FINLAND: RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON SECOND ROUND OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 001442

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/11/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM EU UP FI
SUBJECT: FINLAND: RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON SECOND ROUND OF
UKRAINIAN ELECTIONS

REF: SECSTATE 240442

Classified By: POLOFF DAVID ALLEN SCHLAEFER FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (C) Poloff delivered reftel points to Tulla Yrjola, the
Counselor for Ukraine in Finland's MFA on November 10.
Yrjola confirmed that the two Finnish observers that worked
with the OSCE during the first round of the Presidential
Election in Ukraine would return for the second round.
Yrjola said that Finland shared U.S. and OSCE concern about
widespread irregularities noted in reftel, although she added
that this was not unexpected, and that Finland's overall
assessment of the election was not as pessimistic as that of
some other EU countries. She said that Finland had already
received an OSCE request for additional observers and was
considering this. She declined to comment on whether Finland
would actively seek to investigate, monitor, or revoke the
visas of Ukrainians suspected of electoral fraud or
malfeasance. (Comment: Given its limited resources, it is
unlikely Finland would have the capability to do so other
than in exceptional cases.)
MACK