(C) KAZAKHSTAN: UK AGREES ON DELAYING OSCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 006272 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR, EUR/UBI E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/2016 TAGS: PREL KDEM PGOV PHUM OSCE KZ SUBJECT: (C) KAZAKHSTAN: UK AGREES ON DELAYING OSCE CHAIRMANSHIP BID REF: STATE 139361 Classified By: PolMinCouns Maura Connelly; reason 1.4 (b, d) ¶1. (C) In response to reftel demarche, FCO Head of International Organizations Department Tim Morris told Poloff August 25 that the UK agrees with the U.S. position and considers the timing "ideal." The EU will meet at working level on September 8 and the UK is prepared to block any attempt to reach a common position in support of Kazakhstan's bid to chair the OSCE in 2009. The key question, Morris said, is what if Kazakhstan refuses to defer its bid? The UK will want to consult with the USG at the first sign of that. ¶2. (C) Morris added that the UK has been very straightforward with Kazakhstan since 2004 and this has not/not affected British interests in that country. Visit London's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/london/index. cfm Johnson