DOD A/S FLORY'S BSEC CONSULTATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ISTANBUL 001968

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR, EUR/SE, EUR/ACE AND EUR/CACEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2015
TAGS: ECIN ETRD TU PREL
SUBJECT: DOD A/S FLORY'S BSEC CONSULTATIONS


Classified By: Consul General Deborah K. Jones, Reasons 1.4 (b,d).


1. (C) Summary: In an extended November 11 briefing and
subsequent private meeting with Ambassador Tedo Japaridze,
Secretary General of the Organization for Black Sea Economic

SIPDIS
Cooperation, visiting DOD Assistant Secretary for
International Security Policy Peter Flory explored areas
where the United States can use its newly-obtained
observership to make a "practical and valuable" contribution
to the organization. Flory noted that the USG is in the
process of establishing the inter-agency process to guide its
BSEC participation, but outlined DOD's interest in such
topics as border and maritime security, WMD, and other "soft
security" topics. He stressed that other U.S. agencies will
be focused on other topics as well. Japaridze welcomed the
U.S. role and expressed the hope that it would help further
his efforts to make the organization "energetic and
efficient." Privately, he noted that the U.S. will have to
work carefully with leading members such as Turkey and
particularly Russia to address their suspicions about its
desire to play a role in the region. End Summary.


2. (SBU) In the November 11 briefing with Flory and his
delegation, Japaridze was joined by his deputies, Atai
fendiev of Azerbeijan and Andrey Urnov of Russia, as well as
the organization's executive manager Stefana Greavu.
Japaradize expressed pleasure with the recent decision by the
BSEC Council of Ministers to approve the United States'
request for observer status, and looked forward to the U.S.
bringing new ideas and projects to the table. This should
further his efforts to make the organization "more energetic
and efficient," he said. Urnov took the opportunity to
remind Flory and his delegation of BSEC's by-laws, by which
observers are required to make a "practical and valuable
contribution" to the organization. Japaridze added that as
an observer the United States will be invited to all
organization working groups and conferences. He provided a
draft program of activities for the upcoming Romanian
chairmanship, which he said would be approved at a "Troika"
meeting later in the day. (Summary in para 5; complete text
also available on ConGen Istanbul's classified website.)


3. (C) Flory expressed appreciation for the Secretary
General's support for the U.S.'s observer request, as well as
pleasure at being the first visiting American official to
call on the organization following its approval. He noted
that he had had the opportunity to discuss BSEC issues in the
context of his earlier defense consultations in Ankara, and
that DOD is eager to explore working with BSEC as part of its
"Black Sea Strategy" to address such soft security issues as
counter terrorism, border and maritime security and WMD. He
noted that the Turks have some concerns about this interest,
fearing that it will bring too heavy a U.S. military
footprint in its wake, but emphasized that this is not the
intent. He added that the USG is only now putting into place
its interagency structure for addressing BSEC issues, and
that other agencies will come forward with other interests as
well.


4. (C) In a subsequent private conversation with Flory and
his delegation, Japaridze conceded that some BSEC members
harbor suspicions about the U.S.'s interest in the
organization. "It will depend on how you approach them," he
said, advising that the U.S. would be well advised to work
bilaterally with BSEC members before raising proposals or
ideas in its multilateral fora. He stressed that the
organization is currently working on a range of issues, that
encompass not just soft security, but also economic
development, including electrical transmission, air traffic,
and disaster response. He expressed pleasure that Flory was
visiting BSEC headquarters even as EUR DAS Bryza was
consulting with the Russians in Moscow on BSEC issues.


5. (U) Excerpts from the Program of Upcoming Activities
(complete list available on the Congen Istanbul classified
web site):

Seminar on Tourism: "Bring BSEC closer to Europe: Train the
Trainers Tourism Program, 6-17 November, Athens

Seminar on SME, 7-10 November, Israel

Meeting of the Working Group on Transports, 8-9 November,
PERMIS Headquarters

International Seminar in the field of Agriculture, 10-11
November, Chisinau

Annual Seminar on the implementation of the Agreement on
collaboration regarding emergency disaster assistance, 13-15
December, Sofia

Meeting of the Ad-hoc Group of Experts on custom Services,
February 2006, PERMIS Headquarters

Meeting of the Working Group on environmental protection,
preceding the Ministerial, 1-2 March 2006, Bucharest

Meeting of the Ministers of Environment, 3 March 2006,
Bucharest

Meeting of the working Group on Transports, preceding the
Ministerial Meeting, 13-14 March 2006, Bucharest

Meeting of the Ministers of Transport, accompanied by a
Business Forum, 15 March 2006, Bucharest

Common Meeting on the Working Group on combating organized
crime and of Liaison Officers' Network, 23 March 2006,
Bucharest
Meeting of the Ministers of Interior/Public Order, 24 March
2006, Bucharest

Meeting of the Working Group on Energy, March 2006, Bucharest

Regional Conference on Energy, March 2006, Bucharest

Meeting of the Working Group on Tourism, April 2006, Tulcea,
Romania

Meeting of the Working Group on emergency assistance in case
of disasters, April 2006, Bulgaria

Ad-hoc Group of experts on Draft memorandum of
recommendations in the sphere of development of shipbuilding,
ship repairing, and shipping, April 2006, Odessa


6. (U) This cable was not cleared by ASD Flory or his party.
JONES