THE UNITED STATES AND THE GUAM ORGANIZATION --

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 083491 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/14/2017 TAGS: PREL OVIP EAID ECON KCRM AJ GG MD UP SUBJECT: THE UNITED STATES AND THE GUAM ORGANIZATION -- PRE-SUMMIT TALKING POINTS Classified By: EUR DAS David Kramer, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 3. ¶2. (C) The 2007 Organization for Democracy and Economic Development - GUAM Summit in Baku is an opportunity for the U.S. to bolster this organization, both by complimenting GUAM on its achievements and by urging establishment of its Secretariat and full use of its Virtual Law Enforcement SIPDIS Center (VLEC). EUR DAS David Kramer will represent the United States at the June 18-19 Summit. Via FREEDOM Support Act funds, the United States is supporting the VLEC project and plans to assist in the setting up of the GUAM Secretariat in Kyiv. This cable contains talking points for GUAM member states (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova) as well as points that can be used in non-member countries that have expressed an interest in GUAM, such as Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Turkey and Japan. -------------- -------------- TALKING POINTS FOR BOTH MEMBER AND NON-MEMBER STATES -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) Embassies in GUAM countries are asked to present the following points to host governments in advance of the Summit. These points may also be used at posts' discretion in countries outside GUAM that have expressed an interest in the U.S.-GUAM relationship. Department plans to present these points to the GUAM Embassies in Washington at a working-level, pre-Summit meeting organized by the Ukrainian Embassy. --The United States continues to strongly support GUAM. We are pleased to see GUAM moving from discussions to operations. --The United States also supports the commitment of the GUAM member states to have the GUAM Secretariat in Kyiv functioning no later than November. We appreciate the efforts being made to ensure the Secretariat begins functioning as soon as possible. --We look for the Secretariat to become our primary point of contact for projects within the U.S.-GUAM Framework. For this reason, we applaud the decision taken at the GUAM National Coordinators Meeting in March to empower the Secretary-General to discuss programs undertaken within the SIPDIS U.S.-GUAM Framework on behalf of the member states. --When the Secretariat is established, the United States will assist in establishing budget and audit procedures. --The United States continues to support the GUAM Virtual Law Enforcement Center (VLEC). We strongly encourage the GUAM member states to set operational goals for VLEC activities that will have real-world impact, and to get as much use out of the VLEC as possible. --We would be very interested to hear what plans GUAM has for the coming year, and how those plans can be translated into concrete actions. ADDITIONAL POINTS FOR EMBASSY KYIV: --We greatly appreciate Ukraine's strong leadership in providing a home for the GUAM Secretariat and in trying to get the Secretariat operational as soon as possible. --The effectiveness of the GUAM Virtual Law Enforcement Center (VLEC) has been hampered by challenges presented by GOU choices in its implementation of VLEC. Ukraine is the only member state that has opted to place its VLEC coordination node in a security service facility; i.e., the State Security Service (SBU). In keeping with the European principles underscored in the Chisinau Declaration, the other GUAM member states have placed this law enforcement tool in their Ministries of Interior. The Ukrainian choice, given the culture of the SBU, has been an obstacle to active communication between the member states' law enforcement bodies. --More recently Ukraine's decision not to use the VLEC encryption code agreed to by the other three member states has imposed limitations on operational communication within the VLEC system. We urge Ukraine to be pro-active in resolving this issue. STATE 00083491 002 OF 003 ADDITIONAL POINT FOR EMBASSY BAKU: --What specific plans does Azerbaijan have for the period of its GUAM Presidency? ADDITIONAL POINT FOR EMBASSY CHISINAU: --What are Moldova's plans regarding ratification of the GUAM Charter? --Has Moldova, like the three other member states, already made arrangements to second a Moldovan government official to serve on the international staff of the GUAM Secretariat in Kyiv? -------------- IF-ASKED POINTS FOR GUAM MEMBER STATES -------------- ¶4. (C) The following points are to be used with GUAM member states on an if-asked basis: GUAM PEACEKEEPING BATTALION AND/OR OTHER NEW PROJECTS: --We would be happy to hear details on any new project proposal. --However, at present, we feel it is important to get the Secretariat up and running before initiating new projects. SIPDIS We also believe that we need to focus on getting the newly-established VLEC fully operational and realizing its potential. --We believe that a tight focus will bring more achievements more quickly, and that this will make GUAM stronger and more credible. GUAM UNGA RESOLUTION: --Our support for the inscription of the GUAM resolution on the UNGA agenda was based on our support for the general principle of inscription. GUAM states should not interpret this as support for the content of their draft resolution. --Given our strong commitment to ongoing negotiations for a peaceful, negotiated settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the United States would not support -- and would strongly consider voting against -- a resolution that is unacceptable to Armenia. --We encourage the GUAM states to work with Armenia to come up with mutually acceptable language if they are determined to move forward with a draft resolution. --Even if GUAM and Armenia find mutually acceptable language, Russia will likely still oppose the resolution. GUAM members should take into account that this could lead to active efforts to undermine or alter the resolution that could result in substantive amendments that GUAM members may be unable to defeat. --Finally, GUAM should take into consideration Kosovo deliberations at the UN and avoid taking action on their draft resolution at an inopportune moment in the Kosovo context. -------------- IF-ASKED POINTS FOR COUNTRIES OUTSIDE GUAM -------------- ¶5. (C) The following points are to be used on an if-asked basis with countries outside GUAM that have expressed interest in the organization: GUAM PEACEKEEPING BATTALION AND/OR OTHER NEW PROJECTS: --We would welcome information on any new project proposal. --However, at present, we feel it is important to get the Secretariat up and running before initiating new projects. SIPDIS --We also believe that GUAM should focus on getting the newly-established VLEC fully operational and realizing its potential. GUAM UNGA RESOLUTION: --The United States supported the inscription of the GUAM resolution on conflicts on the UNGA agenda, based on our support for the general principle of inscription. STATE 00083491 003 OF 003 --As a Co-Chair in the OSCE Minsk Group, the U.S. works to facilitate a peaceful, negotiated settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. --We will not take a position on the resolution itself until a text is introduced but have urged GUAM countries to consult with relevant parties, including Armenia. --At the same time, we have urged relevant countries to avoid any steps, including at the UN, which could create obstacles to ongoing negotiations aimed at resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. --We would not support, and would consider opposing, a resolution that we consider counterproductive to conflict resolution efforts. ASSISTANCE TO GUAM: --The United States would welcome technical assistance to GUAM from interested states to help ensure the Secretariat begins functioning as soon as possible. --The United States would also welcome initiatives to help GUAM member states collectively realize their goals of promoting European norms and standards within their region. RICE