Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05PARIS1510
2005-03-08 13:54:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:  

FRENCH DISCUSS OSCE ISSUES WITH RUSSIAN DIPLOMAT

Tags:  PREL FR PGOVE RU OSCE 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 001510 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2015
TAGS: PREL FR PGOVE RU OSCE
SUBJECT: FRENCH DISCUSS OSCE ISSUES WITH RUSSIAN DIPLOMAT

REF: PARIS 579

Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER-COUNSELOR JOSIAH ROSENBLATT, FOR REAS
ONS 1.4 B/D

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 001510

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2015
TAGS: PREL FR PGOVE RU OSCE
SUBJECT: FRENCH DISCUSS OSCE ISSUES WITH RUSSIAN DIPLOMAT

REF: PARIS 579

Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER-COUNSELOR JOSIAH ROSENBLATT, FOR REAS
ONS 1.4 B/D


1. (C) Summary: Following a meeting March 7 with Alexander
Grushko, Director of the Russian MFA's European Cooperation
Department, A/S-equivalent for Security Affairs Philippe
Carre told POL M/C he believed the Russians may understand
they had gone too far in their efforts to diminish the OSCE,
and that they were looking for ways to be more reasonable.
This contrasted with a harder line taken regarding the
"frozen conflicts," with Grushko reprising a comparison first
raised with the French in mid-January bilateral
consultations; namely, that an independent Kosovo would
likely lead to Abhkazian independence from Georgia and
Transnistrian independence from Moldova. End summary.

CARRE: RUSSIANS LOOKING TO COMPROMISE ON THE OSCE


2. (C) Carre told POL M/C that, in general, his morning
meeting with Grushko was a "good exchange," and that he
inferred from the meeting that Russia had sensed it had gone
too far in bashing the OSCE. However, Carre said it was
unclear how far and how quickly the Russians might move to
correct course. Carre planned on visiting Moscow in 4-6
weeks to discuss these issues further.


3. (C) Carre opened the meeting by saying that the OSCE
remained an important and vital institution to European
security. It was a unique instrument, said Carre, the only
one where everyone was a stakeholder. He then focused on two
major issues of concern to the French regarding the OSCE and
Russia. First was Russia's efforts to reduce its
contributions to the budget and to separate the
administrative and operational budgets in order to feed the
former and starve the latter. Carre told Grushko that the
Russians were the only ones refusing to pay their assessments
and asked whether Russia would be willing to accept the
reduced influence commensurate with their demands to pay only
1.9% of the budget. Would Russia want only 1.9% of the
OSCE's influence, given the U.S.'s contributions of 34% of
the budget, Carre asked. Russia has complained about
under-representation in the OSCE secretariat and minimum
staffing, yet such a minimal contribution would mean Russia
would receive significantly fewer spots for its nationals in
the OSCE administration.


4. (C) The second major point Carre raised concerned Russian
efforts to dilute the power and decision-making authority of
OSCE election monitoring missions to write and issue reports.
Carre told Grushko that the Russian proposal to transfer
election report-authoring to the Permanent Council was a
nonstarter, but that the French were willing to discuss ways
to clarify existing rules on election monitoring and OSCE
governance. Carre also replied to standard Russian criticism
that the OSCE was unfairly focused on the Eastern part of
Europe by saying that the OSCE had raised numerous issues of
concern to Western European countries, such as anti-Semitism,
the status of women and hate speech. Grushko responded with
familiar talking points on Russian concerns. In reply to a
proposal that OSCE reform discussions continue in capitals
with the UK, Germany and the US, Grushko said the Russians
preferred to keep such talks in Vienna.

RUSSIANS RECONCILED TO FRENCH OSCE SG CANDIDATE


5. (C) Carre said that the Russians were reconciled to the
OSCE Secretary General candidacy of Frenchman Marc Perrin de
Brichambaut. The Russians understand that they will get the
Economic Coordinator position as part of a package. Carre
said a strong candidate like Brichambaut would reinvigorate
the body, and signal that the major players are ready to
reinvest politically in the organization. According to
French calculations, Carre said, 38 OSCE member countries
support Brichambaut; the organization was near consensus,
with the only important holdouts being Austria and
Switzerland. At some point it would be important to
emphasize to those two countries, Carre told POL M/C, that
they were blocking consensus.

GRUSHKO HARD-LINE ON FORMER SOVIET SPACE ISSUES


6. (C) Although Grushko appeared open to compromise on the
OSCE, Carre said the Russian diplomat was predictably tough
on the frozen conflicts, particularly Moldova/Transnistria.
Grushko raised both in comparison with Kosovo, and told Carre
that moves towards independence by Kosovo would inevitably
influence the separatist regions of Abhkazia and
Transnistria. Regarding Moldova, Grushko flatly stated that
the Kozak plan was the only starting point for discussion.
On Georgia and border monitoring, Grushko said OSCE training
of Georgian border guards would not be a problem, as long as
that training was not along the border. Carre inferred that
the Russians were looking at a proposed EU border mission in
a positive light, largely because the U.S. would not have a
presence.
Leach