OSCE WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS: OCTOBER 13 - 16, 2009

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 USOSCE 000234

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/21/2019
TAGS: MARR OSCE PGOV PREL GG RU
SUBJECT: OSCE WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS: OCTOBER 13 - 16, 2009

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Carol Fuller for Reasons 1.4(B)&(D)

Parliamentary Assembly Examines Energy Security and
Environmental Challenges...


1. (SBU) During the October 9-12, 2009, Fall Meeting of the
OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (PA),more than 200
parliamentarians from the OSCE participating States (pS) met
in Athens to examine challenges to achieving energy security
in the region. The United States was represented by Helsinki
Commission (HC) Chairman Benjamin Cardin, Co-Chairman Alcee
Hastings, HC Commissioner Michael McIntyre, and Senator
George Voinovich, a staunch supporter of the Commission.
Parliamentarians discussed energy and environmental
challenges in the OSCE region, including the impact of
climate change and energy insecurity. Representatives from
several pS stressed the utility of adopting regional
approaches to addressing energy security and environmental
concerns. In this regard, the Greek delegation highlighted
the proposal put forward by the Hellenic Parliament for
establishing a regional European-Mediterranean Energy
Cooperation group. Other parliamentarians underlined the
importance of strengthening good governance and investing in
infrastructure in efforts to address energy security and
environmental challenges in the region.

...and Engages in Spirited Discussion of Arab-Israeli Conflict


2. (SBU) At the Parliamentary Assembly,s Mediterranean Forum
on October 11, Helsinki Commission Co-Chairman Hastings urged
improved coordination and focus on core values among the
numerous organizations that seek to address issues of concern
in the Mediterranean area, to address problems of overlap and
institutional fatigue. During the discussion,
parliamentarians from France, Egypt, and Jordan engaged the
Israeli ambassador to Greece in a heated exchange over
well-known differences on the Arab-Israeli conflict. Several
speakers, including the personal representative of the OSCE
Chairman-in-Office on the Mediterranean, stressed the need
for the OSCE to play a role in resolving the Arab-Israeli
conflict; to this end, they suggested that the Palestinian
Authority, as well as possibly Libya and Syria, be granted
OSCE Partner status. Other recommendations included
strengthening cooperation on migration, rule of law, and
economic and trade matters to address social and economic
inequality. On the margins of the Forum, Secretariat
officials informed Poloff that the Kazakh chair of the
Mediterranean Partners group had selected three priority
activities for the coming year: border management including
migration; desertification and water management; and a young
diplomats exchange program.

Kazakhstan Hosts First Official OSCE Event As Incoming CiO


3. (SBU) On October 12-13, Astana hosted the first
preparatory conference for the 18th OSCE Economic and
Environmental Forum (EEF) on transportation and border
crossings, a theme chosen by Kazakhstan as the incoming
Chairman-in-Office. The conference, generally viewed as a
kind of debut event for the incoming CiO, was well organized
and drew an estimated 170 participants. From the Central
Asian states, Turkmenistan was notably absent, despite Kazakh
efforts to get them to at least send someone from their
embassy. A number of EU states noted privately that given
the large amount of overlap with EC responsibilities, prior
treatment of this theme in 2006 under the Belgian OSCE

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Chairmanship, and potential for a too-narrow focus on
technical and transportations issues, there was limited
enthusiasm for the theme in capitals. However, most agreed
that if it fostered cooperation among the Central Asian
states, it would be worthwhile. OSCE Coordinator for
Economic and Environmental Activities Svilanovic told Poloff
he was concerned it would be difficult to keep the remainder
of the forum process linked closely enough to security issues
to make it relevant in the OSCE context and said he would
make recommendations to address this. He also said he would
encourage inclusion of a session on Afghanistan in the next
event. The next part of the EEF, Forum Segment I, will be
held in Vienna on February 1-2.

ISAF LTG Dutton Reports to Joint FSC/PC


4. (SBU) At an October 14 Joint FSC/PC, Deputy Commander of
ISAF, LTG JB Dutton (UK) delivered a detailed presentation on
the progress and challenges facing the 42-member coalition in
Afghanistan. LTG Dutton offered an explanation for the poor
state of the Afghan National Police, particularly in
comparison to the better trained and organized Afghan
National Army. "Many police officers are corrupt,
illiterate, or drug addicted," he said. In the follow-on
question and answer period, several OSCE participating States
picked up on Dutton,s references to work on borders as an
area in which the OSCE can contribute toward strengthening
Afghan security. The EU said it was looking for ways to
improve engagement with Afghanistan, especially with respect
to border security and fighting drugs. Canada said OSCE
projects "must span both sides of the borders that
Afghanistan shares with pS." Russia said it had long
suggested that Russia be more involved in discussions with
coalition member states on Afghan issues and urged greater
NATO and CSTO cooperation. Kazakhstan said there was an
opportunity for the OSCE to be more actively engaged in
Afghanistan - not excluded. The Afghan ambassador cited
numerous statistics lending support to claims of progress in
Afghanistan. He said the role of the military in providing
security must be complemented by civilian efforts and said
now was the time for possible expansion of cooperation
between Afghanistan and the OSCE. In his concluding remarks,
LTG Dutton raised the possibility that the OSCE might be well
positioned to help Afghanistan create an "expeditionary
police force."

