US embassy cable - 05BRUSSELS1628

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BRUSSELS 001628 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR S/I, NEA/I AND EUR/ERA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/26/2015 
TAGS: PREL, EFIN, IZ, EUN, USEU BRUSSELS 
SUBJECT: US-EU CONFERENCE ON IRAQ:  VISIT OF S/I AMBASSADOR 
JONES TO BRUSSELS 
 
Classified By: USEU POLOFF LEE LITZENBERGER; REASON 1.5 (B,D) 
 
1.  (C) Summary.  On April 21, Senior Advisor and Coordinator 
for Iraq Policy Ambassador Richard Jones met with a wide 
range of EU officials from the Luxembourg Presidency, the 
Commission and the Council to consult on planning for the 
U.S.-EU co-hosted International Conference on Iraq in June. 
The U.S. and EU reached notional agreement to hold a one-day 
ministerial in June, preceded by senior officials discussion, 
and a small planning group dinner the day before.  Consensus 
was reached to plan through a small group (U.S., EU, Iraq, 
Japan, Egypt and UN).  The EU foresees 50-60 invitees; the 
U.S. view is more expansive, and the sides agreed to compare 
proposed lists of invitees on April 26, when Ambassador Jones 
returns to Brussels.  Both sides also agreed to try to 
finalize on the 26th the dates for the conference, with 
Luxembourg preferring the week of June 27, and the U.S. 
favoring June 22.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (C)  On April 21, Senior Advisor and Coordinator for Iraq 
Policy Ambassador Richard Jones held a series of meetings 
with EU officials to coordinate planning for the US-EU 
co-hosted international conference on Iraq in June. 
Ambassador Jones briefed the EU's 25 Ambassadors of the 
Political and Security Committee, met with Commission Deputy 
DG Michael Leigh and Middle East Director Christian Leffler, 
conducted a joint meeting with the Luxembourg EU Presidency, 
the Commission and the Council Secretariat, and met with 
resident Iraqi Ambassador al-Doreky.  Ambassador Jones was 
accompanied by Assistant Matt Fuller, EUR/ERA Deputy Director 
Karen Volker and USEU staff. 
 
Briefing PSC Ambassadors on Iraq 
---------------- 
3.  (C) Jones opened by thanking the PSC for inviting him to 
speak, provided a brief summary of his background on Iraq and 
his mandate from Secretary Rice to maintain the political 
momentum created by the January 30 elections in Iraq.  He 
explained the sequential process under way in forming an 
Iraqi government, noting that although it was time-consuming, 
this was both inevitable and, in the long run, desirable 
given the many domestic coalitions and interests with a 
political stake in Iraq's future.  He laid out the political 
transition timeline as set out in the TAL:  drafting the 
constitution by August 15, holding a referendum on it by 
October 15, and holding new elections under the new 
constitution by December 15, with a new government in place 
by the end of the year. 
 
4.  (C) Questions from PSC Ambassadors included an Austrian 
inquiry on plans for the US-EU conference on Iraq (Jones 
demurred, noting he would be meeting later in the day with 
the Presidency, Council and Commission to discuss this); a 
Polish appeal for the UN to have a key role in the 
conference; a request from Hungary on the regional 
implications of a Shiite majority government in Iraq; a 
question from Italy on Sunni attitudes on the government now 
being formed; a Spanish concern about prospects for building 
civil society, and an Irish question on Iran's role in Iraq. 
PSC Ambassadors appreciated Ambassador Jones' detailed 
responses, and Council Secretariat officials told USEU 
afterwards that they thought it was a very successful 
presentation and PSC Ambassadors were quite pleased. 
 
Commission:  Michael Leigh and Christian Leffler 
-------------- 
5.  (C)  Ambassador Jones outlined U.S. thinking on the 
conference, noting that the goal is to send a clear political 
signal to the Iraqi people, their new government, and the 
insurgents that the international community is united behind 
an inclusive, democratic transition in Iraq.  The U.S. was 
thinking the conference could be organized along the lines of 
UNSCR 1546, which focused on the political transition, 
economic reconstruction, and rule of law.  On participation, 
the 50-60 countries would be credible, but the U.S. also 
wanted representation from all the major regions -- Europe, 
Asia, L.America, N. Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, out of region 
Muslim states, etc. 
 
