CANADIAN VIEWS ON OSCE MADRID MINISTERIAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 002138 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/23/2017 TAGS: PREL OSCE PGOV PHUM CA SUBJECT: CANADIAN VIEWS ON OSCE MADRID MINISTERIAL REF: STATE 157672 Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) In a meeting with PolMinCouns on November 23, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade's Defence and Security Relations Division Director Michael Walma and Deputy Director Anne Burgess expressed appreciation for reftel views on the OSCE Madrid Ministerial and said that Canada shared most of our concerns, notably about the true intent Russian "reforms" and the dangers of a proposed Charter. As a possible compromise, Canada would accept a working group on the charter, however, with the proviso that there should be no assumption its deliberations would necessarily lead to the adoption of a charter. Canada strongly supports OMiK's continued operations in Kosovo and the closure of the successful mission in Croatia. Canada opposes a senior officials (or ministerial) meeting on CFE on the margins of the OSCE meeting in Madrid, and has so informed the Spanish and German Ambassadors, who made a demarche on this subject on November 22. Walma stressed the need for alliance solidarity and close coordination between our delegations. He cited continued chatter about a possible "package" now reportedly under negotiation between the U.S. and Russia, and urged that the U.S. keep our Canadian counterparts fully informed. He added that, while Canada warmly welcomes OSCE's work in Afghanistan and Central Asia, Canada could likely accept a possible scaling back of the ambitious program in Afghanistan if the Russians insisted as part of any possible "package" deal. ¶2. (C) A top priority for Canada at the ministerial will be to block Kazakhstan's bid for the 2009 chairmanship of OSCE. Walma explained that this issue has the attention of the senior DFAIT leadership, given the strong commitment of the government of Prime Minister Harper to the promotion of human rights. Canada strongly believes that the chairman should be able to lead by example, and that Kazakhstan is not ready. However, Canada likely could agree to a compromise in the works to enable Greece to assume the chairmanship in 2009, Kazakhstan in 2010, and Lithuania in 2011 (albeit while continuing to harbor strong doubts Kazakhstan will be "ready" by 2010). Walma and Burgess noted that there should be no "automaticity" about these decisions, but said that Canada would go along with like-minded countries on any eventual compromise. ¶3. (C) Due to the press of parliamentary business (and a travel schedule that will take him also to the Annapolis Conference),Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier has asked Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Deepak Obhrai to lead the Canadian delegation to the Madrid ministerial. Visit our shared North American Partnership blog (Canada & Mexico) at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap WILKINS