DUTCH RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON POSSIBLE 2009 KAZAKH

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 000686 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2014 TAGS: PREL PGOV KZ NL OSCE SUBJECT: DUTCH RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON POSSIBLE 2009 KAZAKH OSCE CHAIRMANSHIP REF: STATE 55059 Classified By: ACTING POLITICAL COUNSELOR NATHANIEL DEAN FOR REASONS 1. 5 (B AND D) (C) Acting PolCouns made reftel demarche to MFA OSCE Task Force Policy Advisor Petra Smulders on March 17. Smulders said the GONL was awaiting the results of a March 30 meeting in Astana between the GOK and EU Heads of Mission before taking a position on a "Friends of Kazakhstan." She said if the GOK does not want one, there is no need to push for one. She noted that during a July 2003 visit to Almaty then CiO de Hoop Scheffer had welcomed a Kazakh bid to lead the OSCE, but had cautioned that a lot of progress was needed before 2009. Smulders said the GONL was not certain specific benchmarks were a good idea but said its view would depend on the outcome of the March 30 meeting. The GONL would like to hear more from the Kazakhs in that meeting about their interest in leading the OSCE in 2009. She said that if Kazakhstan makes substantial progress there is still time to make a decision. RUSSEL