OSCE BRIEFS BISHKEK AMBASSADORS; PROMISES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 001116

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN (GORKOWSKI)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM KG OSCE
SUBJECT: OSCE BRIEFS BISHKEK AMBASSADORS; PROMISES
COOPERATION ON POLICE REFORM

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1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Andrew Tesoriere, chief of the Bishkek
OSCE Center, convened an October 15 meeting of OSCE member
state Ambassadors to outline OSCE goals and programs, which
he claimed arose from Kyrgyz requests. Key among these
activities is OSCE's ongoing police reform program, where
cooperation with planned MCC activities will be needed to
avoid overlap. OSCE leadership and other attendees,
including the Russian Ambassador, expressed a shared desire
to cooperate, not compete. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) The Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE) Bishkek Center chief Andrew Tesoriere hosted
OSCE member state Ambassadors for an October 15 review of
OSCE activities. Noting that OSCE activities stemmed from
Kyrgyz requests, not "out of some factory in Vienna," he
identified the following priorities and projects:

-enhancing border management and security by halting
illegal activity and facilitating legal flows of goods and
people;
-fostering rule of law through the OSCE's police reform
program;
-promoting good governance, fighting corruption, and
encouraging transparency, predictability, and accountability,
especially within the business community;
-providing "expert opinions" on draft legislation;
-addressing environmental cleanup and protection issues
such as leftover uranium tailings and RADIOACTIVE waste,
disaster preparedness, and water and soil conservation;
-economic development with a focus on internal and
external labor migration and support of business
associations;
-human and social programs including human rights, rule
of law, combating trafficking in persons, prison reform,
electoral reform, gender equality, legal aid, medical
assistance, and prevention of domestic violence; and
-regional cooperation and conflict prevention, with a focus
on southern Kyrgyzstan's enclaves.


3. (SBU) Tesoriere reflected on border control issues
discussed at the October 9-10 Commonwealth of Independent
States (CIS) Summit, and envisioned closer OSCE-CIS
cooperation on counterterrorism and counter-trafficking
issues. He also committed to working on a local elections
action plan with the Chairman of the Kyrgyz Central Election
Commission along the lines of Office for Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights recommendations. He also
outlined a series of upcoming political-military initiatives:
a meeting on border crossings issues; a joint OSCE-Kyrgyz
counter-terrorism seminar; and an OSCE mission to Bishkek to
review ammunition storage sites.

COORDINATING POLICE REFORM
--------------


4. (U) Tesoriere highlighted the OSCE police reform program,
which prepares the Kyrgyz Republic militia for comprehensive
reform based on Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) guidance.
The program is built on two pillars: community policing and
general police reform, including Public Prevention Centers.
Russia provides the MVD training in forensics and criminal
investigations and hosts Kyrgyz students at its police
academies. Future efforts will focus on combating organized
crime.


5. (SBU) Ambassador Gfoeller responded that the Millennium
Challenge Corporation (MCC) Threshold Program's goals in
judicial and police reform resemble OSCE efforts and
cautioned against duplication. Tesoriere added that he
informed the Kyrgyz Supreme Court and Judicial Council of the
OSCE's desire for cooperation and pledged to "share all that

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we do." He added: "The OSCE can now calibrate our program,
tailored to yours. We need to be managerially intelligent so
as not to duplicate your efforts."


6. (U) The OSCE Bishkek office has released a DVD, entitled
"Building a Modern Kyrgyz Police," to highlight the OSCE's
work in building relationships between Kyrgyz police and
local communities. Since its inception in 2002, the OSCE
police training program has provided radios, tripled and
automated emergency call systems, and provided training in
tactical methods and human rights. OSCE Program Director
Markus Muller recalled significant skepticism at the time of
the program's launch, but pointed to successful examples of
community involvement including neighborhood watch groups in
Karakol.

IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM
--------------


7. (SBU) Several Ambassadors worked other agendas throughout
the morning. Russian Ambassador Valentin Vlasov chatted up
Erkin Atabekov of the Kyrgyz MFA, frequently disrupting
speakers who were forced to talk over their sidebar. It
appears that Vlasov is able to both talk and listen
simultaneously, however, for when he interjected to stress
the importance of coordination, he strongly echoed Ambassador
Gfoeller's remarks. The Tajik Ambassador, for his part,
snored through the session and the German Ambassador plugged
a German company to deal with the uranium tailing problem.
GFOELLER