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