Ref. Ares(2023)2290416 - 30/03/2023
SG.2
Head of Division
Brussels, 30 March 2023
eeas.sg.2 (2023) 2229076
To
Mr Luis Miguel Hurtado Coronado
by electronic mail
Subject: Your request for access to documents of 27 February 2023
EEAS ref: 2023/035
Dear Mr Hurtado Coronado,
I would like to thank you for your request for access to documents, which the EEAS has
examined in the framework of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001.1
Following your application, we have searched for the requested documents “
1.- All briefings,
minutes of meetings and correspondence -both analogic and digital-, since March 1st 2020,
between the former EU Ambassador to Rwanda, Nicola Bellomo, and/or the current EU
Ambassador to Rwanda, Belen Calvo Uyarra, and/or the former EU Ambassador to
Mozambique, António-Sanchez Gaspar, and the High Representative of the Union for
Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, and/or his deputy head of cabinet,
Mathieu Briens, and/or his senior advisor, Anne Bergenfelt, and or his cabinet expert Maud
Arnould in which the Mozambique LNG Project and/or the Islamic State terrorist threat in
Mozambique were discussed, and/or “Crystal Ventures Ltd.” was mentioned. 2.- All
briefings, minutes of meetings and correspondence -both analogic and digital- since March
1st 2021, between the former French Ambassador to Mozambique, David Izzo and/or the
former French Ambassador to Mozambique, Bruno Clerc, and/or the former French minister
for Ecological Transition, Barbara Pompili, and the High Representative of the Union for
Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, and/or his deputy head of cabinet,
Mathieu Briens, and/or his senior advisor, Anne Bergenfelt, and or his cabinet expert Maud
Arnould in which the Mozambique LNG Project and/or the Islamic State terrorist threat in
Mozambique were discussed. 3.- All briefings, minutes of meetings and correspondence -both
analogic and digital- since March 1st 2021, between the former Portuguese Ambassador to
1 Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council regarding public access to European
Parliament, Council and Commission documents (hereafter the "Regulation").
European External Action Service – B-1046 Brussels – Belgium – Tel.: (32-2) 584 11 11
Office: EEAS PARC 06/560 – e-
mail: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxxxxx.xx
Mozambique, António Costa Moura and/or the Portuguese minister for the Environment and
Climate Action, Joao Pedro Matos Fernandes, and the High Representative of the Union for
Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, and/or his deputy head of cabinet,
Mathieu Briens, and/or his senior advisor, Anne Bergenfelt, and or his cabinet expert Maud
Arnould in which the Rovuma Basin LNG Projects and/or the Islamic State terrorist threat in
Mozambique were discussed”, in the EEAS filing systems and document management
databases.
After this search, the EEAS has identified the following document matching your application,
as referenced hereafter:
1. Briefing book for the visit to Mozambique of the EU High Representative for Foreign
Affairs and Security Policy / Vice President of the European Commission (HR/VP)
on 8-9 September 2022 (final version of 07/09/2022) (document 1).
This document contains information, opinions and assessments drawn up for internal use in
order for the EEAS to prepare the above-mentioned visit and to brief the HR/VP. It is a
diplomatic briefing which contains sensitive elements such as an internal assessment of the
security situation in the country, an internal assessment of the policies implemented by the
Government of Mozambique, including on defence, military and public security matters, an
internal assessment of the intentions of the Government of Mozambique towards the EU, as
well as the EU priorities and negotiation positions vis-à-vis Mozambique.
The public disclosure of this document would undermine the protection of the public interest
as regards public security, defence and military matters and international relations - Article
4(1)(a) first, second and third indents.
Our examination concluded that its disclosure to the general public would undermine the
EU’s margin of manoeuvre in future exchanges with the Government of Mozambique, since
it would reveal internal considerations, negotiation positions and the degree or the willingness
to reach a compromise in certain areas.
The public release of this document would also be a breach of the confidentiality of the
diplomatic exchanges with Mozambique and would undermine the EU’s relations with this
country by harming the possibility of maintaining an environment of mutual trust and serenity
in our upcoming dialogues with our interlocutors on sensitive defence, military and public
security matters.
Therefore, I regret to inform you that we are not in a position to disclose document 1 at this
point in time, neither as a whole or partially, since it would undermine the protection of the
public interest as regards public security, defence and military, international relations, as well
as the decision-making process as per Article 4(1) (a), first, second and third indents.
We have considered whether partial access could be granted to document 1 requested. However,
since the vast majority of the substantive parts of the document is covered by the invoked
exceptions, granting a partial access, albeit marginal, to the remaining part would entail revealing
information the protection of which is covered by the exception relied on, relating to the
protection of the public interest as regards public security, defence and military matters,
international relations and the decision-making process as explained above.2
Should you wish this position to be reviewed, you may make a confirmatory application
within 15 working days in accordance with Article 7(2) of the Regulation.
2 See Judgment of 7 February 2018, Access Info Europe v Commission, T-851/16, EU:T:2018:69, paragraphs 122 and
123.
2
Yours sincerely,
[e-signed]
Nereo Penalver Garcia
Electronically signed on 29/03/2023 17:38 (UTC+02) in accordance with Article 11 of Commission Decision (EU) 2021/2121
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