US embassy cable - 05BRUSSELS2418

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 002418 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT OF INL/PC SCOT HARRIS; UNVIE FOR HOWARD SOLOMON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, KCRM, PREL, SNAR, EUN, USEU BRUSSELS 
SUBJECT: CENTRAL DUBLIN GROUP MEETING: JUNE 2005 
 
REF: BRUSSELS 082F3 
 
 1.  Summary.  During its June 21 meeting, the members of the 
Central Dublin Group (DG) reviewed regional reports from 
South-East Asia (submitted by Australia), South-West Asia 
(U.K.), Central Asia (Italy), Balkans and Near East (Greece), 
and Eastern Europe (Germany).  The Group adopted most of the 
draft guidelines for restructuring the Group which had been 
developed by an appointed working party this spring. 
However, there was disagreement on whether new EU accession 
states in the future (e.g., Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, 
Turkey, etc. ) should automatically be admitted to the Dublin 
Group as were the 10 new Member States last year.  After 
protracted and difficult debate, the issue was postponed to 
the winter meeting in hopes that a compromise could be found. 
 Non-EU members (U.S., Japan, Canada, Australia and Norway) 
were asked to come to the winter meeting with a nominee for 
chair of the Central Dublin Group to replace outgoing Belgian 
chair Raymond Yans.  Action requests follow in para. 6.  End 
summary. 
 
Regional Reports 
-------------------- 
 
2.  The members reviewed regional reports from South-East 
Asia (submitted by Australia), South-West Asia (U.K.), 
Central Asia (Italy), Balkans and Near East (Greece), and 
Eastern Europe (Germany).  In presenting the report on 
South-West Asia, the U.K. rep reported a 64 percent increase 
in poppy cultivation in 2004 and a 17 percent increase in 
opium production in Afghanistan, but noted that there are 
early signs the cultivation of poppy is slightly decreasing 
so far this year.  The biggest obstacle to reducing 
cultivation remains the lack of viable alternative 
livelihoods.  Afghanistan needs a significant increase in 
international donor contributions.  There are indications 
that Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan are now working together 
on supply interdiction.  The Paris Pact mechanism is a 
helpful coordination mechanism.  Coordination will also be 
enhanced when the UN ADAM database begins operations later 
this year.  The U.K. rep noted the significant 
counter-narcotics contributions being made by the U.S. in 
Afghanistan.  The postponed Counter-narcotics Trust Fund 
meeting will be rescheduled this fall.  The UNODC rep noted 
that there will be a Paris Pact Roundtable in Tehran the 
first week of September.  And the German rep said there will 
be an international cooperation conference in Doha in 
November.  In presenting the report on Central Europe,  The 
German rep complimented the new U.S. GUAAM initiative 
(Georgia, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova).  He 
said the German chair of the Mini Dublin Group in Kiev 
reported that activities to activate the Group there so far 
have failed, partly due to lack of interest and information 
among DG members and partly due to organizational problems. 
DG members needed to encourage their embassies in Kiev to be 
more active. 
 
Reform of the Dublin Group 
---------------------------- 
 
3,  The Group adopted most of the draft guidelines for 
restructuring the Group which had been developed by an 
appointed working party this spring.  Most significantly, the 
Group adopted criteria for admitting new members, including 
that "new members should be net donors of international drug 
assistance."  These criteria will now be used in considering 
membership applications from countries such as Turkey and 
Russia.  However, there was disagreement on whether new EU 
accession states in the future (e.g., Romania, Bulgaria, 
Croatia, Turkey) should automatically be admitted to the 
Dublin Group as were the 10 new Member States last year. 
Japan and Australia argued strongly against automaticity, 
while Luxembourg insisted that EU Member States be admitted 
as a block whether or not they meet the new membership 
criteria.  After protracted and difficult debate, the issue 
was postponed to the winter meeting in hopes that a 
compromise could be found.  The new guidelines specify that 
Belize is to included in the Caribbean regional group. 
Belize will therefore no longer be part of the U.S. regional 
report on Mexico and Central America. 
 
Next Chair of the Dublin Group 
---------------------------------- 
 
4.  The Guidelines stipulate that the chair of the CDG should 
rotate between EU Members and Non-EU members.  According, the 
Belgian chair asked the U.S., Japan, Canada, Australia and 
Norway to come to the winter meeting with a nominee for chair 
of the Central Dublin Group to replace outgoing Belgian chair 
Raymond Yans. 
Thematic Debate Topic for the next meeting 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
5.  Australia proposed that the topic for the thematic debate 
at the winter meeting should be "ATS and Metamphetamines, 
including Precursor Control,"  The Group adopted this 
proposal. 
 
Action Requests 
----------------- 
 
6.  The U.S. regional report on Mexico and Central America 
will be due at the winter meeting.  This will be held in 
either December or January.  In the event it is December, the 
report should be ready for submission by mid-November.  Note 
that the U.S. proposals for the regional and mini Dublin 
Group report formats were adopted.   The U.S. reports should 
therefore follow this new format.  The U.S. should also be 
prepared to send an expert, if requested, on the thematic 
debate topic at the winter meeting.   Guidance is requested 
as to whether the U.S. should join Japan and Australia in 
rejecting the automatic admission of any future EU Member 
States into the Dublin Group.  Finally, guidance is also 
requested regarding the issue of the next chair of the Dublin 
Group. 
 
McKinley 
.