US embassy cable - 04MADRID4179

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MADRID 004179 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2014 
TAGS: PREL, SP, EUN 
SUBJECT: PRE-GAERC DEMARCHE, NOV 2:  IRAQ, IRAN, MEPP, 
RUSSIA, SUDAN, SOMALIA, UKRAINE, KOSOVO, NORTH CYPRUS 
 
REF: A. STATE 228399 
 
     B. STATE 230353 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Kathleen Fitzpatrick for reasons 1.4 
 (b) and (d). 
 
 1.  (C)  SUMMARY.  Poloff discussed Iraq, Iran, the Middle 
East Peace Process, Russia, Sudan, Somalia, Ukraine, Kosovo, 
and North Cyprus with Enrique Mora Benavente, MFA Head of EU 
Planning, on October 26 and October 28.  Mora Benavente said 
that EU police training in Iraq would take place after 
January elections, most likely in Amman.  EU member states 
are awaiting the results of further negotiations with Iran 
before recommending UN Security Council action.  The EU 
continues to be focused on improving the security situation 
with the Palestinians in order to help the Middle East peace 
process.  Mora Benavente does not expect much progress in 
EU-Russian relations at the bilateral summit at the Hague. 
The EU will support Sudan financially and logistically, and 
welcomes the restarting of the Abuja peace process.  The EU 
supports efforts of new Somali president Abdullahi Yusuf, but 
Spanish officials are not optimistic that he will succeed. 
Spain shares U.S. concerns about the fairness of Ukrainian 
elections, but the EU is unlikely to make a statement prior 
to the elections.  The EU shares U.S. views over recent 
Kosovo elections.  The next GAERC meetings on November 22 
will approve two regulations to North Cyprus, although the 
regulation concerning trade with North Cyprus will likely 
need to be amended. END SUMMARY 
 
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IRAQ 
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2.  (C)  Mora Benavente said that police training and 
assistance would take place after the Iraqi elections in 
January.  In a best case scenario the training would take 
place in Baghdad or Basra, but depending on the security 
situation, training will more likely take place in Amman. 
When Mora Benavente was presented with the updated talking 
point about the Iraqi Interim Government recommending that as 
much training as possible take place in Iraq, Mora Benavente 
said that this was still possible, but that there is stronger 
support within the EU to hold the training outside of Iraq. 
The planning team will work within the European Security and 
Defense Policy framework, similar to the framework used in 
Bosnia. 
 
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IRAN 
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3.  (C)  Javier Solana, the EU High Representative for the 
Common Foreign and Security Policy, met with political 
representatives from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and 
Iran in Vienna October 27 concerning trying to secure Iran's 
agreement to suspend indefinitely all nuclear enrichment 
activity.  Discussions will continue over the weekend.  If 
Iran has not suspended its enrichment activities before the 
November 25-26 IAEA Board of Governors meetings, the Board of 
Governors should tell the UNSC that Iran is non-compliant 
with the Non-Proliferation Treaty.  If Iran agrees to abandon 
its enrichment activities, the EU would recommend no further 
Security Council action against Iran, and the EU would offer 
to start trade cooperation negotiations. 
 
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MIDDLE EAST PEACE 
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4.  (C)  Mora Benavente agreed with reftel talking points, 
but said that EU policy on the Israeli-Palestinian dispute is 
definitely not U.S. policy.  The EU is focused on improving 
the security situation with the Palestinians.  In expressing 
a personal view, Mora Benavente said that Sharon's objectives 
have nothing to do with reality. 
 
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RUSSIA 
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5.  (C)  Mora Benavente does not expect any big advances in 
the four areas of bilateral relations--external security, 
energy, justice / domestic affairs, and economic 
cooperation--between the EU and Russia during the EU-Russia 
Summit at the Hague.  He sees two major stumbling blocks to 
increased cooperation.  First, Russia has been backtracking 
on human rights and its respect for democracy; and second, EU 
efforts at cooperation and engagement in the states of the 
former Soviet Union are not accepted by the Russians. 
 
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SUDAN 
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6.  (C)  The EU will support Sudan financially, logistically, 
and with people, although the AU does not want non-African 
troops on the ground.  Spain is planning on sending 7-8 
planners.  Spain will continue to provide financial and 
humanitarian aid to the victims in Sudan.  Spain welcomes the 
restarting the Abuja peace process and hopes for quick 
results. 
 
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SOMALIA 
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7.  (C)  Spain welcomes the election of Abdullahi Yusuf as 
president of Somalia.  The EU will support the transitional 
government, but at this time they do not know of Yusuf's 
intentions; therefore, financial support is unlikely. 
Spanish officials are not very optimistic that Yusuf will 
succeed. 
 
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UKRAINE 
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8.  (C)  Spain and the EU share U.S. concerns about the 
fairness of the Ukrainian elections.  Mora Benavente wondered 
how an election could be fair when the press is controlled by 
the government's candidate and a foreign head of state, 
Russia's Vladimir Putin, campaigned for Viktor Yanukovych, 
incumbent Leonid Kuchma's designates successor, for three 
days.  Mora Benavente said that there would be discussions of 
the Ukrainian elections among EU member states, but that an 
EU statement condemning the election process before the 
election could be counterproductive, as the government could 
use a statement as an election issue to condemn foreign 
meddling in the process. 
 
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KOSOVO 
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9.  (C)  Mora Benavente said that the elections in Kosovo 
were free and fair, but the low Serb turnout was 
disappointing.  The most urgent priority in Kosovo is to 
convene parliament and form a government.  Security for 
minority communities and the rebuilding of houses lost in 
riots should be priorities of the new autonomous authorities. 
 The EU also supports the efforts of Special Representative 
of the Secretary General (SRSG) Soren Jessen-Petersen to 
transfer additional non-sovereign competencies to the 
Provisional Institutions of Self Government (PISG) to build 
capacity and help them meet standards.  Mora Benavente added 
that the EU is heavily invested in Kosovo, and has so far 
seen few results.  He said that the EU currently has no 
position on the Eide Report. 
 
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NORTH CYPRUS 
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10.  (C)  Mora Benavente said that the next General Affairs 
Council on November 22 will approve two regulations relating 
to North Cyprus.  There will be no problems approving the 
direct aid regulation for North Cyprus.  The companion 
regulation advocating increased trade and economic 
cooperation with North Cyprus will likely face difficulties 
being approved and will need to be amended to reach unanimity 
among the EU.  Direct trade with North Cyprus is dependent on 
sovereignty issues found in Cyprus' EU accession treaty and 
therefore needs unanimity among all EU states. 
MANZANARES