NETHERLANDS/KAZAKHSTAN: DUTCH VIEW ON KAZAKHSTAN'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 000033 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/RPM, EUR/WE E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2018 TAGS: PGOV OSCE PREL KZ NL SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/KAZAKHSTAN: DUTCH VIEW ON KAZAKHSTAN'S OSCE CHAIRMANSHIP REF: STATE 167807 Classified By: Political Counselor Andrew Schofer, reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) Summary: The GONL concurs that close coordination among OSCE partners is necessary to help ensure Kazakhstan remains on track in terms of the commitments it made in exchange for the 2010 OSCE chairmanship. MFA Special Advisor for the OSCE Tony van der Togt said for their part, the Dutch are focused on providing enhanced high-level training for Kazakhstani diplomats to help ensure Kazakhstan is professionally prepared to assume the chairmanship. Van der Togt also said the Dutch have consulted with Finland on assisting Kazakhstan. Van der Togt discussed these issues with polmiloff on January 11. End summary. ¶2. (C) Van der Togt appreciated reftel points, and agreed that coordination among OSCE partners was crucial to ensure Kazakhstan upholds its commitments made in exchange for the 2010 OSCE Chairmanship. Van der Togt characterized Kazakhstani FM Tazhin's December 6 OSCE Permanent Council statement defending the conduct of the Russian elections as "not exactly logical," given the commitments Kazakhstan made. He said Tazhin's position "raised many questions" in the Netherlands, especially as Kazakhstan had agreed to act as an independent chairman. Van der Togt suggested that the OSCE office in Astana might play a positive role in terms of encouraging Kazakhstan to stick to the commitments it made in exchange for the chairmanship. ¶3. (C) Van der Togt said the Dutch are fully committed to helping Kazakhstan prepare for its stint as the OSCE chairman. He noted that the Dutch proposed high-level diplomatic training for Kazakhstani diplomats at the Clingendael Institute, a Dutch think tank funded by the GONL. Clingendael has trained a number of diplomats from Central Asian countries -- including Kazakhstan -- and proposed additional training for Kazakhstani diplomats over a year ago in the event Kazakhstan was chosen to chair the OSCE. According to van der Togt, Dutch Minister for European Integration Timmermans and Tazhin resumed discussions on the possibility of Dutch training for Kazakhstani diplomats on the margins of the OSCE ministerial in Madrid. ¶4. (C) Van der Togt said the Dutch would be interested in teaming with other diplomatic training academies in Austria and Germany to help improve Kazakhstan's capacity to chair the OSCE; he noted recent diplomatic training for Kazakhstan in Hamburg. He said the various training academies should be able to provide the same message in terms of experience and lessons learned to help ensure Kazakhstan is "professionally able" to assume the chairmanship. In the end, however, the Kazakhstanis will have to decide what they want, van der Togt said. He plans to visit Astana in April to review details regarding an enhanced training program. He suggested funding should not be a problem -- Kazakhstan has indicated a willingness to pay for the training, and Kazakhstani officials frequently have sought guidance from The Hague regarding costs associated with chairing the OSCE. ¶5. (C) Van der Togt noted that the Dutch have also been in close contact with the Finns regarding the upcoming chairmanships and encouraging Kazakhstan. He noted a Finnish proposal to collectively pool efforts among Finland, Lithuania, and Kazakhstan -- in addition to the current OSCE chairman troika -- in order to ensure that the direction of the OSCE remains consistent. Arnall