OHR PUTS FORWARD LAJCAK AS NEXT HIGH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SARAJEVO 000971 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2017 TAGS: PREL EUN BK UNSC SUBJECT: OHR PUTS FORWARD LAJCAK AS NEXT HIGH REPRESENTATIVE - RUSSIA SETS CONDITIONS Classified By: CDA Judith B. Cefkin. Reasons: 1.4 (b),(d). ¶1. (C) At the May 4 session of the weekly Peace Implementation Council (PIC) meeting of Steering Board Ambassadors (SBA),Principal Deputy High Representative Raffi Gregorian announced that the EU had named Slovakian diplomat Ambassador Miroslav Lajcak as the candidate to succeed Christian Shwartz-Schilling as High Representative and EU Special Representative. Gregorian said that the decision would remain under silence until May 10, and asked that SBA Ambassadors seek concurrence from PIC capitals. He added that PIC capitals would receive formal written notification on May 4. ¶2. (C) Russian Ambassador Konstantin Shuvalov, after asking that all but "Ambassadors" leave the room, stated that he was under instructions from Moscow to report that Russia would only join consensus on the condition that the UN Security Council endorse Lajcak's appointment and mandate that OHR close by June, 2008. Shuvalov added that the new High Representative should be instructed to refrain from using the Bonn Powers absent any direct threat to the Dayton Peace Accords. ¶3. (C) German Ambassador Michael Schmunk noted the PIC appeared to enjoy consensus on the Lajcak nomination with the sole exception of Russia. He added that his government would likely find legal impediments to Moscow's conditions. All other SBA representatives echoed Schmunk's position, also noting that we should not tie the new High Representative's hands on the use of Bonn Powers. Turkish Ambassador Bulent Tulun stated that his government supports Lajcak's appointment and would be briefing the Organization of Islamic Conference on its support for Lajcak. He added that Turkey did not accept the necessity of a UNSC resolution since the PIC was not under Security Council authority. CEFKIN