OSCE WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS: SEPTEMBER 14 - 18, 2009

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 USOSCE 000210 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2019 TAGS: MARR OSCE PGOV PREL GG RU KZ SUBJECT: OSCE WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS: SEPTEMBER 14 - 18, 2009 USOSCE 00000210 001.3 OF 005 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Carol Fuller for Reasons 1.4(B)&(D) TIP Conference Opens ¶1. (U) In her video greeting to the September 14 opening session of the 9th Alliance against Trafficking in Persons Conference, Secretary Clinton spoke of the personal, societal, and economic harm caused by human trafficking. She emphasized the "three Ps" of the anti-trafficking fight - prosecution, protection, and prevention - and urged OSCE participating States to consider preparing their own national reports on human trafficking, including recommendations for further actions. Introduced by ChargQ Fuller, the video was shown to an audience of several hundred, including representatives from the 56 participating States and 11 Mediterranean and Asian Partners, who had gathered in Vienna to discuss the current economic downturn's impact on trafficking. OSCE Secretary General de Brichambaut, Greek PermRep Marinaki, and Special Representative for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings Eva Biaudet also spoke, echoing the Secretary's comments and urging participating States to "redouble our efforts" to prevent trafficking. Biaudet called for the establishment of national rapporteurs or equivalent mechanisms to serve as focal points for anti-trafficking efforts, and highlighted the importance of improved data collection to better understand the extent of the problem. Border Assessments in Central Asia In Need of a Push ¶2. (U) During a meeting with USOSCE officers on September 11, 2009, OSCE Borders Team Senior Advisor Henry Bolton assessed that the OSCE Secretariat leadership currently has little ambition for borders work inside Central Asia. As an example, Bolton said he recently encountered resistance from Conflict Prevention Center leadership on plans to conduct a first-time border assessment in Turkmenistan and an expanded assessment in Kyrgyzstan, as requested by Bishkek. Bolton said although the OSCE borders team had not been directly instructed to kill the assessment projects, it was being directed not to follow up on informal discussions with host governments in the region. Bolton assessed this course of action would halt the assessments for the time being despite the fact funding for the projects already exists. Bolton noted he will be resigning from his post at the end of September 2009 and thought a replacement had not yet been identified. South Ossetians Interest in Modeling OSCE Engagement on UN Arrangements ¶3. (C) Conflict Prevention Center (CPC) staff told Poloff September 15 that South Ossetian de factor "Foreign Minister" Chochiyev recently expressed interest in modeling OSCE engagement in the separatist region on the proposed UN arrangement for Abkhazia. Chochiyev apparently spoke privately to OSCE Special Representative Christopoulos on the margins of the latter's September 11 trip to Tskhinvali with the Geneva co-chairs, and asked that Christopoulos share any proposals by letter in advance of the September 17 Geneva discussions. Chochiev indicated he would be willing to discuss the matter further on the margins of the Geneva talks. If the proposed UN arrangement were applied to the OSCE, Christopoulos would travel regularly to Tbilisi and Tskhinvali to prepare for and co-facilitate IPRM meetings, and would be supported by a Vienna-based team of three USOSCE 00000210 002.3 OF 005 officers, who would travel to the region on a rotating basis and seek to maintain a nearly constant presence in Vienna, Tbilisi, and Tskhinvali. While in the region, the team would have no special status, and would have no permanent office space or accommodations. The arrangement would be based solely on a verbal agreement among the parties concerned, and would involve no MOU or other document. Sources of funding and other details are still vague, and will be considered only if all parties consent to the proposal. CPC staff commented that while Christopoulos was enthusiastic, the Greek Mission in Vienna was less so, as staff seemed exhausted, were frustrated by Russian games, and believed Athens would have a difficult time funding the proposed arrangement. CPC staff also noted the Geneva co-chairs had declined to share the proposal with the Georgians, reportedly because they had pushed Christopoulos only a day earlier to establish the proposed Office of the Special Representative in Tbilisi regardless of possible implications for the Geneva process. RFoM Replacement Not Likely Before 2010 ¶4. (SBU) Contradicting comments made at last week's U.S.