Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09USOSCE89
2009-04-08 13:27:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Mission USOSCE
Cable title:  

U.S.-EU SPRING CONSULTATIONS ON OSCE: DETERMINING

Tags:  PREL PHUM OSCE EUN 
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VZCZCXRO2683
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHMRE RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK
RUEHYG
DE RUEHVEN #0089/01 0981327
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 081327Z APR 09
FM USMISSION USOSCE
TO RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS 0198
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6332
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 0093
RUCNOSC/OSCE COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USOSCE 000089 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/RPM; EUR/ERA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM OSCE EUN
SUBJECT: U.S.-EU SPRING CONSULTATIONS ON OSCE: DETERMINING
THE MUTUAL NEED

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USOSCE 000089

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/RPM; EUR/ERA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM OSCE EUN
SUBJECT: U.S.-EU SPRING CONSULTATIONS ON OSCE: DETERMINING
THE MUTUAL NEED


1. (U) The EU hosted on March 6 a U.S. delegation, headed by
USOSCE Charge Kyle Scott and EUR/RPM Office Director Bruce
Turner, for the semi-annual U.S.-EU "COSCE" consultations on
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE). The discussions ranged over a variety of topics
confronting the OSCE. Both the Czech EU Presidency and the
U.S. professed the value and importance of continued close
coordination on OSCE issues of concern.


2. (SBU) Main topics covered included:

European Security Architecture -- There was an agreement on
the value of engaging with the Russians on this while
remaining mindful of the shared principles of: fulfilling
commitments, emphasizing comprehensiveness, retaining a
transatlantic component and centering the discussions in the
OSCE. Next steps in the dialogue process will include
national seminars in Italy and Austria and the OSCE,s Annual
Security Review Conference June 23-24. The EU agreed with
the U.S. assertion that gaining traction on CFE would be an
important barometer of genuine progress in any overall
security discussions.

Afghanistan -- Main OSCE activities currently are proposed
border security projects and possible assistance to upcoming
Presidential elections. The key in both cases is to ensure
OSCE focus on niche roles. A thematic niche role for the
OSCE also is to build regional cooperation in these and other
functional areas in Central Asia that can be extended to
Afghanistan.

Protracted Conflicts -- These remain at the heart of European
insecurity. Events last year in Georgia destabilized the
region and for the time being derailed possible progress in
Nagorno-Karabakh. For Moldova, EU has a number of useful
tools to contribute to an eventual resolution, but it is
doubtful that Moldovan President Voronin or Transniestrian
leader Smirnof really desire a resolution. One interesting
wrinkle is to consider the Ukrainian angle on Moldova and
whether certain power centers in Kyiv benefit by having
Transniestria remain mostly an ungoverned space.

SE Europe )- The U.S. presented arguments for why the OSCE
Mission to Kosovo (OMIK) should be downsized and refocused to
avoid overlapping competencies with other international
efforts and ease concerns that due to strict status

neutrality constraints it undermines Kosovo,s elected
government. The EU agreed to consider a U.S. suggestion that
it send an assessment mission to Pristina to gauge OMIK,s
current effectiveness. On the OSCE office in Croatia, the EU
resisted U.S. calls to close it down, saying it still serves
two important roles: monitoring progress on IDPs and
fostering a judicial process on war crimes. In response to
U.S. questions a threshold for closure, the EU suggested
establishing specific benchmarks. The U.S. also raised
concerns about the apparent inverse relationship between the
presence of OSCE offices or Missions and progress in the
EU,s Stabilization and Association Process.

Georgia )- Both sides appreciated improved coordination
between the EU and OSCE monitors. There was also agreement
on the value of Greek efforts to broker a new OSCE Mission
mandate, with the U.S. insisting the time would soon come to
call the Russian bluff and see if they would agree to
maintaining the OSCE,s presence. A representative from the
Council of Europe (COE) described their activities in
Georgia, including the fact that the COE had a representative
based for stretches at a time in Tshkinvali, and urged the
U.S. look more closely at COE reports on Georgia.

Belarus )- The EU assessed some encouraging aspects of
recent Belarusian behavior and said positive incentives such
as inclusion in the EU,s upcoming Eastern Partnership and
suspension of the implementation of the visa ban would be
offset by an extension of various sanction regimes that could
easily be re-imposed if required. The EU said that
opposition leaders in Minsk are cautiously optimistic about
an improvement in the political climate, which they attribute
in part to a more positive EU attitude. Both sides were
concerned about Minsk,s possible acquiescence to Russian
pressure to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia. While not
a member of the Council of Europe, Belarus is interested in
closer relations with Strasbourg, which might include
establishment of a COE information office in Minsk and
Belarusian adherence to several COE conventions including
torture.


3. (SBU) COMMENT: These semi-annual discussions remain a

USOSCE 00000089 002 OF 002


useful opportunity to take a step back and consider larger
trends and developments at the OSCE. That they broke little
new ground, however, is a tribute to the close communication
and coordination we currently enjoy in Vienna with the EU
troika. Particularly effective have been our efforts to
reach out directly to the Czech Presidency ahead of the EU,s
weekly coordination meeting in an effort to avoid being
confronted later on with an EU fait accompli following the
often tortuous position formulation negotiations among all 27
members.
SCOTT