VZCZCXRO0480
RR RUEHAG RUEHROV
DE RUEHHE #0500 3051624
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 311624Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4628
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 0068
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0015
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 4925
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0652

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000500 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/2018 
TAGS: BK CG EUN FI PGOV PHUM PREL RS
SUBJECT: FINNISH COMMENTS ON NOV 3 GYMNICH AND NOV 10-11 
GAERC 
 
REF: STATE 115017 
 
Classified By: PolChief Scott Brandon for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1. (U) PolChief met on October 31 with Leena-Kaisa Mikkola, 
Director of the MFA Unit for European Union Common Foreign 
and Security Policy, to discuss the upcoming Gymnich and 
GAERC meetings. 
 
¶2. (C) Mikkola said the subject of the November 3 Gymnich 
would be Transatlantic Relations, i.e., as a change in 
government in the U.S. approaches EU ministers will discuss 
what issues should be on the transatlantic agenda.  Subjects 
on the agenda are the Russia, the Middle East, 
Afghanistan/Pakistan, and "multilateral cooperation" (Mikkola 
was unclear what the last would cover). 
 
- RUSSIA: The GoF does not think it beneficial to continue to 
postpone negotiations with Russia on a new EU-Russia 
partnership agreement.  Continuing postponement might mean 
the EU loses the possibility to influence Russia, with the 
result that key Member States (MSs) will exert more influence 
bilaterally. Mikkola noted that other MSs disagree with that 
position, some of whom are "quite close" (likely a reference 
to Estonia). Regarding President Medvedev's proposal for a 
new European Security Treaty, Mikkola said that the subject 
might be raised at Gymnich or GAERC.  This issue is 
"problematic," as Medvedev raised it with the EU before the 
Georgia conflict; subsequently it came under a different 
light and now the EU is unsure how to respond.  Mikkola said 
the GoF has only started to consider the matter, and noted 
that within the government and among MS there is a difference 
of opinion.  Describing it as an interesting option, Mikkola 
vaguely mentioned a comment by President Sarkozy about the 
OSCE as a possible forum for this matter, 
 
- MIDDLE EAST: Mikkola said the EU hopes that the new U.S. 
Administration will lose no time in getting involved in the 
Israel/Palestine peace process.  Mikkola added that the EU 
will "do its share" and referred broadly to existing 
financial assistance and security initiatives, with 
additional measures under discussion. Mikkola said that it 
would be useful for the EU to show support now for deeper 
cooperation with Israel, working with Livni, because 
cooperation could be harder to deepen under a Netanyahu-led 
government.  Regarding Iran, the GoF supports new autonomous 
measures that go beyond existing UNSCRs and existing EU 
policy.  Mikkola said there is no consensus in the Council on 
this, but perhaps it might be reached "little by little."  On 
the nonpaper's points on Syria, Mikkola saw no problems on 
the Finnish side, for the most part: regarding progress on 
the EU-Syria Association Agreement, Mikkola said the GoF 
would like to see more progress on this, using the agreement 
as a carrot to encourage a more constructive role. 
 
- AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN: Mikkola is unsure what will be 
proposed in the Gymnich meeting (foreign and defense 
ministers would discuss the EU's role crisis management 
initiatives, while separately development ministers would 
discuss assistance).  She said that "real transatlantic 
cooperation" is necessary between the EU and U.S. on this 
matter, and added that she saw no problems with the U.S. 
points raised. 
 
¶3. (C) In the November 10 Council meeting Mikkola expected 
the main topics would be EU-Russia relations, events in the 
Congo and the Western Balkans. Regarding the Congo, a 
possible EU crisis management operation is a "tricky issue"; 
Mikkola says there are some in the EU who have voiced support 
for use of the EU Battle Group - no GoF position yet.  The 
main question for the Western Balkans discussion is what to 
do with the military crisis management operation in Bosnia, 
i.e., should it be reduced or ended. The Finnish position is 
that EUFOR/Althea should wind down to an end sooner rather 
than later, as military forces are better used elsewhere and 
police can fill the gaps in Bosnia; Mikkola noted that other 
MS support a continued military presence in Bosnia. 
Additional topics for the Council will be Iraq and Burma.  On 
Iraq, Mikkola lamented the likelihood of limited debate on 
Iraq, saying that it is too seldom a topic of discussion. 
Regarding Burma, Mikkola expects nothing dramatic, simply a 
reminder to the Burmese government that the EU follows events 
there and supports the UN's efforts. 
 
BARRETT