US embassy cable - 05BRUSSELS1241

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 BRUSSELS 001241 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, PGOV, ETRD, EAID, EUN, USEU BRUSSELS 
SUBJECT: WHA DAS SHAPIRO DISCUSSES LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN 
WITH EU 
 
REF: A. A) LUXEMBOURG 262 
 
     B. B) USEU TODAY 03/18/05 
     C. C) BRUSSELS 555 
     D. D) BRUSSELS 837 
     E. E) BRUSSELS 1129 
 
Classified By: USEU POLOFF TODD HUIZINGA, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
 1. (C) SUMMARY: In March 14 meetings with WHA DAS Charles 
Shapiro, EU officials said: 
 
-- the EU would increase contacts with the Cuban opposition; 
the European Parliament might be interested in holding a 
public hearing with Cuban dissidents; 
 
-- the EU would send a fact-finding mission to Haiti in June, 
and make 72 million euros of assistance funds available to 
the new Haitian government when it takes office early next 
year; 
 
-- the EU is happy with the outcome of the Cartagena 
conference in support of Colombia and is watching closely 
Colombian efforts to pass a law on demobilization of 
paramilitaries; 
 
-- the EU is uncertain on how to approach Venezuelan 
President Chavez in light of his popularity and oil 
resources, and is leaning toward a &critical engagement8 
approach that seeks, with help from Brazil and some EU 
members such as Spain and France, to channel Chavez toward 
working &more constructively8 with others in the region; 
 
-- the EU supports the idea of a Constitutional Assembly to 
rewrite Bolivia's constitution; also, the GOB has approached 
the European Commission to do a study on coca cultivation; 
 
-- the EU will discuss supporting U.S. efforts to achieve 
destruction of all man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) 
in Nicaragua; 
 
-- progress on the EU,s planned trade and association 
agreements with the Andean Community and Mercosur is slow 
because of lack of regional economic integration among the 
organizations, members.  END SUMMARY. 
 
------------ 
Participants 
------------ 
 
2. (U) On March 14, the EU hosted WHA DAS Charles Shapiro for 
the biannual U.S.-EU "COLAT" consultations on Latin America 
and the Caribbean.  Shapiro also had meetings with two 
members of the European Parliament (MEPs), Charles Tannock 
(UK) and Jan Zahradil (Czech Republic), and with Tomas Dupla 
del Moral, European Commission Director for Latin American 
Affairs, and members of his staff.  The following 
participated in the COLAT consultations: 
 
EU Delegation 
------------- 
 
Luxembourg (current EU Presidency): 
 
Jean Graff, Ambassador in Charge of Latin America and 
Caribbean 
Jean Claude Kugener, Deputy Chief of Latin America/Caribbean 
Department, MFA 
Gabriel Baptista, Charge de Mission, Latin America/Caribbean 
 
United Kingdom (successor to Luxembourg in EU Presidency): 
 
Steve Williams, Head of Latin America/Caribbean Department, 
FCO 
 
European Commission: 
 
Marie-Anne Coninsx, Head of Latin American Regional Affairs 
Unit, Directorate-General for External Relations (RELEX) 
Laurence Argimon-Pistre, Head of Mercosur and Chile Unit, 
RELEX 
John Caloghirou, Head of Caribbean Affairs Unit, 
Directorate-General for Development (DGDEV) 
Rafael Gelabert, Desk Officer for Political Coordination, 
Latin American Regional Affairs Unit, RELEX 
Rafael Senan Llarena, Cuba Desk Officer, DGDEV 
 
EU Council Secretariat: 
 
Karl Buck, Head of Latin America Division 
Dusan Chrenek, Latin America Desk Officer, Policy Unit 
 
