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date: 12/17/2009 22:31 refid: 09STATE129193 origin: Secretary of State classification: CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN destination: header: VZCZCXRO9588 PP RUEHLA DE RUEHC #9193/01 3512233 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 172231Z DEC 09 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 3453 INFO RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE PRIORITY 1024 RUEHPS/AMEMBASSY PRISTINA PRIORITY 6905 RUEHVJ/AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO PRIORITY 2768 RUEHSQ/AMEMBASSY SKOPJE PRIORITY 7911 RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB PRIORITY 3634 RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA PRIORITY 2784 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 6221 ----------------- header ends ---------------- C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 129193 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/17/2019 TAGS: OVIP(STEINBERG, JAMES), PNAT, PREL, KDEM, ZL, HR, BK, KVPR, MK, YI, SP SUBJECT: (U) DEPUTY SECRETARY STEINBERG'S DECEMBER 14, 2009 MEETING WITH SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTER MORATINOS 1. Classified by EUR Assistant Secretary Philip H. Gordon. For Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d) 2. (U) December 14, 2009; 11:00am; Washington, DC. 3. (U) Participants: U.S. Deputy Secretary Steinberg EUR DAS Stuart Jones D Staff Alexandra McKnight Stacie Zerdecki (EUR Notetaker) Spain Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos Director General for EU Affairs Miguel Angel Navarro Director General for North America and non-EU Europe Fernandez de la Pena Ambassador Jorge Dezcallar Deputy Press Director Aranzazu Banon 4. (C) SUMMARY. FM Moratinos requested the meeting with Deputy Secretary Steinberg to discuss the situation in the Western Balkans. He confirmed Spain,s support of the Butmir process and asked for a U.S. blessing on an early-February proposed gathering in Madrid of Bosnian and regional leaders. Moratinos also commented on Spain,s role as EU President in the first half of 2010 during a transition to a new framework for the EU under the Lisbon Treaty. He noted that he expected to work well with High Representative Ashton and that Spain would take a non-obstructionist stance on Kosovo during its Presidency. The Deputy Secretary stressed the importance of the Bosnian parties negotiating in Sarajevo and U.S. commitment to Serbian integration into Euro-Atlantic structures. END SUMMARY. ------- Bosnia ------- 5. (C) FM Moratinos opened the meeting with an overview of his perspective of the Western Balkans. With regards to Bosnia and Herzegovina, he indicated that Spain wants to follow up on the Butmir process and promised to coordinate closely with the United States. He also noted his plans to convene a meeting among Bosnian and regional leaders in Madrid in early February to bring them to an agreement on needed reforms. On Bosnia and broader foreign policy issues, Moratinos noted he had had a &very positive8 meeting on 12/3 with EU High Representative Ashton and believes the two will work productively together during Spain,s 2010 EU Presidency. He commented that Ashton is &clever enough to trust me and my team.8 6. (C) Moratinos asked for U.S. blessing of his plan for a one-week retreat for Bosnian leaders in Madrid in early February. The Deputy Secretary suggested it would be more productive for Bosnian leaders to negotiate a resolution in Sarajevo. Bringing politicians far from their electorate could cause them to be overly cautious. The Deputy Secretary also cautioned that the parties were still pretty far apart in their positions on the Butmir texts and pushing them together prematurely risked highlighting their differences. He urged Moratinos to ensure that the parties could indeed reach agreement before he convened the meeting. A large high profile meeting outside the region which failed risks undermining reform in general. If the parties cannot agree on the current texts early in 2010 it would be better to leave a solid package on the table with which they can restart after the October elections. The Deputy Secretary explained that there are three leaders who have not accepted the currents texts: Haris Silajdzic, Milorad Dodik and Zlatko Lagumdzija. It is unlikely that Silajdzic would agree to any text; Dodik has made noises about wanting to reach agreement but has not engaged on specifics. Lagumdzija has fully rejected the package. The Deputy Secretary urged Moratinos to try to persuade Lagumdzija to adopt a more STATE 00129193 002 OF 002 SUBJECT: (U) DEPUTY SECRETARY STEINBERG'S DECEMBER 14, 2009 MEETING WITH SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTER MORATIN constructive posture towards the process ) the sooner the better. Moratinos agreed to follow up with Lagumdzija immediately. He asked the Deputy Secretary to send his Bosnia experts to Madrid early in the New Year being our collaboration. ---------- Macedonia ---------- 7. (C) During a recent meeting between FM Moratinos and Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, Papandreou indicated that he was ready to move forward on the name issue with Macedonia. The Deputy Secretary noted that he had heard similar reports and that PM Papandreou needs to act quickly. He also suggested that Greek PM Papandreou and Macedonian PM Gruevski should deal with one another directly; an interlocutor would not be useful. He hoped that each side would gain confidence in the situation as small steps are made. The Deputy Secretary underscored that the EU will need to stand firm behind whatever decision is made on the name issue. ------ Kosovo ------ 8. (C) The Deputy Secretary made clear that there is no going back on Kosovar independence. Moratinos assured the Deputy Secretary that Spain would not take an obstructionist position on Kosovo during its EU Presidency in 2010. Moratinos is cognizant that the majority of EU member states have recognized independence, and promised that Spain will represent the Union as a whole. Moratinos underscored that he wants Kosovo to be a pro-Western ally. -------- Croatia -------- 9. (C) Moratinos stated that during Spain,s EU Presidency, he expects an institutional push for negotiations with Croatia to join the European Union and a final offer of membership. He also recommends that Croatia be held up as a success story for other Western Balkan countries to use as a model for progress, perhaps at a high-level meeting of Balkan leaders in May to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Zagreb conference (which confirmed the EU,s commitment to the integration of the Western Balkans into the EU.) CLINTON
