POLISH NSA REQUESTS MEETING ON BELARUS

C O N F I D E N T I A L WARSAW 003423

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/20/2015
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV BO UP PL
SUBJECT: POLISH NSA REQUESTS MEETING ON BELARUS

REF: WARSAW 3387

Classified By: DCM Kenneth Hillas, reasons 1.4b,d


1. (C) Following up on reftel conversations concerning our
interest in close coordination with Poland on Belarus, Polish
National Security Advisor Jerzy Bahr has requested a meeting
with the Ambassador in advance of a planned September 29
meeting in Kiev with Bahr's Belarusian counterpart. The
Ambassador will meet with Bahr September 27 to review Bahr's
approach to his meeting with Belarusian Security Council
Secretary Neviglas and Ukrainian FM Tarasyuk. Although we

SIPDIS
expect that Poles will maintain their red lines on meetings
with high-ranking Belarusian officials, especially
Lukashenko, we will use this meeting to underscore U.S.
concerns about potentially unhelpful initiatives. This
conversation may be particularly valuable given reported
Ukrainian efforts (reftel) to encourage a more
forward-leaning approach toward contacts with Lukashenko.


2. (C) Unless otherwise instructed, the Ambassador will raise
the following points with Bahr.

-- We appreciate your interest in speaking with us in advance
of your meeting with your Belarusian counterpart in Kiev.
Close coordination has been critical to the progress we have
achieved in promoting democracy elsewhere, and should be the
cornerstone of our efforts in Belarus.

-- As you know, we believe that meetings with senior
Belarusian officials, particularly with Belarusian President
Lukashenko, would undermine our joint efforts to promote
democracy in Belarus and would only serve to give legitimacy
to this repressive regime. We understand that some have been
advocating opening such lines of communication, and we
strongly encourage you to maintain your policy against
high-level contacts.

-- It is essential that the international community remain
united and deliver the same message to the Belarusians, and
deny the regime any opening to pick and choose among us.

-- Similarly, we hope that we can continue to work closely
together to coordinate assistance to promote democracy in
Belarus, including support for political parties, civil
society and independent media.

-- (Depending on the outcome of September 23 donor
coordination meeting in Brussels) Among our shared
priorities for assistance is the establishment of independent
Belarusian external broadcasting. We urge the Polish
government to move quickly to help ensure that there is a
Poland-based project to which we can all contribute funding
and other resources.


3. (U) End proposed points.
Ashe