Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BRUSSELS2925
2006-08-29 14:48:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Brussels
Cable title:
DEMARCHE ON KAZAKHSTAN'S OSCE CHAIRMANSHIP BID
how-toVZCZCXRO6179 OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHBS #2925 2411448 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 291448Z AUG 06 FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2933 INFO RUCNOSC/OSCE POST COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 002925
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/2016
TAGS: KZ KDEM PGOV PHUM PREL OSCE BE
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON KAZAKHSTAN'S OSCE CHAIRMANSHIP BID
REF: STATE 139361
Classified By: POLCOUNS TED ANDREWS. REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 002925
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/2016
TAGS: KZ KDEM PGOV PHUM PREL OSCE BE
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON KAZAKHSTAN'S OSCE CHAIRMANSHIP BID
REF: STATE 139361
Classified By: POLCOUNS TED ANDREWS. REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).
1. (C) Poloff met with Marc Michielsen, Policy Director for
the MFA's OSCE Chairmanship Unit, to relay reftel points on
Kazakhstan's 2009 OSCE Chairmanship bid. Michielsen said
Belgium planned to "take the temperature" of EU nations on
Kazakhstan's bid over the next couple of months. As CiO,
Belgium was looking for a consensus among EU countries, with
the goal to reach a decision on Kazakhstan "without too much
collateral damage and no embarrassment to the Kazakh
government." For now, Belgium would maintain a "wait and
see" mode, watching closely the responses from other EU
capitals to the U.S. demarche. Noting points raised in
reftel, poloff urged him to join us in securing the voluntary
postponement of the Kazakh candidacy. Michielsen was
noncommittal.
2. (C) Michielsen felt support was increasing for
Kazakhstan's bid. He cited "persuasive" arguments made by
Jan Kubis, Slovak Foreign Minister and EU Special
Representative for Central Asia, in a recent OSCE committee
meeting, where Kubis made the case that a failed bid could
send Kazakhstan "in the wrong direction."
3. (C) Michielsen said President Nazarbayev planned to visit
Brussels in early December, immediately before the OSCE
Ministerial, for a bilateral meeting with the Belgians and
meetings with EU officials. He suspected that its 2009 bid
would be a focus of discussions, although, according to
Michielsen, "the December Ministerial will not center on this
issue."
4. (C) Comment: In past conversations with U.S. officials,
the Belgians have acknowledged the challenges represented by
Kazakhstan's quest for the 2009 OSCE Chairmanship, concurring
that a postponement of its bid may be a better option until
more progress has been made on democracy and rule of law
issues. As CiO, however, and with what they view as
"momentum building in favor of Kazakhstan's bid," the
Belgians will focus on the need to build a consensus on
Kazakhstan, with the "EU attitude" an important factor.
IMBRIE
.
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/2016
TAGS: KZ KDEM PGOV PHUM PREL OSCE BE
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON KAZAKHSTAN'S OSCE CHAIRMANSHIP BID
REF: STATE 139361
Classified By: POLCOUNS TED ANDREWS. REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).
1. (C) Poloff met with Marc Michielsen, Policy Director for
the MFA's OSCE Chairmanship Unit, to relay reftel points on
Kazakhstan's 2009 OSCE Chairmanship bid. Michielsen said
Belgium planned to "take the temperature" of EU nations on
Kazakhstan's bid over the next couple of months. As CiO,
Belgium was looking for a consensus among EU countries, with
the goal to reach a decision on Kazakhstan "without too much
collateral damage and no embarrassment to the Kazakh
government." For now, Belgium would maintain a "wait and
see" mode, watching closely the responses from other EU
capitals to the U.S. demarche. Noting points raised in
reftel, poloff urged him to join us in securing the voluntary
postponement of the Kazakh candidacy. Michielsen was
noncommittal.
2. (C) Michielsen felt support was increasing for
Kazakhstan's bid. He cited "persuasive" arguments made by
Jan Kubis, Slovak Foreign Minister and EU Special
Representative for Central Asia, in a recent OSCE committee
meeting, where Kubis made the case that a failed bid could
send Kazakhstan "in the wrong direction."
3. (C) Michielsen said President Nazarbayev planned to visit
Brussels in early December, immediately before the OSCE
Ministerial, for a bilateral meeting with the Belgians and
meetings with EU officials. He suspected that its 2009 bid
would be a focus of discussions, although, according to
Michielsen, "the December Ministerial will not center on this
issue."
4. (C) Comment: In past conversations with U.S. officials,
the Belgians have acknowledged the challenges represented by
Kazakhstan's quest for the 2009 OSCE Chairmanship, concurring
that a postponement of its bid may be a better option until
more progress has been made on democracy and rule of law
issues. As CiO, however, and with what they view as
"momentum building in favor of Kazakhstan's bid," the
Belgians will focus on the need to build a consensus on
Kazakhstan, with the "EU attitude" an important factor.
IMBRIE
.