6. (C) Leigh replied that the EC saw the conference "pretty 
much eye to eye," and also wants to send the political signal 
of support for the transition, the new government and the 
constitutional drafting process.  He noted the EC's 
particular interest in institution building, rule of law, and 
reconstruction.  He thought the concept of a small group of 
conference planners, much like the Core Group which had 
worked well for donor coordination, would facilitate 
planning.  He agreed with the themes described by Ambassador 
Jones.  He asked about U.S. thinking on participants, noting 
the importance of inviting "meaningful" participants.  The 
EC, he said, did not think "universality" of participation 
was necessary. (Note:  In subsequent meetings, USEU saw 
briefly an EC list that totaled 60-62 invitees.  End Note.) 
 
7.  (C) Leffler said the EC did not want this to be a 
pledging conference like Madrid; rather the need was to get 
pledges made at Madrid implemented.  He agreed that debt 
rescheduling could be a good focus of the June conference. 
He thought it was important to use the conference to 
integrate Iraq in the international and regional community, 
and that we should press countries in the region to develop 
economic links to Iraq.  On the political side, Leffler said 
the EC wants the UN to have a prominent role, as a way "to 
kick it into gear" in Iraq.  Iraq desk officer Patricia 
Llombart noted that some member states want the conference to 
promote Iraqi reconciliation. 
 
Luxembourg/Commission/Council 
----------------- 
8.  (C)  Luxembourg PolDir Slyvie Lucas chaired the 2 1/2 
hour session devoted to conference planning.  The basic 
notion agreed is for a one-day ministerial, but with Senior 
Officials meeting the day before, and a Small Group dinner 
the evening before.  A Press Conference will follow at the 
end of the ministerial, with a Communique to be adopted.  A 
notional schedule for the conference was also discussed (see 
para 12 below.)  Other major issues discussed included: 
 
--DATES:  Lucas said June 22 was somewhat problematic, as 
Luxembourg is scheduled to make a report to the European 
Parliament on its Presidency that day.  She proposed June 
28/29 or 26/27, but indicated Luxembourg could accept the 
June 21/22 if necessary.  (Note. In a subsequent conversation 
with the Commission April 22, USEU was told the Commission 
favors June 22.  End Note.) 
 
--PARTICIPANTS:  The EU side anticipates inviting about 60 
countries and international organizations.  Their thinking is 
to invite Iraq, EU 25, Iraq's neighbors, P-5, G-8, Core Group 
members, UN, Arab League, OIC, and IFI's (WB, IMF). 
Ambassador Jones urged consideration be given to including 
representative countries from other regions, and not to turn 
down any country that expressed interest in attending.  He 
also mentioned the Coalition, NATO members, AU, OAS and ASEAN 
as potential invitees.  The sides agreed to each prepare 
lists of proposed invitees and compare them on April 26th, 
when Ambassador Jones returns to Brussels and will have a 
working dinner with the EU.  The EC offered to issue 
invitations, and suggested using the model of those issued 
for the Madrid donors' conference -- once Iraq has a 
government and has officially requested the conference. 
 
--VENUE:  On April 22, the Commission confirmed to USEU that 
the conference will be held in the Justus Lipsius building in 
Brussels, which is run by the Council Secretariat.  This is 
good news, in that it allows the Commission to focus on 
substance, letting the Council deal with the mechanics of the 
venue. 
 
