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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 BRUSSELS 000119 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2020 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM EAID AF MASS EUN BK SR SO YM
HA, IR, HU, CH 
SUBJECT: EU FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCIL, JANUARY - HAITI 
DOMINATES THE DISCUSSION 
 
REF: A. USEU BRUSSELS 00090 
     ¶B. USEU BRUSSELS 00088 
 
Classified By: USEU POL M-C Christopher Davis for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( 
d). 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary:  Meeting in Brussels on January 25, EU 
Foreign Ministers focused their attention on the situation in 
Haiti and discussed how the EU could better support 
international community relief efforts taking place there. 
Following an overview of Spanish presidency priorities, 
discussions in the General Affairs Council (GAC) chaired by 
Spanish FM Moratinos centered on the role of the body under 
the Lisbon Treaty.  Led by High Representative Ashton for the 
first time, the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) engaged 
primarily in Haiti-related discussions following readouts 
from both HR Ashton and Development Commissioner de Gucht's 
recent travels.  Ministers agreed to stand up a 
Brussels-based coordination cell to assist UN efforts and to 
increase Gendarmerie force levels in Haiti to 300 personnel. 
Concerning the EU's military operation in Bosnia, Ministers 
agreed to maintain its executive mandate with a view to 
expanding the role of the mission to include non-executive 
functions such as training.  During the January 26 EU-Serbia 
political dialogue, Serbia was told not to expect its EU 
membership application to be referred soon to the European 
Commission.  Asked at the concluding press conference to 
comment on remarks by the Spanish ambassador in Beijing about 
the status of the EU's China arms embargo, Moratinos said 
that Ministers were debating possible changes, citin@ouncil Conclusions.  End `airs Council 
---------tinos 
noted (FAC) centered on Haiti.  The 
Council discussed the cordination of the EU's overall 
response to thQ earthquake in Haiti.  Following on its 
extraordinary meeting of January 18, it agreed that Member 
States would provide a collective EU contribution of at least 
300 police personnel as a temporary reinforcement of the U.N. 
Stabilization Mission in Haiti's (MINUSTAH) police capability 
(ref A).  In addition, the Council agreed to set up a cell - 
EUCO Haiti - in Brussels to coordinate Member State military 
and security support contributions in response to the UN's 
appeal for such assistance.  The purpose of the cell will be 
to match contributions to needs and maximize the speed and 
efficiency of the EU's response, avoiding duplication.  EUCO 
Haiti will complement the coordination of the Member States' 
civil protection contributions by the Commission Monitoring 
and Information Center (MIC). 
 
¶4.  (U) During the post-Council press conference, Ashton said 
that the purpose of the day's discussions had been to 
"further reinforce our contribution."  She noted that she had 
just returned from Washington and New York where she had 
 
BRUSSELS 00000119  002 OF 005 
 
 
meetings with Secretary Clinton, at the UN, and the World 
Bank.  She announced that Member States had agreed to 
"provide engineering expertise and equipment."  Ashton noted 
that "maritime capabilities" would also be provided, but 
shared no details.  Concerning police officers, she reported 
a "collective contribution to "reinforce police capabilities 
(to ensure security for the relief effort) of at least 300." 
Ashton said that ministers had also agreed to her proposal to 
set up a "light coordination cell in Brussels" to "facilitate 
our contribution to the UN."  She said she had briefed the 
Council about all aspects of her meetings and that the 
Council had invited her to continue playing a role. 
¶5.  (SBU) After Ashton listed EU contributions (Note: fact 
sheet e-mailed to EUR/ERA), Development Commissioner Karel de 
Gucht reported on the recent fact-finding visit he made to 
Haiti with the Directors General of DG Development and DG 
Humanitarian Aid.  De Gucht said they sought information on 
how to proceed with rehabilitation, noting that he was 
positively impressed at the organization of the international 
community there.  De Gucht reported being struck that 
surgeons and nurses were working day and night in 
circumstances akin to war. (NOTE: De Gucht, a Belgian, may 
have had in mind the controversy, played up on CNN, over a 
Belgian medical team leaving a makeshift clinic in 
Port-au-Prince one night for security reasons.  END NOTE)  De 
Gucht put at over 150,000 the number of people seriously 
injured and said that the distribution of water and food was 
functioning, although not always smoothly. 
 
¶6.  (U) With 250,000 people currently living in parks and 
outdoor places, de Gucht said the next urgent problem was 
setting up more camps. With state structures "practically 
disappeared," de Gucht stressed the importance of MINUSTAH, 
despite its own losses during the quake.  He put at years the 
reconstruction effort.   He said that at the January 25 
Montreal Conference (later that same day) the EU would be 
"very closely involved" in reconstruction planning. 
 
