VZCZCXRO8977
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHPG #0144/01 0721527
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 131527Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1209
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 0132
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0016
RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV 0019
RUEHPOD/AMEMBASSY PODGORICA 0007
RUEHVJ/AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO 0054

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRAGUE 000144 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
EUR/ERA WLUCAS, EUR/CE FOR ATRATENSEK 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EUN EZ EG PGOV PREL SU
SUBJECT: CZECH EU PRESIDENCY: COMMENTS ON UPCOMING MARCH 
GAERC 
 
REF: PRAGUE 103 
 
PRAGUE 00000144  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: On March 11 emboff spoke with Magdalena 
Janesova of the Czech MFA Department of Common Foreign and 
Security Policy in advance of the March 16-17 EU General 
Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC).  Of note were 
her comments on: Transatlantic Relations, Bosnia and 
Herzegovina, Montenegro, Syria, Belarus, and Sudan.  End 
Summary. 
 
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Transatlantic Relations - Upcoming April Summit 
---------- 
¶2. (SBU) The EU Foreign Ministers are expected to discuss 
transatlantic relations (as well as the Middle East) over 
lunch at the GAERC.  FM Schwarzenberg will brief all of the 
EU FMs on his meetings with Secretary Clinton on March 6 and 
Vice-President Biden on March 10.  The Czechs then plan to 
open this up for discussion to allow the EU FMs to express 
what they would like to see happen during the POTUS visit. 
The FMs will discuss what topics they would like to cover at 
this summit, as well as their interest in discussing separate 
topics at a luncheon of the FMs versus the EU leaders. 
(Note: Czech MFA officials have expressed interest in having 
the EU leaders luncheon be separate from a luncheon of 
Foreign Ministers as they fear a luncheon with 60 plus 
leaders and FMs could be too unwieldy.  End Note.) 
 
---------- 
Balkans - Bosnia and Montenegro 
---------- 
¶3. (SBU) Bosnia: Janesova noted that not much had changed 
since our last conversation on this subject (reftel).  With 
the upcoming Peace Implementation Council (PIC) scheduled for 
March, the EU understands the USG position on full 
implementation of the five objectives and two conditions will 
make it impossible to come to agreement to close the Office 
of the High Representative (OHR) at this meeting.  She did 
reaffirm that the EU wants to see the OHR closed soon, and 
again referenced the June PIC as the next most reasonable 
time frame to revisit the topic.  With respect to Valentin 
Inzko (EUHR Solana's announced replacement for EUSR Miroslav 
Lajcak), she noted that the EU has appreciated the USG 
comments.  She noted that his appointment was being handled 
via EU written procedure and that the Czechs anticipated that 
his appointment was likely to be formally approved as of COB 
March 11.  The EU is hoping to have him in place as soon as 
possible to minimize any gaps between Inzko and Lajcak. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Montenegro: The Czechs continue to work on "avis" 
(passing Montenegro's application to the European Commission 
for its opinion).  Janesova stated that the Germans have 
remained firm that they want "more time to see how things go 
on," although she noted that the Germans have signaled that 
they are "on board for April" discussion. 
 
---------- 
Syria - EU close to signing Association Agreement 
---------- 
¶5. (SBU) The EU is "on the brink of signing" an Association 
Agreement with Syria.  While some member states have "doubts" 
about Syria and want to wait a bit (until after Lebanese 
election), the Czechs anticipate that it is only a matter of 
time before the EU comes to consensus and signs. 
 
---------- 
Belarus - EU to Develop "Indicators" 
---------- 
¶6. (SBU) The Czechs are in favor of Belarus participating at 
the Eastern Partnership summit in May, although the level of 
participation remains an open question.  No decision has been 
made to invite Lukashenka and the EU plans to focus on what 
concrete steps Belarus has, or has not, taken.  To this end, 
Janesova noted that the COEST troika has been working on 
"indicators" as a means to evaluate Belarus action. 
 
---------- 
Middle East 
---------- 
¶7. (SBU)  The Foreign Ministers will discuss the Middle East 
over lunch.  The EU was pleased that the Quartet was able to 
meet on the margins of the March 2 Sharm al Sheik conference. 
 Janesova also noted that the Ministers plan to discuss 
 
PRAGUE 00000144  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
developments in Gaza, how to provide the assistance committed 
at the conference, and where things stand with the 
Palestinian government. Janesova was surprised to hear that 
there were potential developments related to the EU 
re-deploying its border assistance mission in Rafah, as she 
has not heard any discussion about this within EU channels in 
quite some time. 
 
---------- 
Sudan - EU PolDirs to Discuss 
---------- 
¶8. (SBU) The EU Political Directors plan to informally 
discuss how to move forward on Sudan over lunch on March 16. 
The PolDirs will also discuss the possibility of augmenting 
the advisory role of the EUSR for Sudan.  Janesova commented 
that since the EU has already done two statements since the 
first week of March on Sudan related to the ICC arrest 
warrant of Sudanese President Bashir and the Sudanese 
government's expulsion of NGOs, the EU is not planning to do 
any additional statements for the time being. 
 
---------- 
Transnistria 
---------- 
¶9. (U) The EU agrees with the USG perspective on the formal 5 
plus 2 talks and the need to watch the Moldova April 
elections. 
Thompson-Jones