U.S. delegation 
--------------- 
 
Charles Shapiro, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of 
Western Hemisphere Affairs 
Todd Huizinga, Political Officer, USEU Brussels 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
CUBA: EU PROMISES MORE CONTACT WITH OPPOSITION 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
3. (C) Jean Graff, the Head of the EU Working Group on Latin 
America and the Caribbean (COLAT), said the EU had suspended 
its June 2003 restrictive measures against Cuba in order to 
regain access to Cuban officials and thus be able to push 
them on human rights (see REF C).  Most important in the EU's 
new approach, said Graff, was that contacts with the 
opposition would be "multilateralized;" the EU would now 
engage -- at the multilateral, EU level -- in regular and 
intensive contacts with the opposition in Havana.  Without 
going into specifics, Graff maintained that the Cubans would 
need to take significant steps on human rights in order for 
the EU and Cuba to achieve a lasting constructive dialogue. 
On the review of the temporary suspension of the restrictive 
measures, set for June or July, Graff suggested the EU would 
welcome the release of those remaining in jail since March 
2003 crackdown.  Graff said the EU would support the U.S. 
resolution on Cuba at this year's UNCHR in Geneva.  (NOTE: 
Subsequent developments reveal that EU deliberations on this 
are still underway (REF A).  END NOTE.) 
 
4. (C) In a separate meeting Shapiro briefed two members of 
the European Parliament (MEPs) on the March 3 Cuba hearing of 
the House International Relations Committee (HIRC), at which 
three members of the Cuban opposition testified from Havana 
by phone.  The MEPs (Charles Tannock of the UK and Jan 
Zahradil of the Czech Republic, both members of the Christian 
Democrat/Conservative Group) said they might be able to drum 
up interest in the European Parliament (EP) in holding a 
similar hearing. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
HAITI: EU TO SUPPORT ELECTIONS, NEW GOVERNMENT 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
5. (C) European Commission (EC) Caribbean Affairs Chief John 
Caloghirou said the EU would participate in observation of 
the elections in Haiti in the fall.  He said the EC had 
dedicated 10 million euros to election support, not including 
the observation mission.  In June, the EU would send a 
fact-finding mission to Haiti to assess needs.  Currently, 
said Caloghirou, the EC had 145 million euros dedicated to 
Haiti, and was looking for ways to limit tendering times in 
order to put the money to work more quickly.  Caloghirou 
stressed that the Commission would "scrape the bottom of the 
drawer" for more funds, but additional assistance would 
nevertheless not amount to much.  Under the 9th European 
Development Fund (EDF), 72 million euros were in the process 
of being programmed.  This money would be available to the 
new Haitian government when it takes office in early 2006. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
COLOMBIA: EU WATCHING FOR DEMOBILIZATION LAW 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
6. (C) Graff said the EU was pleased with the results of the 
February Cartagena conference on Colombia, especially with 
the role of the U.S. and the EU in getting the Cartagena 
Declaration adopted.  On possible EU support for the peace 
process, Graff said the EU would not be directly involved for 
now but was closely following efforts to get a law on 
demobilization of the paramilitaries passed by summer.  On 
human rights, Graff said the recent report of the UN High 
Commissioner for Human Rights was the EU's tool for tracking 
human rights and working on the issue with the GOC.  Graff 
said he looked forward to getting a balanced statement on 
Colombia at the CHR in Geneva, based on the High 
Commissioner's report and on a fair hearing of the GOC's 
views.  Coninsx said that, on the whole, the EU relationship 
with Colombia was based on solidarity with the GOC, as 
expressed primarily through trade and aid (REF E).  In a 
separate meeting Tomas Dupla del Moral, European Commission 
(RELEX) Director for Latin America, said he would talk to the 
GOC soon about future EC assistance priorities.  He said the 
peace laboratories and promoting regional integration via the 
Andean Community would remain front and center.  The EC might 
also explore programs for IDPs in cooperation with Colombian 
cities. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
VENEZUELA: EU'S "CRITICAL ENGAGEMENT" APPROACH 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
7. (C) EU interlocutors shared USG disquiet about Venezuelan 
President Chavez' increasing authoritarianism and regional 
troublemaking, but the level of their concern was lower. 
Williams described the EU approach to Venezuela as "critical 
engagement."  Dupla del Moral said that, with Chavez' 
popularity and his oil money, the EU was hard pressed to find 
any leverage to influence his behavior.  Dupla del Moral said 
he was thinking about how to use Brazil's weight to encourage 
Chavez to play a more constructive regional role -- in 
Bolivia, for example, where Chavez exerts influence over the 
cocalero leader Evo Morales.  In addition, the EC is working 
with Venezuelan NGOs;  Dupla del Moral reported that 
Venezuela had been selected for a new one-million-euro 
program on institutional strengthening of NGOs.  Finally, 
Dupla del Moral added that Chavez was receptive to some EU 
member states, such as Spain and France, partially because of 
the large number of immigrants of European origin in 
Venezuela. 
 
