Cablegate: Austrian Views in Advance of the December Gaerc

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INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS VIENNA 001786

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/ERA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ETRD EUN CG TU AU
SUBJECT: AUSTRIAN VIEWS IN ADVANCE OF THE DECEMBER GAERC

REF: STATE 127023

Polchief discussed reftel points December 3 with Klaus
Famira, MFA European Correspondent. Famira offered the
following views on GAERC agenda items:

-- Pakistan: GAERC participants will discuss a proposal to
establish an annual EU-Pakistan Summit; the EU already holds
an annual summit with India. Famira said the EU may decide
at the GAERC to schedule one summit with Pakistan without
committing to an annual meeting, as some members are doubtful
about the utility of a regular summit with Pakistan.
Regarding aid for Pakistan, EU representatives are likely to
discuss "aid through trade" rather than direct assistance.
Famira noted that the EU is currently conducting a study
aimed at establishing an EU-Pakistan free trade agreement.

-- Western Balkans: The EU has not determined yet whether the
Western Balkans will be on the GAERC agenda. Now that the
UNSC has paved the way for EULEX deployment, there is no
urgent need to discuss Kosovo, and there may not be any
issues to address regarding Serbia.

-- Enlargement: Progress reports on Croatia, Macedonia, and
Turkey will be discussed. Famira said there does not appear
to an imminent solution to the Macedonian name issue, which
remains an obstacle to EU accession. Turkey's membership
process, by contrast, has shifted to a less political,
technical phase, and is therefore addressed by the European
Commission and rarely discussed at the GAERC.

-- Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): EU representatives
will discuss whether the mandate for the UN mission in the
DRC should simply be extended for another year, or revised in
some way.
GIRARD-DICARLO

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