CPC Says "Support Team" for South Ossetia Under Discussion


5. (SBU) Conflict Prevention Center (CPC) staff told Poloff
October 15 that the Greek Chairmanship was trying to move
ahead with the "support team" proposed by Special
Representative Christopoulos as an alternative to the
three-person roving presence, which he abandoned after his
disastrous September 30-October 2 trip to Tbilisi and
Tskhinvali. Three key issues have emerged: whether the team
will be allowed to support Christopoulos, participation in
the Geneva discussions, in addition to the IPRM meetings;
whether Christopoulos will be allowed to appoint substitutes
for IPRM meetings; and whether OSCE vehicles can be used to
transport Christopoulos and his team across the
administrative boundary line and within the South Ossetia
region. Christopoulos reportedly spoke to Russian DFM
Karasin in Moscow October 13 and received tacit support for
the team,s link to Geneva and the appointment of
substitutes, but was unable to draw Karasin into a discussion
of transportation. The vehicles reportedly are an issue of

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concern for Georgia as well, as Georgian officials fear that
basing vehicles more or less permanently in Tskhinvali could
imply equal status for the region. The composition of the
proposed team also remains unclear, and is likely to be a
sticking point. Christopoulos intended to raise the idea
with Georgian authorities and South Ossetian representatives
during the Geneva Co-Chairs, visit to the region the week of
October 19.

Russia Says OSCE Mission to Moldova Oversteps Mandate


6. (SBU) Responding to Head of Mission Remler,s report to
the Permanent Council on October 15, Russian PermRep Azimov
criticized the OSCE Mission to Moldova for overstepping its
1993 mandate, which explicitly tasks the Mission to
facilitate a lasting settlement of the Transnistria conflict.
Azimov argued that the Mission,s democratization, human
rights, and other activities fall outside the scope of its
mandate and divert resources away from conflict resolution
efforts. Others (the United States, the EU, Ukraine, and
Moldova) took the opposite approach, and commended the
Mission for its efforts to encourage Moldovan authorities to
respect the rule of law and uphold Moldova,s OSCE and
international commitments. Remler largely refrained from
comment, stating merely that conflict resolution and other
activities are inter-related. On the Transnistria issue
itself, delegations reiterated their support for a political
settlement and called for the resumption of formal
negotiations in the 5 2 format. Azimov limited his comments
to an expression of support for "practical"
confidence-building measures, while declaring that all
parties to the 5 2 should have equal rights.

Economic Coordinator Highlights Growing Interest in Second
Dimension


7. (U) Coordinator for Economic and Environmental Activities
Svilanovic gave his annual report to the Permanent Council on
October 15. He noted "growing interest in the OSCE,s second
dimension," pointing to a recent working group report on the
future of the second dimension, and highlighted the OSCE,s
involvement in the regional ENVSEC initiative, particularly
its work in the Caucasus and Central Asia. Svilanovic also
noted growing interest among pS in OSCE involvement in
assessing and mitigating the security implications of climate
change and promised a proposal for further steps. In
addition, he highlighted close cooperation with the
Parliamentary Assembly and said that at the recent PA meeting
in Athens, multiple delegations had said the Extractive
Industries Transparency Initiative might be worthy of OSCE
support. The EU called the second dimension an integral part
of comprehensive security that should be included in
discussions of Europe's security architecture, and called on
the OSCE to develop more early warning and
confidence-building measures in this dimension. Russia said
discussions about the future of the second dimension provided
an opportunity to correct the "historic imbalance" in the
OSCE. Russia gave cautious approval to OSCE involvement in
energy security, but said OSCE involvement in climate change
issues would only direct attention away from more urgent
processes elsewhere. Kazakhstan said OSCE field activities
should be driven by the needs of host countries; that with
climate change expected to be a threat multiplier, there
should be discussion of the issue in the OSCE; and that water
issues should be a priority for OSCE engagement.


