UKRAINE: READY TO WORK WITH FINLAND AS OSCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L KYIV 000299 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT ALSO FOR EUR/UMB AND EUR/PRA E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/27/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL PBTS OSCE RS UP SUBJECT: UKRAINE: READY TO WORK WITH FINLAND AS OSCE CHAIRMAN-IN-OFFICE REF: A. KYIV 29 ¶B. SECSTATE 167807 ¶C. 06 KIEV 477 Classified By: Political Counselor Kent Logsdon for reasons 1.4(b,d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Unlike their Spanish predecessors, the Finns appear ready to take on the problem of Russia in the OSCE context, judging by Finnish Foreign Minister Kanerva's January 15-16 visit to Kyiv in his capacity as OSCE Chairman-in-Office (CiO). Kanerva met with President Yushchenko, FM Ohryzko and other Ukrainian government representatives and spent time with the OSCE Project Coordinator in Ukraine (PCU),throughout his visit expressing particular interest in Ukraine's view of Russia's actions within the OSCE context. The PCU head hopes that the Finns will be more supportive of the PCU's role, which had been taking hits recently due to a Russian disinformation campaign against it. Kanerva and his Ukrainian interlocutors expressed nervousness over the possibility that Russia would continue to play a spoiler's role more broadly by undercutting the OSCE's support of democratic standards and reforms. Ukraine looks forward to receiving a CiO Special Envoy on Conflicts in the OSCE area, who is expected to visit Kyiv in February. End summary. Finnish Visit a Success - Focus on Russia in the OSCE -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Finnish FM Kanerva visited Kyiv on January 15-16, meeting with President Yushchenko, Foreign Minister Ohryzko, Speaker (and former Foreign Minister) Yatsenyuk, and Deputy Prime Minister Nemyria (Prime Minister Tymoshenko's key advisor and point person for European integration). The brief meeting with President Yushchenko was focused on the Transnistria conflict and energy security. Yushchenko made a press announcement after the meeting reiterating his commitment to the 5-plus-2 talks and stressing that Transnistria issues must be resolved on the basis of Moldovan sovereignty and territorial integrity. ¶3. (C) According to MFA Director for the UN and Other International Organizations (to include OSCE) Serhiy Kyslytsya, FM Kanerva was especially interested in Ukraine's view of Russian actions in the OSCE framework, noting to his counterpart FM Ohryzko that Russia had essentially prevented Spain from any enjoying any success as OSCE chairman-in-office. Ohryzhko was sympathetic, but focused on Ukraine's foreign policy priorities like European integration, Euro-Atlantic integration, and good relations with Russia. According to Kyslytsya, the Finns plan to dispatch a Special Envoy to the region to talk to OSCE governments about seeking ways to resolve the "frozen conflicts," including Transnistria. ¶4. (C) MFA International Organization Department OSCE Division Chief Volodymyr Tolkach separately gave a similar readout, stating that achieving OSCE consensus was important. Tolkach, however, shared U.S. concerns that Russia and its proxies among CIS countries desired to weaken the OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) through its supposed reforms. He privately suspected Russia of being behind Kazakhstan's bid to become CiO in 2010, although Tolkach caveated that the view was his own "off the record" opinion. (Comment: Although only expressed privately, MFA appears to view Russian actions in the OSCE framework as transparently disingenuous and manipulative. Publicly, MFA is trying to maintain a neutral stance, balancing its desire for both better European and Western relations with a goal of achieving positive and stable relations with Russia.) ¶5. (C) PCU Deputy Volker Frobarth was satisfied with the outcome of Kanerva's visit. Frobarth said the visit went much better than expected, and he believed Finland shared the PCU's vision for continuing its work in Ukraine. Acknowledging that the PCU had been under intense scrutiny from OSCE headquarters in Vienna and criticized in a number of areas, Frobarth blamed Russian interference and constant complaining as the reason. He noted that a former PCU Head of Mission had close ties with the White House and, with the current PCU head also a former American diplomat, the Russians had exploited these facts to try to discredit the PCU and its goals. They and their proxies initiated a campaign to portray the PCU as an out-of-control, rogue entity pursuing USG, rather than OSCE, goals. Frobarth decried this portrayal as unfair and patently ridiculous, and one that any interested observer would quickly dismiss as preposterous. The Russians went so far as to accuse the former PCU Head of personally financing part of the Orange Revolution. Frobarth lamented, however, that many in Vienna were uninterested in actually discerning the facts for themselves. In a backhanded compliment to the Russian disinformation campaign, he admitted that Russian persistence in repeating unsubstantiated allegations of wrongdoing had caused problems for the PCU ¶6. (C) Frobarth expressed optimism that Vienna's dissatisfaction with the PCU would dissipate under Finnish leadership. FM Kanerva mentioned to Frobarth that he was completely impressed by the operation and found the criticisms of the PCU to be baseless. Frobarth opined that the Finns had been dealing with the Russians for years and had a better "perspective" on their operating style than the outgoing Spanish. Frobarth expressed the need for the PCU to continue on its current track, which he believed would be maintained under Finnish leadership. A Russian proxy as Ambassador (although Frobarth doubted its likelihood) could roll back all the positive progress and momentum the PCU had achieved in recent years. The PCU remained committed to electoral reform, rule of law, and civil society programs which formed the bedrock of the PCU mission to help further solidify democratic gains in Ukraine. Ukraine Supportive of OSCE and PCU -------------- ¶7. (C) As he has done previously (ref C),Tolkach continued to express support for the PCU and its projects. Frobarth indicated that every Ukrainian official who met with Kanerva, from the President on down, expressed similar support and gratitude. Frobarth described his working relationship with Tolkach as supportive and positive, although he noted that Tolkach was mildly frustrated with being unable to view the complete results of two OSCE internal audits. Tolkach made the same point directly to us regarding the PCU. Echoing what he told us in early 2006, Tolkach said relations with PCU Head Ambassador Schumaker (note: who arrived in Kiev in Fall 2005) were amicable and he was fully satisfied, but then added that he felt he was being kept out of the loop. He cited the PCU's internal audit as an example. Frobarth said the audit's substance had been relayed to Tolkach informally, but, per organizational guidelines, the PCU cannot give Tolkach the actual report. Frobarth admitted some information in the audit, which had been denied to the Ukrainians, had been released to the Russians upon their insistence. According to Frobarth, this was a mild embarrassment and added to the perception that Russia received special treatment for its intransigence, while requests from a cooperative Ukraine were being ignored. ¶8. (C) Tolkach said Ukraine strongly supported Kazakhstan's bid for CiO in 2010, but will be watching its actions closely. Comparing Ukraine to other CIS countries, Tolkach highlighted the fact that the Ukrainian Government had seconded observers to ODIHR to monitor recent elections in Georgia, and that Ukraine had welcomed ODIHR to observe its three most recent elections. Tolkach said Ukraine's actions showed it was committed to democratic principles and reforms and that Ukraine expected Kazakhstan to do so as well. Tolkach also expressed a desire for the USG to support Ukrainian candidates to OSCE posts. Tolkach noted Russia had two Heads of Mission positions; Romania had very good representation in OSCE; and even Moldova had two members in the high commission for ethnic minorities; but Ukraine only had filled only one position with policy responsibilities. Tolkach indicated to us that Ukraine was planning on proposing a candidate to be HOM for Montenegro and would appreciate U.S. support. (Embassy note: Most recently, Ukraine was unsuccessful in its bid to take over as head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo. End note.) ¶9. (U) Visit Embassy Kyiv's classified website: www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/kiev. Taylor