Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09MOSCOW2319
2009-09-08 14:13:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Moscow
Cable title:
APPOINTMENT OF NEW U.S. OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIR
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C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 002319
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV RS AJ
SUBJECT: APPOINTMENT OF NEW U.S. OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIR
REF: STATE 92194
Classified By: Acting M/C for Political Affairs David Kostelancik for r
easons 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 002319
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV RS AJ
SUBJECT: APPOINTMENT OF NEW U.S. OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIR
REF: STATE 92194
Classified By: Acting M/C for Political Affairs David Kostelancik for r
easons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) We met with MFA Minsk Group Counselor Yelena
Kravchenko September 7 and 8 to discuss reftel announcement.
Kravchenko told us Russian Co-Chair Yuri Merzlyakov remains
on leave through the end of the week, but looks forward to
receiving Ambassador Bradtke's phone call at his dacha. Best
times to call are evenings (Moscow time) at : (plus)7 495 634
5816 (dacha land line, preferred number) or on his mobile
phone (plus)7 985 766 7604.
2. (C) Kravchenko clarified that the Minsk Group Co-Chairs
usually speak English with one another and draft all
documents in English, given Merzlyakov's fluency in the
language as a trained interpreter for English and French (see
para 5). However, Armenian President Sargsian spoke only
Russian, so meetings including him were generally conducted
in Russian.
3. (C) Kravchenko noted that French Co-Chair Fassier had
written Ambassador Bradtke and Conflicts Advisor Tim Birner
letters laying out plans meet in New York or Washington, at
Ambassador Bradtke's convenience, after September 20. In
addition to getting acquainted, separate meetings of the
Co-Chairs with the Armenian and Azerbaijan Foreign Ministers
would be possible on the margins of UNGA. The Co-Chairs
should also agree upon a visit to the region, possibly
starting September 29, Kravchenko said.
4. (C) Kravchenko added that President Medvedev currently
had no plans for another "2 plus 1" meeting with the Armenian
and Azerbaijan Presidents. She held out that the Co-Chairs
might propose that Sargsian and Azerbaijan President Aliyev
meet on the margins of the upcoming CIS summit in Chisinau in
October.
5. (C) In return for the announcement of Ambassador
Bradtke's nomination, Kravchenko asked that we transmit
Merzlyakov's bio to Washington for Ambassador Bradtke's
perusal:
Yuri N. Merzlyakov
Ambassador at Large Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Co-Chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group on Nagorno-Karabakh
Settlement
Born in 1949 in Moscow. Graduated from Moscow State
Institute for International Relations in 1971 and the United
Nations Language Training Course, Moscow, in 1972.
1972-1977 Translator in the United Nations Secretariat, New
York
1977-1979 Student of the Diplomatic Academy, Moscow
1980-1984 Second Secretary of the USSR Embassy in Burundi,
Bujumbura
1984-1987 First Secretary of the USSR Embassy in Tanzania,
Dar-es-Salam
1987-1990 Counselor, Chief of Section of the African
Department of the USSR Foreign Ministry, Moscow
1990-1993 Minister-Counselor of the Russian Embassy in
Ethiopia, Addis-Ababa
1993-1997 Ambassador of the Russian Federation in the
Republic of Madagascar and in the Federal Islamic Republic of
the Comores Islands
1997-2000 Chief of the Working Group on the Caspian Sea,
Ambassador at Large
2000-2003 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
the Russian Federation to the Republic of Kazakhstan
August 2003-present Co-Chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group,
Ambassador at Large
Foreign languages: English, French, Swahili
Married, father of an adult daughter
Beyrle
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV RS AJ
SUBJECT: APPOINTMENT OF NEW U.S. OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIR
REF: STATE 92194
Classified By: Acting M/C for Political Affairs David Kostelancik for r
easons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) We met with MFA Minsk Group Counselor Yelena
Kravchenko September 7 and 8 to discuss reftel announcement.
Kravchenko told us Russian Co-Chair Yuri Merzlyakov remains
on leave through the end of the week, but looks forward to
receiving Ambassador Bradtke's phone call at his dacha. Best
times to call are evenings (Moscow time) at : (plus)7 495 634
5816 (dacha land line, preferred number) or on his mobile
phone (plus)7 985 766 7604.
2. (C) Kravchenko clarified that the Minsk Group Co-Chairs
usually speak English with one another and draft all
documents in English, given Merzlyakov's fluency in the
language as a trained interpreter for English and French (see
para 5). However, Armenian President Sargsian spoke only
Russian, so meetings including him were generally conducted
in Russian.
3. (C) Kravchenko noted that French Co-Chair Fassier had
written Ambassador Bradtke and Conflicts Advisor Tim Birner
letters laying out plans meet in New York or Washington, at
Ambassador Bradtke's convenience, after September 20. In
addition to getting acquainted, separate meetings of the
Co-Chairs with the Armenian and Azerbaijan Foreign Ministers
would be possible on the margins of UNGA. The Co-Chairs
should also agree upon a visit to the region, possibly
starting September 29, Kravchenko said.
4. (C) Kravchenko added that President Medvedev currently
had no plans for another "2 plus 1" meeting with the Armenian
and Azerbaijan Presidents. She held out that the Co-Chairs
might propose that Sargsian and Azerbaijan President Aliyev
meet on the margins of the upcoming CIS summit in Chisinau in
October.
5. (C) In return for the announcement of Ambassador
Bradtke's nomination, Kravchenko asked that we transmit
Merzlyakov's bio to Washington for Ambassador Bradtke's
perusal:
Yuri N. Merzlyakov
Ambassador at Large Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Co-Chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group on Nagorno-Karabakh
Settlement
Born in 1949 in Moscow. Graduated from Moscow State
Institute for International Relations in 1971 and the United
Nations Language Training Course, Moscow, in 1972.
1972-1977 Translator in the United Nations Secretariat, New
York
1977-1979 Student of the Diplomatic Academy, Moscow
1980-1984 Second Secretary of the USSR Embassy in Burundi,
Bujumbura
1984-1987 First Secretary of the USSR Embassy in Tanzania,
Dar-es-Salam
1987-1990 Counselor, Chief of Section of the African
Department of the USSR Foreign Ministry, Moscow
1990-1993 Minister-Counselor of the Russian Embassy in
Ethiopia, Addis-Ababa
1993-1997 Ambassador of the Russian Federation in the
Republic of Madagascar and in the Federal Islamic Republic of
the Comores Islands
1997-2000 Chief of the Working Group on the Caspian Sea,
Ambassador at Large
2000-2003 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
the Russian Federation to the Republic of Kazakhstan
August 2003-present Co-Chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group,
Ambassador at Large
Foreign languages: English, French, Swahili
Married, father of an adult daughter
Beyrle