--SMALL GROUP:  The US and EU agreed on small group 
composition as follows: 
 
US 
EU (Luxembourg Presidency, Commission, Council) 
Iraq (likely to be FM Zebari) 
Japan (US agreed to contact Japan and obtain POC name) 
Egypt (Ambassador Jones provided name of POC) 
UN (EC will contact NY for name of POC) 
 
--PREPARATORY MEETING:  Lucas told Ambassador Jones the EU 
preferred handling conference planning via Small Group 
conference calls, in order to avoid having to organize a 
face-face preparatory meeting (e.g. in Cairo).  Jones agreed 
to begin with conference calls, but kept open the possibility 
that a face-to-face meeting might be needed.  The EU agreed 
to this. 
 
--DEBT RELIEF:  Lucas said the EU supports having debt relief 
as one focus of the conference (especially regarding pressing 
Gulf states to make positive statements. 
 
Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner's Chef du Cabinet 
--------------- 
9.  (C)  Patrick Child, the Chef du Cabinet for 
Ferrero-Waldner urgently sought a brief meeting with 
Ambassador Jones, which took place after the meeting with 
Lucas.  Child wanted to express Ferrero-Waldner's strong 
support and commitment to a successful conference. 
Ambassador Jones briefed Child on his earlier discussions, 
and U.S. thinking about how to organize the conference. 
Child agreed with the framework proposed by Ambassador Jones 
and pledged full Commission support. 
 
Meeting with Iraqi Ambassador al-Doreky 
-------------------------- 
10.  (C)  Ambassador Jones briefed al-Doreky on U.S. thinking 
about the conference and his consultations with the EU 
earlier in the day.  Al-Doreky said he had earlier in the 
week discussed this with FM Zebari, who expressed strong 
support for the conference.  Al-Doreky noted the importance 
Iraq placed on ensuring Egyptian buy-in and strongly 
supported a preparatory Core Group meeting be held in Cairo 
in advance of the Conference.  Ambassador Jones noted EU 
hesitation on this point, and urged al-Doreky to raise the 
matter directly with the EU.  Al-Doreky said he would be 
meeting with Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner on April 25 and 
would do so.  He added that he thought Baghdad was focusing 
on the conference, and would issue the formal request for it 
"within days" of the formation of a government. 
 
Notional Proposal for the Conference on Iraq 
------------------------ 
12.  (SBU)  As generally discussed in the meeting with 
Luxembourg PolDir Lucas, here follows a notional schedule for 
the conference. 
 
Day 1 - Pre-Ministerial 
 
I.  Senior Officials Discussion Groups w/Iraqi Delegation 
 
-- Political Transition (Constitution, elections) 
-- Security/Rule of Law/Judicial Reform 
-- Economic Reconstruction/Job Creation 
 
II.  Small Group Dinner:  US, EU (EC, Luxembourg, 
Commission), Egypt, Japan, UN, Iraq 
 
Day 2 - Ministerial Conference 
 
0915-1015  Opening Plenary:  Brief Co-Chair (US and 
Luxembourg) Statements, invite Iraq delegation to present 
vision and priorities for 2005 
 
1015-1130  Theme:  Political Transition, co-chaired by UN 
(perhaps UNSYG Annan), and another country, TBD, inviting 
Iraqi delegation (perhaps from Parliament) to make a 
presentation. 
 
1130-1245  Theme:  Economic Reconstruction, co-chaired by 
European Commission (Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner) and 
another country, e.g. Japan, inviting Iraqi delegation (e.g. 
Min Planning) to make a presentation. 
 
1300-1445  Lunch:  Informal FM discussions of above themes; 
e.g. three or more separate tables, each focused on a theme, 
and each with US, EU and Iraqi participants.  Exact number of 
themes/tables dependent on composition of Iraqi delegation. 
 
1500-1615  Theme:  Security/Rule of Law, co-chaired by EU 
Council (Solana) and another country, perhaps Egypt 
 
1615-1700  Closing Plenary, adoption of Communique 
 
1700 Press Conference (Secretary Rice, Iraqi FM, Luxembourg 
FM Asselborn, EU HighRep Solana, EC Commissioner 
Ferrero-Waldner) 
 
End Text. 
 
13.  (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
 
14.  (U) This cable was cleared by Ambassador Jones. 
 
MCKINLEY 
 
 
.