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R 040754Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA
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INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS VIENNA 001786 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/ERA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ETRD EUN CG TU AU
SUBJECT: AUSTRIAN VIEWS IN ADVANCE OF THE DECEMBER GAERC 
 
REF: STATE 127023 
 
Polchief discussed reftel points December 3 with Klaus 
Famira, MFA European Correspondent.  Famira offered the 
following views on GAERC agenda items: 
 
-- Pakistan: GAERC participants will discuss a proposal to 
establish an annual EU-Pakistan Summit; the EU already holds 
an annual summit with India.  Famira said the EU may decide 
at the GAERC to schedule one summit with Pakistan without 
committing to an annual meeting, as some members are doubtful 
about the utility of a regular summit with Pakistan. 
Regarding aid for Pakistan, EU representatives are likely to 
discuss "aid through trade" rather than direct assistance. 
Famira noted that the EU is currently conducting a study 
aimed at establishing an EU-Pakistan free trade agreement. 
 
-- Western Balkans: The EU has not determined yet whether the 
Western Balkans will be on the GAERC agenda.  Now that the 
UNSC has paved the way for EULEX deployment, there is no 
urgent need to discuss Kosovo, and there may not be any 
issues to address regarding Serbia. 
 
-- Enlargement: Progress reports on Croatia, Macedonia, and 
Turkey will be discussed.  Famira said there does not appear 
to an imminent solution to the Macedonian name issue, which 
remains an obstacle to EU accession.  Turkey's membership 
process, by contrast, has shifted to a less political, 
technical phase, and is therefore addressed by the European 
Commission and rarely discussed at the GAERC. 
 
-- Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): EU representatives 
will discuss whether the mandate for the UN mission in the 
DRC should simply be extended for another year, or revised in 
some way. 
GIRARD-DICARLO