US embassy cable - 04BRUSSELS5137

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 005137 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/ERA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PINR, EUN, USEU BRUSSELS 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON EP U.S. 
SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIR 
 
REF: BRUSSELS 5057 
 
Classified By: USEU POLOFF TODD HUIZINGA, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
 1. (C) SUMMARY:  On November 30, Ambassador Schnabel paid an 
introductory call on Jonathan Evans, the Chairman of the 
European Parliament (EP) Subcommittee on Relations with the 
U.S.  Evans suggested that an approach concentrating on the 
EU institutions in Brussels would be the most effective way 
for the U.S. to &mend fences8 with Europe.  Evans predicted 
that EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson would become the 
&transatlantic point man8 in the new European Commission. 
Under the right circumstances Evans, the leader of the UK 
Conservatives in the EP, could prove a capable U.S. 
Subcommittee Chairman.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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TARGET BRUSSELS TO MEND FENCES WITH EUROPE 
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2. (C) Evans, who was elected Chairman of the EP,s 
&Delegation for Relations with the United States8 in 
September, took the opportunity afforded by the Ambassador,s 
call to outline his take on the best way for the U.S. to 
&mend fences with Europe.8  He said the U.S. approach 
should concentrate on the EU institutions in Brussels. 
Stressing that he, as a UK Conservative, was neither a 
believer in further EU integration nor a &multilateralist as 
opposed to a bilateralist,8 Evans explained that major 
visits by U.S. officials to EU member-state capitals that did 
not include discussions in Brussels would be perceived, 
rightly or wrongly, as exclusionary of EU member states that 
were not part of the itinerary.  Making Brussels a priority 
would be perceived as including all of Europe and would 
strengthen the hand of the majority of EU member states that 
favor keeping good relations with the U.S. at the forefront 
of the EU agenda.  In that context, Evans lauded President 
Bush,s plan to visit Brussels early next year. 
 
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MANDELSON WANTS SPECIAL TRANSATLANTIC ROLE 
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3. (C) Evans said he had met with new EU Trade Commissioner 
Peter Mandelson soon after he had become the UK 
Commissioner-designate.  Evans said he and Mandelson had long 
enjoyed a mutually respectful personal acquaintance despite 
their political rivalry in the UK.  Echoing what Mandelson 
himself had told the Ambassador (reftel), Evans reported that 
Mandelson was adamant about his intention to be the Barroso 
Commission,s point person on transatlantic relations. 
Considering Mandelson,s political and tactical skills, Evans 
assessed Mandelson,s chances a &very good8 of wresting 
center stage regarding relations with the U.S. from External 
Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner.  Mandelson,s 
principal challenge, Evans predicted, would be avoiding being 
labeled as &Blair,s man in Brussels.8 
 
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BIO INFO ON EVANS 
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4. (C) Evans, 54, represents Wales in the European 
Parliament.  He has been an MEP since 1999 and leader of the 
UK Conservatives in the EP since 2001.  As EP Tory leader, 
Evans played a key role in the election of Jim Nicholson to 
the post of Chairman of the EP Subcommittee on the U.S. 
(Nicholson, an Ulster Unionist, is a member of the UK Tory 
group in the EP.)  Evans worked hard behind the scenes to 
become Nicholson,s successor before stepping down as EP Tory 
leader at the end of this year.  A lawyer by trade, Evans was 
an MP in the House of Commons from 1992-97.  From 1992-94 he 
served as parliamentary private secretary in the UK Northern 
Ireland Office, and he often refers to his experience during 
those years as one of the likely targets of IRA terrorism. 
From 1994-95 Evans was Corporate Affairs Minister in the UK 
Department of Trade and Industry.  In 1997, he was appointed 
Conservative spokesman for Wales.  Evans is intelligent and 
articulate.  He is a dedicated transatlanticist, but often is 
quite sensitive about what he believes are unfair U.S. 
attitudes toward Europe and Europeans.  He says, for example, 
that as a former target of IRA terrorism &largely funded by 
sources in the U.S.8 he resents &Republican accusations 
that Europeans are soft on terrorism.8  Also, in 
conversations with U.S. officials he has expressed 
exasperation about the contrast he perceives between UK Prime 
Minister Blair,s closeness to President Bush and his 
(Evans,) belief that UK Conservative leader Michael Howard 
has been &frozen out of the White House.8 
 
5. (C) COMMENT:  In Evans, the EP has found a U.S. Delegation 
Chairman who is capable, intelligent and ambitious.  Whether 
his chairmanship will yield positive results will depend both 
on how able he proves in overcoming constraints placed on him 
by less transatlantically minded committee members, and on 
our success in leveraging his position to get results when we 
engage the EP on issues of interest to us.  END COMMENT. 
 
MCKINLEY