UKRAINE: REQUEST FOR USG SUPPORT FOR UKRAINIAN AS

C O N F I D E N T I A L KYIV 001972 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/UMB AND EUR/RPM E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/10/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM OSCE UP SUBJECT: UKRAINE: REQUEST FOR USG SUPPORT FOR UKRAINIAN AS HEAD OF OSCE MISSION IN KOSOVO Classified By: Political Counselor Kent Logsdon for reasons 1.4(a,b,d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request - please see paragraph 5. ¶2. (C) PolCouns was called in August 9 by Acting Director of the MFA's Second Territorial Department Larisa Myronenko to receive a request for U.S. support for Ukraine's candidate to be the next OSCE Head of Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Anatoliy Oliynyk, currently Ukraine's Ambassador to both Serbia and Montenegro. Myronenko stressed Oliynyk's strong credentials as an experienced Ukrainian diplomat who had served as Ukraine's Ambassador to Iraq (March 2004-November 2005),in a variety of postings in the Balkans with the United Nations, in the Ministry in Kyiv, and as Ukraine's Consul General in Chicago (September 1995-December 1996). (Embassy Note. A CV for Ambassador Myronenko will be emailed to EUR/UMB. End Note.) ¶3. (C) In addition to Oliynyk's personal credentials, Myronenko outlined a number of other considerations supporting Oliynyk's candidacy. She noted Ukraine had good relationships with all UNSC members, OSCE member states and the EU, stressing that Ukraine also had good relations with all of the former Yugoslav republic. In addition, Myronenko argued that Ukraine's good record on democratic development and interethnic relations would be useful in Kosovo. Finally, she mentioned that at present there were no Ukrainians in executive positions in any of OSCE's field missions. ¶4. (C) Myronenko asked for U.S. support as soon as possible, noting that nominations for candidates to be head of the OSCE's Kosovo Mission were being accepted until August ¶16. She also noted that Ukraine's DCM in Washington had raised Ambassador Oliynyk's candidacy with EUR DAS David Kramer. ¶5. (C) Action Request. Embassy would appreciate instructions as to how to respond to the Ukrainian request for support for Ambassador Oliynyk's candidacy to be the next OSCE Head of Mission in Kosovo. ¶6. (U) Visit Embassy Kyiv's classified website: www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/kiev. Pettit