¶7.  (U) Asked why she had asked French FM Kouchner to speak 
on her behalf in Montreal (vice the Spanish presidency), HR 
Ashton answered that she and FM Moratinos had to be in 
Brussels for the GAC/FAC, so asking Kouchner made sense since 
he was already going to be there, without taking anything 
away from the Spanish presidency.  Asked if the 300 police 
officers were above the 220 already there, Ashton said "the 
overall capacity is 300 as I understand it."  Asked about 
adoptions, Ashton said we must "support children 
appropriately."  Asked why the coordination cell would be 
located in Brussels and not on the ground in Haiti, Ashton 
said that there would also be coordination on the ground. 
Concerning questions as to whether she could have done 
better, Ashton replied "I've been on the job six weeks, we 
will look at lessons learned, and I will come forward with 
proposals." 
 
Foreign Affairs Council - Other Issues 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (U) Bosnia - The Council decided that the EU would begin 
to provide non-executive capacity building and training 
support within EUFOR Operation ALTHEA in Bosnia.  It agreed 
that EUFOR's executive mandate would continue in accordance 
with UNSCR 1895 and it underlined its readiness to maintain 
an executive military role to support these efforts beyond 
2010 - under a UN mandate - should the situation so require. 
Drawing from the FAC's written conclusions, Ashton called 
ALTHEA a "major success."  When pressed about the mission's 
future, Ashton said "our conclusions were not about the 
future of Bosnia, but we are very clear that Bosnia is one 
country with different communities and we hope that part of 
the election campaign will be about their path to the EU - we 
need to think beyond the elections." 
 
¶9.  (U) Somalia - The Council agreed to set up a Common 
Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) operation to contribute to 
the training of the Transitional Federal Government's (TFG) 
National Security Forces in Uganda.  The intent is to launch 
the operation, which will take place in Uganda, with the next 
intake of trainees, scheduled to start in spring 2010 (ref 
 
BRUSSELS 00000119  003 OF 005 
 
 
B).  Ashton confirmed the agreement to set up the training 
mission in Uganda, telling the press that it was requested by 
the Somali transitional government.  She added that Ministers 
remained very concerned about the situation in Somalia and 
would carefully assess it before launching the operation. 
 
¶10.  (U) Yemen -  Concerning the January 27 London meeting, 
Ashton said, "We want to listen to the government of Yemen to 
see how we can do more in terms of aid, but the government of 
Yemen needs to do more, too."  Yemen itself, she added, needs 
to have "a national dialogue."  Contacts in the German and 
Italian missions told us that the EU wants to focus more on 
development than on straightforward counter-terrorism or 
security operations, and wants to coordinate with the U.S. on 
Yemen policy. 
 
¶11.  (U) Afghanistan - Looking ahead to the January 28 London 
conference, Ashton told the press, "We want to talk to the 
government about Afghan ownership."  She further reported, 
"We are looking to see how we can bring resources on the 
ground more effectively - all things that help to create a 
society - this is an important moment in the debate in terms 
of what more we can do." 
 
¶12.  (U) Iran - Ashton said, "We continue to regret Iran's 
reluctance to discuss the nuclear issue, they did not respond 
favorably to our proposal, we have started to consider 
appropriate further measures, and the discussion will 
continue in the UNSC."  When pressed to say whether the EU 
and U.S. were headed towards sanctions even without consensus 
in the UNSC, Ashton said the international community has 
rules and "obligations within the rules."  She added that the 
Council would consider the result of discussions in the UN 
Security Council, not preempt them.  Pressed to say what kind 
of measure would be most effective and how long before the EU 
would consider unilateral action/measures, Ashton apologized 
for having to give a standard "wait and see" what happens in 
the UNSC; then "we will then return to the subject." 
 
EU-Serbia Political Dialogue 
---------------------------- 
 
¶13.  (C) On January 26, the EU held its first "political 
dialogue" (formerly known as Troika) meeting with Serbia 
since the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty.  At the 
meeting, chaired by FM Moratinos (per delegation of HR 
Ashton) and assisted by outgoing Enlargement Commissioner 
Rehn, we understand that Serbia was told not to expect the 
Council Secretariat to refer Serbia's EU membership 
application to the European Commission for its opinion any 
time soon, despite Serbian FM Jeremic's repeated insistence 
that this happen as soon as possible.  Serbia was told that 
as a prospective member, it was expected to mirror more 
closely the decisions of the EU in international bodies, and 
that recent Serbian votes in the OSCE related to human rights 
matters (where Serbia aligned itself with Russia) and on the 
Israel Nuclear Capabilities Resolution (where Serbia aligned 
itselpplication, Rehn said the Commission 
was ready to start work on its opinion, but Moratinos said 
the EU-27 were still holding internal consultations on the 
appropriate timing for the Council to transmit the Serbian 
application to the Commission for its opinion.  Pressed to 
elaborate on the timetable for the Council's decision, 
 
BRUSSELS 00000119  004 OF 005 
 
 
Moratinos only said: "We hope it will happen.  The sooner the 
better."  FM Moratinos added that the January 26 dialogue 
enabled the EU and Serbia to discuss "the constructive role 
that Serbia can play in the Western Balkans," with the main 
focus on Bosnia and Kosovo.  Moratinos also announced plans 
for holding an EU-Western Balkans Summit in Sarajevo at the 
end of May, at which Kosovo would, "of course," be 
represented. 
 
