Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08VILNIUS682
2008-08-19 09:43:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Vilnius
Cable title:
BELARUS: OSCE ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSION GETTING SETTLED,
how-toVZCZCXYZ0004 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHVL #0682 2320943 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 190943Z AUG 08 FM AMEMBASSY VILNIUS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2671 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS VILNIUS 000682
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
AMEMBASSY MINSK SENDS
CORRECTED COPY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR BO
SUBJECT: BELARUS: OSCE ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSION GETTING SETTLED,
VOTE COUNT ACCESS UNCLEAR
UNCLAS VILNIUS 000682
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
AMEMBASSY MINSK SENDS
CORRECTED COPY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR BO
SUBJECT: BELARUS: OSCE ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSION GETTING SETTLED,
VOTE COUNT ACCESS UNCLEAR
1. (U) Charge met August 18 with Ambassador Geert-Hinrich Ahrens,
Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission for the
Belarusian parliamentary elections at the end of September. Ahrens
was joined by his deputy, Dr. Beata Martin-Rozumilowicz, and
Election Adviser Mats Lindberg. As of August 17, his 41-person
long-term observer team -- which includes several AMCITs -- is in
place. Starting August 22, the mission will begin hosting weekly
briefings for member states' diplomats. Up to 300 short-term
observers are expected next month.
2. (SBU) Ahrens detailed his ongoing interactions with the GOB,
noting that he has meetings with Foreign Minister Sergey Martynov
and Head of the Presidential Administration Vladimir Makey
immediately after his arrival in Minsk. Ahrens added that he meets
regularly with Central Election Commission (CEC) Chair Lidiya
Yermoshina and CEC Secretary Nikolay Lozovik, and although his
mandate is observation, he provides them with some clear indications
of possible problems. Ahrens, a retired German diplomat, also
asserted his complete independence from his co-nationals at the OSCE
Office in Minsk and the German Embassy.
3. (SBU) One of the most glaring problems, which Ahrens and his
team are working to take up with the GOB, is the issue of
observation at polling places and of the vote count itself. So far,
according to Ahrens, Yermoshina has only responded that observers'
access would require individual permission from local electoral
commissions, an answer that is clearly not good enough; without such
observation, it would be impossible for the mission to state that
OSCE/ODIHR standards have been met and the results will inevitably
be disputed.
Comment
--------------
4. (SBU) Speculation continues to circulate here that the
authorities will select a handful of weak, easily manipulated
non-regime candidates to show the U.S. and the EU that the regime
has reformed. It is true that some of the weaker minds in the
diplomatic community are tempted by that prospect. However, given
the joint USG and EU position that electoral conditions are the
highest priority, it is reassuring to see the OSCE/ODIHR mission
working to that end as well.
MOORE
LEADER
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
AMEMBASSY MINSK SENDS
CORRECTED COPY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR BO
SUBJECT: BELARUS: OSCE ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSION GETTING SETTLED,
VOTE COUNT ACCESS UNCLEAR
1. (U) Charge met August 18 with Ambassador Geert-Hinrich Ahrens,
Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission for the
Belarusian parliamentary elections at the end of September. Ahrens
was joined by his deputy, Dr. Beata Martin-Rozumilowicz, and
Election Adviser Mats Lindberg. As of August 17, his 41-person
long-term observer team -- which includes several AMCITs -- is in
place. Starting August 22, the mission will begin hosting weekly
briefings for member states' diplomats. Up to 300 short-term
observers are expected next month.
2. (SBU) Ahrens detailed his ongoing interactions with the GOB,
noting that he has meetings with Foreign Minister Sergey Martynov
and Head of the Presidential Administration Vladimir Makey
immediately after his arrival in Minsk. Ahrens added that he meets
regularly with Central Election Commission (CEC) Chair Lidiya
Yermoshina and CEC Secretary Nikolay Lozovik, and although his
mandate is observation, he provides them with some clear indications
of possible problems. Ahrens, a retired German diplomat, also
asserted his complete independence from his co-nationals at the OSCE
Office in Minsk and the German Embassy.
3. (SBU) One of the most glaring problems, which Ahrens and his
team are working to take up with the GOB, is the issue of
observation at polling places and of the vote count itself. So far,
according to Ahrens, Yermoshina has only responded that observers'
access would require individual permission from local electoral
commissions, an answer that is clearly not good enough; without such
observation, it would be impossible for the mission to state that
OSCE/ODIHR standards have been met and the results will inevitably
be disputed.
Comment
--------------
4. (SBU) Speculation continues to circulate here that the
authorities will select a handful of weak, easily manipulated
non-regime candidates to show the U.S. and the EU that the regime
has reformed. It is true that some of the weaker minds in the
diplomatic community are tempted by that prospect. However, given
the joint USG and EU position that electoral conditions are the
highest priority, it is reassuring to see the OSCE/ODIHR mission
working to that end as well.
MOORE
LEADER