OSCE HUMAN DIMENSION MEETING: REQUEST FOR EMBASSY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 060838 SENSITIVE SIPDIS VILNIUS ALSO FOR EMBASSY MINSK E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM OSCE KDEM PREL SUBJECT: OSCE HUMAN DIMENSION MEETING: REQUEST FOR EMBASSY INPUT ¶1. (SBU) Summary and Action Request: The OSCE will conduct its annual Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM) from September 29 through October 10 in Warsaw. The HDIM is the OSCE's annual review of participating States, implementation of their OSCE commitments to human rights and fundamental freedoms. The USG takes an active role in ensuring the success of the HDIM and offers specific criticism and praise for the human rights performance of OSCE participating States. As part of USG efforts to enhance our dialogue with OSCE participating States on their implementation of OSCE commitments, the Department requests that action addressees provide information about areas of particular concern regarding host government performance. Posts' responses will be used to inform a pre-HDIM demarche to host governments, which will cite areas about which the USG is concerned but prepared to recognize progress during the HDIM, should the host government's actions so merit. Action addressees are requested to provide input by June 13; the Department also welcomes responses from info addressees should there be a human rights or democratic development issue we could productively raise with your host government. End Summary and action request. ¶2. (SBU) The annual OSCE HDIM meeting is a useful stock-taking of countries, progress, or lack thereof, in implementing their commitments to respect human rights and basic freedoms )- such as democratic elections and freedom of the press )- undertaken in the context of several OSCE conventions, including most recently the 1992 Helsinki Protocol. The USG has a long tradition of specifically criticizing, at the HDIM, poor human rights and democracy performance, when warranted. As part of our balanced approach, we also commend countries, when appropriate, for taking concrete steps to address specific issues. For reference, posts may review last year's statements on the USOSCE website: http://osce.usmission.gov/HDIM/hdim2007.html. ¶3. (SBU) The Department would like to enhance our dialogue with OSCE participating States on this set of issues, and, when possible, to use the HDIM as a tool to promote improved human rights performance. To this end, Posts are requested to provide input by June 13 on areas of concern in their host government's human rights and democracy performance, particularly those where there may be opportunities to use the prospect of an HDIM review of performance on OSCE commitments to promote reform or obtain specific deliverables prior to the HDIM. Examples might include pressing for registration of an NGO or for release of a political prisoner. ¶4. (SBU) Posts' input will be used as the basis for a broad demarche to OSCE capitals outlining USG concerns. This will include country-specific suggestions for positive actions that we would be prepared to recognize in the HDIM should the host government undertake them. We hope that, by suggesting specific actions and providing adequate time prior to the HDIM for host governments to act, we will enhance the utility of the HDIM as a diplomatic tool. The Department also has an interest in presenting a balanced assessment of each OSCE participating State's performance towards meeting its OSCE STATE 00060838 002 OF 002 commitments, and therefore welcomes input on other positive actions by host governments. ¶5. (U) Posts' input is appreciated. RICE