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Azerbaijan Insists on Links Between Turkey-Armenia
Rapprochement, Nagorno-Karabakh settlement


8. (C) Azerbaijan heavily criticized the October 10 signing
of the protocols between Turkey and Armenia at the October 15
Permanent Council meeting. In direct contradiction to
laudatory statements made by the United States, the EU,
Canada, and Switzerland, Azerbaijan insisted that the
normalization process, if undertaken separately from a
Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, will have a negative effect on
peace and security in the region. Azerbaijan argued that
normalization will embolden Armenia to continue its
"unconstructive stance" in Minsk Group negotiations; to avoid
such negative consequences, the two processes should be
inextricably linked as part of a package settlement on
Nagorno-Karabakh. Statements made by Turkey and Armenia were
pragmatic and constructive, focusing on the benefits to be
achieved through the normalization process, both for the
parties involved and for regional security. Turkey noted the
"correlation" between the normalization process and the Minsk
Group efforts, and stated its belief that this correlation
has led to increased momentum in both areas. Nevertheless,
Turkey said it was interested in seeing concrete steps taken
in the near future towards resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. In its response, Armenia rejected the links made
to the Minsk Group process and characterized the protocols as
an essential tool to overcome the impediments in relations
between Turkey and Armenia, the ultimate goal of which is to
increase regional security and stability.

Ukraine Confirms Candidacy for 2013 OSCE Chairmanship


9. (SBU) At the Permanent Council meeting on October 15,
Ukraine confirmed its interest and willingness to take over
the OSCE Chairmanship in 2013.

CDA Speaks with Turkmen Ambassador About HDIM Attendance


10. (SBU) In an October 15 meeting with CDA Fuller, Turkmen
Ambassador Aydogdyev said his country will never participate
in the HDIM in Warsaw as long as "terrorists" were registered
as participants, referring to several exiled Turkmen NGO
leaders. In reply to the CDA's observation that no Turkmen
NGOs attended last year's HDIM and neither did the GoTX,
Aydogdyev replied that the NGOs' registration was sufficient
reason not to attend. Aydogdyev said Turkmenistan would be
"delighted" to participate in the HDIM, but for the NGO
participation. He added, however, that Turkmenistan was not
missing much by not going to the HDIM - the government meets
with civil society in Turkmenistan. He added that he
regularly meets with Amnesty International, Human Rights
Watch, and others in Geneva and he is intimately aware of
their claims. Aydogdyev said Turkmenistan wants a clear
mechanism by which certain groups can be excluded from the
HDIM, such as the presence of names on an Interpol list ) or
"some other list."

High Level Planning Group Trying to Live Up to Name


11. (C) Poloffs met October 15 with Greek Brigadier General
Georgios Chatzikonstantinou, Commander of the High Level
Planning Group (HLPG),the body charged with planning an
eventual OSCE peacekeeping mission in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Chatzikonstantinou shared some impressions of his recent
visit to the region, while carefully excising details of the
recent Minsk Group meetings, which he is not authorized to

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divulge. He expressed support for a JCS proposal to work
with the Marshall Center on further development of the
peacekeeping plans, but stressed the need to include the
Conflict Prevention Center (CPC) in any such event, given
that the CPC likely would be in charge of coordinating the
non-military aspects of such a mission. Chatzikonstantinou
highlighted the importance of preparatory operational
planning within the OSCE, but noted that the CPC does not
seem to appreciate the necessity of this initial conceptual
work, which ideally would be completed prior to an agreement
on the Basic Principles. Based on this feedback, Poloffs
will be sounding out the CPC in the coming week to gauge
their interest in working together with the HLPG and the
Marshall Center on this topic.

Secretariat Urges U.S. and Like-Minded States to Stand Firm
on OMIK Budget


12. (C) In an October 8 meeting with Niamh Walsh, the
Secretariat desk officer who covers the OSCE Mission in
Kosovo (OMIK),Walsh said it took "bloodletting" within the
mission for it to arrive at its proposed 2010 budget of EUR
22.75 million (a 15 percent reduction from the 2009 budget of
EUR 26.91 million). She expressed trepidation that if the
Quintet and other like-minded states do not now show
coordinated and firm support for reductions during upcoming
budget negotiations, Serbia and Russia will dominate the
discussion and walk the reductions back, particularly in the
Human Rights and Communities unit (formerly monitoring).
Without the proposed cuts, Walsh said OMIK would be unlikely
to come forward with comparable reductions in coming years,
given the internal turmoil it generates. She noted that
during a September trip of OSCE delegations, Advisory
Committee on Management and Finance representatives to
Pristina, Quintet states had largely remained silent, while
Serbia and Russia had aggressively drilled the mission with
questions about its activities and status neutrality.
(USOSCE Poloff meetings with Quintet delegations in Vienna
suggest that so far the UK is the only member other than the
United States committed to pressing hard for these
reductions.) However, Walsh said that while Serbia and
Russia were watching the mission closely to limit its
activities to those areas they consider status-neutral, there
was no indication that Serbia, Russia, or other
non-recognizing states intended to pull the rug out from
under OMIK's election-related activities in advance of the
November elections.
CHRISTENSEN