VZCZCXRO7936
PP RUEHIK
DE RUEHRL #1544 3381429
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 041429Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5979
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS BERLIN 001544 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO NEA/IPA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAL PREL KWBG IS GM
SUBJECT: GERMANY TRACKS U.S. MESSAGE ON ISRAEL'S SETTLEMENT 
MORATORIUM 
 
REF: STATE 122214 
 
¶1.  (SBU) MFA Near East division deputy Sibylle Sorg told 
Poloff December 3 that the MFA agrees fully with reftel 
points on Israel's settlement moratorium.  She said that 
reftel points are helpful for the upcoming EU Foreign Affairs 
Council meeting which will have conclusions on the Middle 
East.  According to Sorg, the FAC aims to facilitate the 
current U.S. efforts between Israel and the Palestinians. 
She noted that FM Westerwelle had issued a statement after 
Israel's settlement moratorium announcement describing 
Israel's move as an "important first step" that "could bring 
movement into the settlement question."  She indicated 
Germany's concern about what she described as the exemption 
of East Jerusalem from Israel's announced moratorium. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) With regard to PA budget support, Sorg noted that 
Germany already provides about 20 percent of the EU's 353 
million euros of what she described as budget support plus 25 
million euros of bilateral support in fuel assistance.  She 
said that she would be providing a paper to Poloff listing 
the amounts and types of assistance that Germany is currently 
providing the PA.  Post will forward the paper directly to 
NEA/IPA upon receipt. 
MURPHY