-CiO meeting, Marinaki said September 15 that the process for replacing OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) Miklos Haraszti probably would not be concluded before the end of 2009. Although a vacancy letter likely will be released September 15 or 16, Marinaki noted that the decision would be taken by a "silence procedure" in the PC, and this would likely not take place before the end of the Greek Chairmanship. Any appointment, Maranaki said, would have to be confirmed retroactively by a Ministerial Council decision. Because this would not be possible in Athens "due to the press of other issues," the ratifying MC decision would take place in 2010 in Astana. Comment: The Greeks appear to have come to terms with the fact that any decision on RFoM requires consensus, including from Kazakhstan, which may be insisting on managing the selection process during its CiO year when the position comes open. CiO Urges U.S. to Consider its Stance on Alliance of Civilizations and OSCE Cooperation ¶5. (SBU) Marinaki queried whether the Obama administration had changed the previous USG view of skepticism toward enhanced cooperation between the Alliance of Civilizations (AoC) and the OSCE. ChargQ Fuller noted that our bilateral relations with the AoC were currently under review, but said no decision had been made. Marinaki urged not to over-extend the ties between the two organizations, noting that "the AoC will try to exploit the OSCE." She said the AoC had nothing to offer the OSCE and could only gain from enhanced cooperation ("especially Spain"). Comment: Greece and others have been hiding behind our reluctance to expand AoC/OSCE cooperation in the face of Spanish and Turkish advocacy, and fear we may change our views on the AoC and leave them no cover. Dffering Perceptions at Corfu Process Meeting ¶6. (C) The second informal Corfu process meeting opened on September 15 with a presentation by Dr. Wolfgang Zellner of the German Institute for Peace Research and Securit Policy. Zellner highlighted the OSCE's revolutionary approach, in which States abandoned zero-sum logic in favor of cooperative security, but noted that over the past decade European USOSCE 00000210 003.3 OF 005 security policy "has been increasingly dominated by unilateral and frequently confrontatonal approaches." Zellner also emphasized the role that different perceptions about various security decisions - such as NATO and EU expansion - have played in exacerbating tensions among participating States. In response, most pS reiterated their full support for the current European security architecture, including the OSCE, and called for strengthening the organization's ability to assist in the implementation of commitments and to take effective action, particularly in the field of conflict preventionand resolution. Russia, however, reiterated that the West had haped post-Cold War security for its own benefit; the choice was to either continue with the current system of unequal levels of security for NATO members and outsiders, or switch to principled, rule-based cooperation to protect all states based on Russian proposals for a European security treaty. Russia also reiterated its call to hold a meeting of the five main organizations involvedin security in Europe, arguing that it is necessary to eliminate duplication and "harmonize" their work based on a new security treaty. The Chair's perception of the discussion included a recognition of the desire to strengthen the OSCE's role in conflict resolution, an intensified push for relevant arms control arrangements and the need for better coordination among international organizations active in the OSCE area. EU Personal Representative Presents EU's Human Rights Policy ¶7. (U) On September 15 Personal Representative (PR) of the SG/HR on Human Rights Riina Kionka briefed approximately 30 OSCE delegates on human rights policies within the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). Listing mechanisms such as human rights talks - involving EU experts and government officials from 40 countries thus far - Kionka spoke of a growing opportunity to effect change and highlighted an increased interest in human rights issues from OSCE participating States, most recently from Azerbaijan and Armenia. Other notable human rights instruments used by the EU include demarches, declarations, political dialogues, and European Security and Defense Policy operations. Kionka expressed hope for swift ratification of the 2007 Lisbon Treaty, which would make the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights legally binding. TIP Conference Urges Renewed Focus on Prevention ¶8. (U) Noting new economic pressures likely would increase the vulnerability of millions of people to sexual and labor exploitation, participants in the September 14-15 Alliance against Trafficking in Persons Conference urged renewed focus on the prevention of human trafficking, and called on participating States to do more to address its root causes. Many identified widespread and growing unemployment as a key problem, and called for enhanced cooperation between government and business to expand economic opportunities and prevent labor exploitation. Special Representative for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings Eva Biaudet proposed that businesses establish codes of conduct to help prevent trafficking, and consider identifying "trafficking-free" goods and services for consumers. She also highlighted the need to make trafficking less lucrative for criminals, and encouraged continued efforts to "target the money trail." Many panelists supported and encouraged a human rights approach to preventing trafficking, and echoed Biaudet's call for greater demand reduction efforts. USOSCE 00000210 004.4 OF 005 U.S. Comments Favorable on Human Rights in Uzbekistan ¶9. (U) At the September 17, OSCE Permanent Council meeting, the CDA delivered a statement commenting on the recent positive rmarks by ODIHR Director Ambassador Lenarcic that Uzbekistan has made progress in the field of human rights and was increasing its cooperation with ODIHR on human rights issues. While highlighting the positive aspects of the ODIHR report, we also called upon Uzbekistan to capitalize on the increased cooperation and ensure due process for Dimurod Sayyid. The comments appeared to have been well received by the Uzbekistan delegation