US embassy cable - 04BRUSSELS2971

UNCLAS BRUSSELS 002971 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, EAID, IZ, EUN, USEU BRUSSELS 
SUBJECT: EU FMS' LUNCH DISCUSSION WITH IRAQI FM ZEBARI 
 
 
1. (U) Iraqi Foreign Minister Zebari had a lunch discussion 
with EU FMs during their July 12 General Affairs and External 
Council Relations meeting in Brussels.  As described by Dutch 
FM and GAERC Chair Bernard Bot, EU support for Iraq is 
"demand driven" and therefore today's lunch was an 
opportunity for FM Zebari to indicate areas in which the EU 
could make a contribution, mentioning such areas as 
reconstruction, humanitarian assistance, elections, and 
administrative capacity.  In the formal GAERC Conclusions, 
the EU agreed to launch a political dialogue with the IIG 
(Bot said a meeting at head of government level was likely in 
September in New York); "examine rapidly with the Iraqi 
Authorities and the UN the possible modalities of EU support 
for the preparation of elections"; send an exploratory EU 
mission on rule of law assistance to Iraq "if conditions 
permit"; enhance the representation of the EU "as 
circumstances permit"; "seek the views of the IIG on the 
possibility of an international meeting to support the 
transition"; and invite the Commission to look into 
application of trade preferences under GSP. 
 
2. (SBU) FM Zebari told the press he had asked the EU to 
provide more aid and do so more flexibly.  He also stressed 
the IIG's interest in the EU increasing its political 
visibility in Iraq, including via the opening of an EU office 
in Baghdad. According to Belgian FM Michel's background 
briefing to the press, External Relations Commissioner Patten 
told Zebari that the EC was already very flexible in how it 
has applied the EU's rules on assistance.  Michel also 
reported that Patten noted concern that public procurement 
rules needed to be respected in Iraq, and that these 
procurements rules should be set by the IIG, not the 
Coalition.  In response to FMs' queries about how Iraqi 
minorities would be involved in the political process, Michel 
said that Zebari replied by noting the role of the national 
conference in this issue, and asked the EU to help facilitate 
dialogue both among Iraqi factions and with neighboring 
states. 
 
3. (SBU) Several EU FMs are also reported to have raised 
concerns with Zebari about the restoration of the death 
penalty.  Zebari expressed his own personal distaste for 
capital punishment, but noted to EU ministers that under 
Saddam's regime there were over a hundred capital crimes, a 
number that would be reduced sharply by the new government. 
With the press, Zebari said he understood the EU's position, 
but that Iraq faces serious terrorist challenges, and the 
reality on the ground requires some tough decisions and 
actions to bring the security situation under control.  The 
issue was left unresolved, although may remain a point of 
discussion.  As Belgian FM Michel put it, "we (the EU) will 
help them, but they have to respect human rights." 
 
MCKINLEY