Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07USUNNEWYORK216
2007-03-17 01:00:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
USUN New York
Cable title:
RUSSIAN PERMREP LINKS KOSOVO AND ABKHAZIA
how-toVZCZCXRO8271 PP RUEHBZ RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUCNDT #0216 0760100 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 170100Z MAR 07 FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1538 INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE PRIORITY 0134 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 0962 RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI PRIORITY 3923 RUEHPS/USOFFICE PRISTINA PRIORITY 0796
UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000216
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL GG UNMIK YI
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN PERMREP LINKS KOSOVO AND ABKHAZIA
ARRIA-STYLE MEETINGS
REF: A)USUN 00195 B) SECSTATE 32648
UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000216
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL GG UNMIK YI
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN PERMREP LINKS KOSOVO AND ABKHAZIA
ARRIA-STYLE MEETINGS
REF: A)USUN 00195 B) SECSTATE 32648
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified -- please protect
accordingly.
2. (SBU) On March 14, at the end of P5 meeting on Iran,
Russian Permrep Churkin protested a UK proposed Arria-style
meeting for Kosovo President Sejdiu that he said he had been
informed of earlier in the day. Churkin produced a faxed
invitation from the UK mission and complained that the title
"Kosovo Final Status" was inappropriate. "More importantly",
Churkin asserted, "Russia still has not been able to arrange
a meeting for the 'Abkhaz Foreign Minister' even though the
Abkhaz are an internationally recognized party to a conflict
and have the right to make their case at the United Nations."
"Russia is sick and tired of having to speak on Abkhazia's
behalf," he continued. Churkin stated that he would remove
his objection to the proposed Kosovo meeting, provided that
Abkhaz de facto Foreign Minister Shamba receives a visa.
3. (SBU) On March 15 in a morning Security Council session,
Churkin returned to this topic under other matters and
criticized the title of the meeting and its timing, which he
said was motivated by a desire to pre-empt debate in the
Council on an important issue. Churkin also alleged that the
proposed Arria-style meeting was an exercise in "double
standards" that amounted to a violation of U.S. host country
obligations. Churkin sought assurances that an Arria style
with the Abkhaz would be facilitated prior to the UNOMIG
mandate renewal in April or Russia would continue to oppose
the UK meeting with the Kosovars and would consider opposing
the practice of Arria-style meetings generally, which he
insisted were based on agreement among Council members.
While apologizing for the title of the meeting and calling it
"unfortunate", UK Permrep Jones Parry defended the right to
hold it, pointing out that Arria-style meetings were not
official Council sessions and did not require a Council
consensus and that invited members were free not to attend.
Ambassador Wolff supported the UK Permrep's arguments and
firmly rejected Churkin's accusation that the U.S. was not
observing its host country obligations.
4. (SBU) Comment: As USUN noted in reftel A, Arria-style
meetings are not official and can be hosted by any member of
the Security Council. Issuance of visas for non-member
participants is at the discretion of the U.S. and despite
Russian objections we can wait until the right moment to
issue a visa to Shamba but should carefully consider how all
of our equities run together. End comment.
WOLFF
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL GG UNMIK YI
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN PERMREP LINKS KOSOVO AND ABKHAZIA
ARRIA-STYLE MEETINGS
REF: A)USUN 00195 B) SECSTATE 32648
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified -- please protect
accordingly.
2. (SBU) On March 14, at the end of P5 meeting on Iran,
Russian Permrep Churkin protested a UK proposed Arria-style
meeting for Kosovo President Sejdiu that he said he had been
informed of earlier in the day. Churkin produced a faxed
invitation from the UK mission and complained that the title
"Kosovo Final Status" was inappropriate. "More importantly",
Churkin asserted, "Russia still has not been able to arrange
a meeting for the 'Abkhaz Foreign Minister' even though the
Abkhaz are an internationally recognized party to a conflict
and have the right to make their case at the United Nations."
"Russia is sick and tired of having to speak on Abkhazia's
behalf," he continued. Churkin stated that he would remove
his objection to the proposed Kosovo meeting, provided that
Abkhaz de facto Foreign Minister Shamba receives a visa.
3. (SBU) On March 15 in a morning Security Council session,
Churkin returned to this topic under other matters and
criticized the title of the meeting and its timing, which he
said was motivated by a desire to pre-empt debate in the
Council on an important issue. Churkin also alleged that the
proposed Arria-style meeting was an exercise in "double
standards" that amounted to a violation of U.S. host country
obligations. Churkin sought assurances that an Arria style
with the Abkhaz would be facilitated prior to the UNOMIG
mandate renewal in April or Russia would continue to oppose
the UK meeting with the Kosovars and would consider opposing
the practice of Arria-style meetings generally, which he
insisted were based on agreement among Council members.
While apologizing for the title of the meeting and calling it
"unfortunate", UK Permrep Jones Parry defended the right to
hold it, pointing out that Arria-style meetings were not
official Council sessions and did not require a Council
consensus and that invited members were free not to attend.
Ambassador Wolff supported the UK Permrep's arguments and
firmly rejected Churkin's accusation that the U.S. was not
observing its host country obligations.
4. (SBU) Comment: As USUN noted in reftel A, Arria-style
meetings are not official and can be hosted by any member of
the Security Council. Issuance of visas for non-member
participants is at the discretion of the U.S. and despite
Russian objections we can wait until the right moment to
issue a visa to Shamba but should carefully consider how all
of our equities run together. End comment.
WOLFF