who responded that Uzbekistan was grateful to the U.S. for "continuing to be interested in our country - in a positive way." The delegate said Uzbekistan was "glad to cooperate with ODIHR" and was pleased that Lenarcic's visit was so productive. OSCE Legal Status Discussions Continue ¶10. (U) Greek Deputy Legal Advisor Jenny Stavridi convened on September 16 the second informal roundtable discussions on OSCE's legal personality. Following the first roundtable in June the Chairmanship circulated two non-papers, one reviewing the draft legal convention and another detailing the current legal status and privileges and immunities of the OSCE. The Russian delegation, after complaining about the Chairmanship's emphasis only on a legal convention, displayed no hesitation in renewing its push for a legal charter, with further support voiced by a handful of participating States in attendance. Stavridi emphasized during the meeting and to us privately the day before her desire to demonstrate some degree of progress by the Athens Ministerial in December. The Dutch PermRep proposed the establishment of an informal working group on the OSCE's legal status. Stavridi promised to pick the issue up again at the next roundtable scheduled for November. CDA Discusses Successor With Outgoing Representative on Freedom of the Media ¶11. (C) At a September 18 meeting, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFOM) Miklos Haraszti, whose term expires in March 2010, told CDA Carol Fuller he agreed with certain EU states (primarily the UK, Sweden and Germany) that three weeks was too short a time frame for pS to submit nominations for the next RFOM. Moreover, Haraszti said he did not share the view that the decision needed to be made before Kazakhstan assumed the Chair in Office in 2010. "I'm not afraid of Kazakhstan," he said. Haraszti said it would likely be easier to repel a bad candidate put forth by Kazakhstan than it might be one proposed by a European CiO and it was far more important to determine who the 4 or 5 "wise persons" who will filter the applications for the CiO will be. This, he said, could be done by the time the Kazakhstanis assume office. Haraszti called the October 7 deadline for submission of nominees "outrageously short," and not enough time to field the best candidates. Haraszti said he feared this scenario might favor the second-time Russian candidate Federtov - "who would not well serve the legacy of this office." (Please protect.) He said "on the surface, Federtov's CV looks, good" suggesting that some states may be inclined to opt for him. Calling himself possibly paranoid, Haraszti said he feared some states could be lured into voting for Federtov on promises of an exchange by the Russian Federation on Georgia, for example, or some other USOSCE 00000210 005.3 OF 005 matter. When asked if he knew of any strong candidates, Haraszti pointed to Bosnian-Serb Dunja Mijatovic whom Haraszti said has the backing of the Bosnian government. He said the Austrian Ambassador told him her country would put forward a name but she was not authorized to identify the person yet. The UK was considering putting forward either a former Chief Editor of the Guardian or a BBC journalist. He also said that Georgia may propose Mr. Oleg Pamfilov - who said he also had the backing of the U.S. Sarkozy Heading to Kazakhstan? ¶12. (C) In a conversation with the French Ambassador to the OSCE, CDA Carol Fuller learned that the French President Sarkozy was going to travel to Kazakhstan on October 6 where he would likely discuss the notion of a summit in Kazakhstan - although, not necessarily in 2010. The Ambassador also said that the officials from the French Foreign Ministry were also planning a trip to Kazakhstan ten days after Sarkozy's visit. He did not know if he would be invited to join the KRSA trip or if he would wait to join the trip to Kazakhstan already arranged for a group of OSCE Ambassadors later in October. On a separate matter, the Ambassador said France may nominate Mr. Robert Mesnard from Journalists Sans Frontiers, as a replacement for Representative on Freedom of the Media Miklos Haraszti. At present, however, the Ambassador said he had no specific instructions and MesnardQ,s name was only being considered. U.S. and EU Delegations Respond to ODIHR Election Report for Albania ¶13. (SBU) At the September 17 OSCE Permanent Council meeting, both the U.S. delegation and the EU (represented by Sweden) responded to the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission Final Report on the June Albanian parliamentary elections, which was issued on September 14. Both delegations commended Albania for its ability to meet most OSCE commitments, while at the same time noting that Albania had not realized its potential to adhere to the highest standards for democratic elections. Both delegations emphasized that politicization throughout the election process undermined the process. Both urged the Government of Albania to heed the recommendations provided by ODIHR in future elections. The EU further encouraged all political parties to pursue a constructive political dialogue (referring to the current Socialist Party boycott of the parliament). In response to the statements, Albanian Ambassador Galanxhi thanked the EU and the U.S. "for their open and sincere assessments, comments and remarks." He also declared that the Government of Albania will take all necessary measures and steps to successfully eliminate shortcomings and concerns that "resulted from the overall electoral reform" and that every single recommendation will be considered and dealt with seriously. CHRISTENSEN