 
this meeting by Ambassador Cain, OES A/S McMurray, Legal 
Advisor Bellinger, D Special Assistant Wittenstein, and REO 
Hall (note taker).  Moeller was joined by MFA Legal Advisor 
Peter Taksoe-Jensen; MFA Press Secretary Ulrik Vestergaard 
Knudsen; FM Personal Secretary Nicolaj Petersen; and MFA 
Arctic and Greenland Affairs Officer, Anja Bikram Jeffrey. 
 
Arctic Ocean Conference 
----------------------- 
 
¶3.  (C) FM Moeller thanked the Deputy Secretary for attending 
the conference and for U.S. cooperation in its preparation. 
He explained that Denmark's initiative convoking and 
organizing the Arctic Ocean conference arose in light of 
controversy following the Russian flag-planting on the North 
Pole seabed.  In that context Denmark had perceived a need 
for the five coastal Arctic states to come together to 
recognize and affirm their commitment to an orderly claims 
process and special responsibilities to ensure the safety and 
preserve the marine environment of a changing Arctic Ocean. 
Moeller said he had spoken to then-FM Bernier of Canada days 
before, and Russian FM Lavrov the day before, and received 
assurances of their commitment to these aims of the 
conference.  He said Lavrov had downplayed Russia's 
flag-planting, comparing it to U.S. flag-planting on the 
moon.  Asked by the Deputy Secretary how Sweden, Iceland and 
Finland, the three Arctic Council states not included in the 
conference, had reacted, Moeller said there were "no bad 
feelings, you don't lose friends by coming here." 
 
¶4.  (C) The Deputy Secretary said the Administration 
continued to urge the Senate to ratify the UN Convention on 
the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and had not given up all hope of 
achieving this during the Bush Administration.  Ratification 
was clearly in the U.S. interest.  Moeller agreed, joking 
that "if you stay out, then the rest of us will have more to 
carve up in the Arctic."  The Deputy Secretary raised the 
possibility of U.S. Coast Guard follow-up on search and 
rescue in the Arctic, which Moeller welcomed.  The Deputy 
Secretary also described U.S. concern that Russia has not 
been forthcoming on U.S. requests to conduct scientific 
research within Russia's exclusive economic zone, saying he 
would raise the issue with Lavrov.  A/S McMurray urged the 
Danes to do the same.  Danish Legal Advisor Taksoe-Jensen 
said the Russians had resisted Denmark's attempt to insert 
stronger language on this issue into the draft conference 
declaration. 
 
Georgia 
------- 
 
¶5.  (C) FM Moeller said Denmark and Sweden had supported the 
U.S. position on Georgia in NATO, although some so-called 
"old European" countries like Germany were opposed due to 
their accommodating "Ost politik."  The Deputy Secretary 
noted that PM Fogh Rasmussen and President Bush had been 
strongly in agreement on the subject at their Crawford 
meeting in March.  As expected, the lack of a NATO decision 
had provoked Russian bullying.  Since the NATO summit, the 
U.S. has been concerned with preventing a Georgian conflict. 
EUR DAS Bryza was in Georgia to promote dialogue between the 
Georgians and Abkhazians.  Moeller said Russian FM Lavrov had 
told him Russia would permit that dialogue to take place. 
 
Afghanistan 
----------- 
 
¶6.  (C) FM Moeller noted that President Karzai was weakening. 
 Denmark was particularly concerned that Afghan courts would 
soon decide whether to execute a man for downloading material 
on women's human rights from the Internet.  Should the man be 
executed, parliamentary support for Denmark's military 
assistance in Afghanistan could weaken.  President Karzai 
needed to do more to fight corruption, he said.  The Deputy 
Secretary agreed, but emphasized the need to build 
institutions.  The European Union is uniquely qualified to do 
so. 
 