8. (C) Graff and Williams said Colombia had not raised 
concerns to the EU about Venezuelan arms acquisitions (REF 
D).  Williams said the EU did not see grounds for formal 
intervention with Venezuela regarding GOV acquisition of 
Russian AK-47s.  He said Venezuela's intended use for these 
weapons -- to supply reservists patrolling the 
Venezuela/Colombia border  -- would improve stability. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
EU SUPPORTS CONSTITUTIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR BOLIVIA 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
9. (C) Shapiro and his EU interlocutors agreed on the 
importance of supporting President Carlos Mesa in a situation 
that remained precarious, but disagreed on the wisdom of 
holding a Constitutional Assembly.  Coninsx said that, in 
addition to alternative and regional development, EC aid to 
Bolivia would concentrate on helping to get a Constitutional 
Assembly up and running.  Dupla del Moral maintained that 
some kind of assembly was necessary in order to reach a modus 
vivendi among the diversity of interests -- otherwise, he 
said, the country would split apart.  On development 
assistance to Bolivia, Dupla del Moral said both the Bolivia 
Support Group concentrating on the fiscal crisis and the 
Bolivia Consultative Group with its focus on poverty 
reduction had key roles to play; most important, though, was 
to get regional actors such as the Andean Community more 
involved. 
 
--------------------------------- 
EC ON POSSIBLE COCA GROWING STUDY 
--------------------------------- 
 
10. (C) Dupla de Moral reported that the GOB had approached 
the EC for help in carrying out a study reevaluating how much 
coca should be harvested legally in Bolivia.  He said the EC 
could see the merits of such a study, but was wary of 
possible political repercussions if the study finds that the 
amount of legal coca cultivation should be increased.  He 
said the EC might participate in the study under three 
conditions:  (1) if an institution seen by all parties as 
impartial could take the lead; (2) if the choice of 
institution were certified by the EU and the UNODC; and (3) 
if the USG would state that it does not object to EC 
involvement.  Shapiro said he would consult within the USG on 
the issue. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
NICARAGUA: EU MIGHT SUPPORT MANPADS DESTRUCTION 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
11. (C) Shapiro raised U.S. commitment to destruction of all 
man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) in Nicaragua, and 
solicited political support from the EU.  Graff said he 
thought it likely that the EU would support such an effort, 
and said he would raise the issue in the EU Working Group on 
Latin America (COLAT).  Meeting participants discussed ways 
the EU could support the effort, including by having a 
representative of the EU Presidency in Managua raise it with 
the GON, organizing a joint EU demarche and approaching the 
Nicaraguan Congress.  Shapiro said he would see about passing 
further information on MANPADS to the EU. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
TRADE, ASSOCIATION NEGOTIATIONS MOVING SLOWLY 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
12. (C) Our EU interlocutors reported that progress on the 
EU,s planned trade and association agreements with the 
Andean Community (CAN) and Mercosur is slow because of lack 
of regional economic integration among the organizations, 
members.  Coninsx discussed state of play of negotiations 
toward an EU-CAN Association Agreement, which would include 
an FTA.  She said an assessment of the extent of economic 
integration in the CAN was underway, and the assessment 
working group planned to finish its report by the end of the 
year.  As of now, an EU-CAN FTA remained a long way off 
because of the region's lack of economic integration.  Thus, 
the question of when to begin negotiations would depend on 
the results of the assessment. 
 
13. (C) Argimon-Pistre reported on negotiations toward an 
EU-Mercosur Regional Association Agreement.  She said 
negotiations that had broken down in October 2004 would be 
restarted in the coming weeks on the basis the previous best 
offers of both sides.  The EU's objectives for the agreement 
are very ambitious, including cooperation on the environment, 
nonproliferation, information society, and research.  The EU 
wants the trade part of the agreement to include the same 
"full basket" of issues that the U.S. wants for the FTAA -- 
including intellectual property rights, services and 
government procurement.  Just as in the case of the EU-CAN 
agreement (para 12), lack of regional economic integration in 
Mercosur is a major obstacle, said Argimon-Pistre; the EU 
wants the same kind of free movement of EU goods and services 
within Mercosur that is available for Mercosur products 
within the EU. 
 
MCKINLEY 
.