US embassy cable - 04BRUSSELS1623

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 001623 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, EAID, BO, EUN, USEU BRUSSELS 
SUBJECT: EU REACTION TO POTENTIAL POSITIVE STEPS FOR BELARUS 
 
REF: A) STATE 82809 B) MINSK 476 
 
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Kyle Scott.  Reason: 1.4 (B 
)(D) 
 
1. (C) Mission passed ref a points April 15 to Carl Hartzell, 
East Europe and Caucasus specialist of the Council's Policy 
Unit.  Hartzell reviewed them briefly, and said they seemed 
reasonable, and in fact went further than the EU was thinking 
at this time.  The EU was also looking at steps to increase 
dialogue in response to positive steps by Belarus, but would 
likely limit them to expert meetings and perhaps a Political 
Director troika at most. 
 
2. (C) Hartzell said the Council had held a review of its 
policy toward Belarus following the US-EU joint demarche to 
confirm that there was no need to change their policy.  This 
was a tactical decision, since it was possible that 
enlargement could lead to pressures by countries bordering on 
Belarus to adjust the policy.  The review, however, had 
reconfirmed the EU's current approach, adopted originally in 
1997.  He said the Council was looking at ways that EU funds 
could be used to help civil society, but admitted that EU 
mechanisms (such as TASIS funding) were not very nimble for 
this purpose, as they required approval by the government. 
 
Schnabel