¶15.  (U) Jeremic said his country was "determined to match 
the success (in EU-Serbia relations) of 2009 in 2010."   The 
Serbian government would continue to do its part in 
"cooperating fully" with the ICTY.  Jeremic expressed hope 
that the process of ratification of the EU-Serbia 
Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) can start "as 
soon as possible."  He recognized the "critical significance" 
of regional cooperation in Western Balkans as "one of the key 
prerequisites for the process of integration into the EU," 
adding that the Serbian government was committed to "stay the 
course."  Regarding Kosovo, Jeremic said his government "can 
consult with whomever has a legal mandate."  It was 
"extremely important," he said, "that we work in 
consultation" with the EU, and Serbia would "stay 
constructive."  Jeremic said Serbia was hoping that "a 
compromise acceptable to all stakeholders will be found" 
regarding Kosovo, adding, "We hope the entire region can be 
integrated in the EU." 
 
China Arms Embargo - Unexpected Topic 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶16.  (U) While not a topic for discussion during the FAC or 
subsequent meetings, the EU's China arms embargo came up 
during the press point which followed the EU-Serbia dialogue. 
 Asked about press reports based on remarks by the Spanish 
Ambassador in Beijing (according to which Spain was hoping to 
"deepen  discussions on lifting the ban" currently applied on 
China by the EU), Moratinos began his reply by making general 
remarks on "the new role which China is assuming in the 
world," and the desirability "to improve relations with China 
to ensure the best possible dialogue."  He then referred to 
"the most recent decision" by the EU on the subject matter, 
which was "to review the decision on the arms embargo," 
adding, "We will be weighting the pros and cons." Moratinos 
further said that a decision on the lifting of the embargo 
was "subject to the will" of the EU-27 and that "it will be 
up to the Member states to decide on the best way forward." 
 
¶17.  (U)  The following is an excerpt from the December 2009 
European Council Conclusions: 
 
Begin text:  The European Council welcomed the results of the 
seventh EU-China Summit that took place in The Hague on 8 
December.  It invited the Council and the Commission to 
further explore the feasibility of a new EU-China framework 
agreement and possible cooperation on issues such as 
re-admission and market economy status.  The European Council 
confirmed that EU-China relations have developed 
significantly in all aspects in the past years. It is looking 
forward to further progress in all areas of this relationship 
as referred to in the EU-China Joint Statement, in particular 
the ratification of the International Covenant on civil and 
political rights. In this context the European Council 
reaffirmed the political will to continue to work towards 
lifting the arms embargo.  It invited the next Presidency to 
finalize the well-advanced work in order to allow for a 
decision.  It underlined that the result of any decision 
should not be an increase of arms exports from EU Member 
States to China, neither in quantitative nor qualitative 
terms.  In this regard the European Council recalled the 
importance of the criteria of the Code of Conduct on arms 
exports, in particular criteria regarding human rights, 
stability and security in the region and the national 
security of friendly and allied countries.  The European 
Council also stressed the importance in this context of the 
early adoption of the revised Code of Conduct and the new 
instrument on measures pertaining to arms exports to 
post-embargo countries ('Toolbox').  End text. 
 
 
BRUSSELS 00000119  005 OF 005 
 
 
¶18.  (SBU) USEU Note:  The EU arms embargo on China, which 
was established after the Tiananmen Square events of 1989, 
was imposed by decision of the European Council (read: the EU 
heads of state and government) and not by way of a CFSP 
Common Position, the legal basis for which did not exist at 
the time.  EU contacts privately told us at the time of the 
2004 debate on the possible lifting of the embargo that the 
original decision by the leaders could therefore only be 
amended by the leaders (meaning at the level of the European 
Council operating by consensus).  Any discussion with EU 
officials on the question of the China arms embargo will 
inevitably touch upon the issue, including the status and 
effectiveness of the EU code of conduct on arms exports, 
which has been revised since the 2004 debate.  The position 
of individual Member States can vary over time, depending on 
the political outlook of their leaders.  Germany under 
Chancellor Schroeder in tandem with then-President Chirac of 
France, pushed for the lifting of the embargo in 2004. 
Angela Merkel, by contrast, has resisted lifting the embargo. 
 
 
Other Meetings 
-------------- 
 
¶19.  (U) Ministerials with the Kazakh OSCE Presidency and a 
political dialogue with Cape Verde were also held in 
conjunction with the FAC. 
 
KENNARD 
.