¶7.  (C) Moeller agreed, saying the EU had "not done enough" 
and the EC had indeed tried to cut its support in this area. 
Danish efforts to restore European Commission funding were 
successful, however, and would now be increased over last 
year.  The Deputy Secretary said the Afghan army was getting 
stronger.  There was debate within the USG over whether to 
increase the size of the allied peacekeeping force from 
80,000 to 120,000.  Moeller said Denmark was elaborating a 
new Afghanistan policy through 2012 which would include 
sending more trainers for the Afghan army (OMLTs).  There 
were some legal questions to work out first, however, 
relating to embedding, he said. 
 
Pakistan 
-------- 
 
¶8.  (C) FM Moeller inquired about the Deputy Secretary's 
impressions from his recent visit to Pakistan.  The Deputy 
Secretary said the good news had been the well-managed 
election, but the political situation in Pakistan is not 
encouraging.  Unresolved tension between Asif Ali Zardari and 
Nawaz Sharif was hampering the government's ability to handle 
the militants.  Moeller asked what could be done, warning 
that should Pakistan become an Islamist state, Afghanistan 
would likely be lost.  The Deputy Secretary said our options 
are limited, but encouraged EU support for civil 
institutional development in the tribal areas.  The U.S. is 
contributing $150 million over five years.  FM Moeller said 
he had included cross-border support in the Danish 
Afghanistan strategy, and Denmark was "concretely supporting" 
cross-border projects from its position in Afghanistan's 
Helmand province. 
 
Joint Committee 
--------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) FM Moeller told the Deputy Secretary that the 
U.S.-Denmark-Greenland Joint Committee was "working well," 
but could always be improved.  One area for possible 
cooperation was in the area of "hydrogen energy research." 
(Note: Moeller was apparently referring to a new climate 
research institute recently announced by the Greenland Home 
Rule government, which is slated to open in 2009.  The Joint 
Committee pledged to investigate opportunities for 
collaboration with the institute as it develops.)  Ambassador 
Cain responded that the U.S. is very willing to explore all 
possible avenues of cooperation with its Danish and 
Greenlandic partners. 
 
Climate Change 
-------------- 
 
¶10.  (C) The Deputy Secretary raised the issue of global 
climate change negotiations, saying the U.S. had shifted its 
position and would be willing to accept binding emissions 
mandates as long as China and India accept some form of 
enforceable obligation under the post-Kyoto regime.  Moeller 
mentioned the Montreal Protocol as a good model for 
differentiated responsibilities in reducing greenhouse gas 
emissions.  Under that arrangement, which solved the problem 
of the ozone hole, developing countries were given an extra 
10 years to meet their phase-out targets.  Taksoe-Jensen said 
China and India want the U.S. to commit to emissions 
reductions first.  The Deputy Secretary expressed concern 
that EU criticism of the U.S. might give China and India the 
impression they were "off the hook." 
 
Doha Round 
---------- 
 
¶11.  (C) FM Moeller said Denmark was fighting to "save the 
Doha Round," and asked for Deputy Secretary Negroponte's 
views on its prospects.  The Deputy Secretary said he 
understood from USTR that Brazil was a problem.  The U.S. had 
not given up, but the situation appeared "not hopeless but 
not promising."  Moeller said industry was the key for 
Europe.  Brazil might be influenced by the world food crisis, 
wanting to stop the export of its rice to China. 
Unfortunately, if a compromise deal is not possible now, it 
would likely take many more years. 
 
Swing Candidacy 
--------------- 
 
¶12.  (C) The Deputy Secretary briefed FM Moeller on the 
candidacy of Ambassaor William Swing for DirGen of the 
International rganization for Migration (IOM), noting the 
Amercan incumbent does not enjoy U.S. support for his 
re-election bid for a third term.  He described Abassador 
Swing's experience in a variety of challenging assignments 
and urged FM Moeller to consider him as "your kind of guy." 
Moeller pledged to look "constructively and positively" on 
Swing's candidacy.  (Note:  Ambassador Swing's CV was shared 
with the Danish delegation during the conference.) 
 
¶13.  (U) The Deputy Secretary's party has reviewed this cable. 
CAIN