VZCZCXRO9179
PP RUEHAG RUEHPA RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR
DE RUEHBS #0200/01 0530621
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 220621Z FEB 10
FM USEU BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHRY/AMEMBASSY CONAKRY PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY
RUEHDS/USMISSION ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 000200 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
AF FOR CAZEAU, MCCARTY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/19/2025 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC EUN GV XA XY EAID
SUBJECT: EUROPEAN COMMISSION CONSIDERING SUPPORT TO GUINEAN 
SECURITY SECTOR 
 
REF: SECSTATE 12971 
 
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Christopher Davis for reaso 
ns 1.4(b) and (d). 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary:  The European Commission's 
Directorate-General for Development is considering providing 
support to Guinean judicial and security sector reform 
(JSSR).  The Commission's development aid to Guinea has been 
largely suspended since September, but a Commission 
delegation will travel to Conakry in early March to evaluate 
the situation and consider expanding development cooperation. 
 In the meantime, the Commission is already considering areas 
where it could contribute quickly, including JSSR, support 
for mediation efforts and elections, and programs for 
macroeconomic development.  The Commission's desk officer for 
Guinea, Marc Boucey, responded positively to reftel demarche 
points, agreeing that it is important for international 
donors to coordinate their activities early on.  He said the 
Commission wants to send an expert to participate in the 
UN/ECOWAS assessment mission, probably in April at the 
earliest, but that ECOWAS had not invited such participation. 
 The Commission is looking for the assessment to provide some 
guidance for future JSSR programs.  Boucey said the ideal 
time for a donors' meeting would be late March, after the 
Commission delegation returns from Conakry.  Unlike the 
Commission, EU member states are not considering JSSR in 
Guinea at the European level.  End Summary. 
 
------------------------------ 
COMMISSION WANTS TO CONTRIBUTE 
------------------------------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  On February 19, PolOffs delivered reftel demarche 
to Marc Boucey, desk officer for Guinea in the European 
Commission's Directorate-General for Development.  Boucey 
said that while the Commission has scaled back its 
development cooperation with Guinea since the September 28 
massacre, recent developments have led the Commission to 
consider new initiatives, including support to JSSR.  Boucey 
said the challenge would be twofold: identifying what 
projects could be undertaken in the short term, and 
mobilizing funds from the Commission's various development 
instruments.  Boucey said the Commission is unsure of what 
JSSR in Guinea will entail, and is looking to the UN/ECOWAS 
assessment mission to provide detailed proposals.  For that 
reason, the Commission would like to send an expert to 
participate in the mission, probably in April at the 
earliest.  Boucey noted, however, that ECOWAS has not invited 
the Commission's participation. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  The Commission will send a delegation to Conakry 
in early March to evaluate the situation and consider 
expanding development cooperation under Article 96 of the 
Cotonou Agreement.  When that delegation returns, the 
Commission will be in a better position to contribute 
meaningfully to a donors' meeting.  Boucey was not in a 
position to confirm whether the Commission could host such a 
meeting, but USEU suspects they would consider hosting if 
approached again at a higher level. 
 
¶4.  (C)  Boucey opined that while interim Guinean leader 
Sekouba Konate appears open to military reform, he will 
probably be more resistant to meaningful justice reform. 
Notably, Konate has included men implicated in the September 
28 massacre in his cabinet.  Boucey argued, however, that if 
the international community bands together and presses 
consistently for reform -- using both carrots and sticks -- 
donors could make some progress. 
 
-------------------------- 
OTHER ACTORS LESS INVOLVED 
-------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (C)  On the other hand, EU member state representatives 
suggested that coordinated action at the EU level, such as 
the launch of a full-fledged security sector reform (SSR) 
mission, is unlikely.  Eva Martinez Sanchez (protect), who 
chairs the EU's working group on Africa, admitted to PolOff 
that whereas member states spend a lot of time discussing 
Zimbabwe, Somalia, and the DRC in the working group, West 
 
BRUSSELS 00000200  002 OF 002 
 
 
Africa is "an orphan" in EU discussions.  Member states such 
as France have historical ties and national interests in 
Guinea, but most member states simply are not interested in 
Guinean affairs.  Martinez said that even if member states 
were to consider SSR initiatives, they probably would not do 
so until after successful elections.  France's counselor for 
African issues, Franck Paris, made similar points in a 
separate conversation.  He said member states are more likely 
to discuss governance and elections than SSR at this point. 
He also acknowledged that most member states, led by the UK 
and the Netherlands, would be skeptical of SSR efforts on a 
European level. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶6.  (C)  We will probably find a willing and able partner in 
the European Commission.  Although Commission representatives 
have not yet decided what development funds to access for 
JSSR in Guinea, there are many from which to choose. 
Short-term (18 months or less) security projects can be 
funded from the Commission's Instrument for Stability, while 
the regional development fund can support longer term 
initiatives.  Often, the Commission can disperse its funds 
without extensive consultation with member states, so it may 
be a more nimble actor.  On the other hand, the Commission 
cannot launch a boots-on-the-ground SSR mission. 
 
MURRAY 
.