Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10STRASBOURG3
2010-02-26 15:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Strasbourg
Cable title:  

COUNCIL OF EUROPE: APPLAUDING GEORGIA; CONCERN ABOUT

Tags:  PHUM PREL COE BO FR GG RS 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4431
PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSL
DE RUEHSR #0003/01 0571534
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 261534Z FEB 10
FM AMCONSUL STRASBOURG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0204
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHSR/AMCONSUL STRASBOURG 0215
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STRASBOURG 000003 

SIPDIS

STATE ALSO FOR EUR/ERA EUR/RUS AND EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/25/2020
TAGS: PHUM PREL COE BO FR GG RS
SUBJECT: COUNCIL OF EUROPE: APPLAUDING GEORGIA; CONCERN ABOUT
BELARUS

REF: STRASBOURG 02

STRASBOURG 00000003 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Vincent Carver, CG, Strasbourg, State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
SUMMARY
- - - - -

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STRASBOURG 000003

SIPDIS

STATE ALSO FOR EUR/ERA EUR/RUS AND EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/25/2020
TAGS: PHUM PREL COE BO FR GG RS
SUBJECT: COUNCIL OF EUROPE: APPLAUDING GEORGIA; CONCERN ABOUT
BELARUS

REF: STRASBOURG 02

STRASBOURG 00000003 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Vincent Carver, CG, Strasbourg, State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
SUMMARY
- - - - -


1. (C) The Council of Europe (COE) welcomed Georgia's
transparency and efforts at political and human rights reforms,
although it noted that Tblisi should increase efforts to involve
the opposition in the parliamentary process. There is, however,
increasing fatigue among member-states when discussing the
consequences of the war between Russia and Georgia - in large
part because of Russian stonewalling and threats. The Secretary
General is exploring a "new approach" to build on the limited
common ground between Russia and Georgia. On Belarus, COE
member-states noted that Minsk's failure thus far to renew
authorization for the COE's "Information Point" office in Minsk
and the GOB's recent move against the Union of Poles complicate
greater COE-Belarusian engagement. The Swiss reported that
their FM may meet Lukashenko today (February 25) in Kiev to
discuss these issues. Delegations supported the continued
(limited) COE programs concerning Chechnya. End summary

GEORGIA: MUCH PROGRESS, MORE TO DO
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


2. (U) The COE's Democracy Committee discussed Georgia's
fulfillment of its COE obligations, prospects for greater
engagement with Belarus, and its program for Chechnya February

25. The Secretariat characterized Georgia's attitude as "open
and constructive," and said that Tblisi has made progress in
"practically every field." Still, Georgia has not met its
commitment of signing and ratifying the COE's Convention on
Regional and Minority Languages and constitutional reform is an
"ongoing work where the landscape is not always clear." The
Secretariat added that a large part of the political opposition
is not represented in the parliament and that some in the
opposition had presented visiting Secretariat officials with
lists of "political prisoners" - their term, not the COE's, he
noted.


3. (U) Most delegations praised Georgia's transparency and

progress in the judicial and anti-corruption fields. Several
noted Tblisi's reform efforts continued despite the war with
Russia. Russia and Greece were more muted but did agree that
Georgia had made progress, although the Russian added that he
would like to see how the "so-called legislation on the Occupied
Territories" is being adjusted to meet Venice Commission
recommendations. The Georgian Ambassador acknowledged that
"sporadic problems" remain but stressed that Tblisi has tackled
most of its systemic problems. He noted the use of minority
languages in education while admitting that Georgia is
responsible for signing and ratifying the Convention on Regional
and Minority Languages when possible. He observed that the
Georgian Parliament is scheduled February 26 to adopt amendments
to its Law on the Occupied Territories in line with Venice
Commission recommendations.

COE "FATIGUE" FROM DISCUSSING AUG 2008 CONFLICT
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


4. (C) Reflecting what several delegations have told us
privately is "Georgia Fatigue" from the 18 months of discussion
of the consequences of the war between Russia and Georgia
(during which the Russians skillfully threatened the end of any
cooperation with the COE should Moscow be placed on a par with
the "aggressors") the COE Council of Ministers' Deputies
(resident ambassadors) February 24 voiced informal support for
the Secretary General's "new approach" to find common ground
among the parties to the conflict. The Georgian Ambassador
reviewed a lengthy list of COE documents and decisions calling
for the review of both Georgia's and Russia's COE commitments.
The Russian Ambassador, noting his consistent position, appealed
to all "to stop participating in endless discussions initiated
by Georgia" and start thinking of the what the COE can do
constructively in the conflict zone. The EU welcomed
Georgia's "Engagement through Cooperation" initiative for the
breakaway territories (REFTEL) and reiterated strong support for
Georgian's territorial integrity and sovereignty. Many
delegations echoed the EU Ambassador.

BELARUS: STEPS FORWARD AND BACK
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -


5. (U) The Secretariat noted that it is still waiting for Minsk
to renew the authorization for the COE's "Information Point"
office in Minsk to operate - the current authorization expires
in mid-March. The Secretariat observed that a seminar on COE
values, held in Minsk with Swedish assistance, attracted a wide
range of participation from ministries, the parliament, and
others. Switzerland noted that Swiss FM Calmy-Rey, as Chair of
the COE's Council of Ministers, met Belarusian FM Martynov on

STRASBOURG 00000003 002.2 OF 002


the margins of the Wehrkunde in Munich. Calmy-Rey emphasized to
her Belarusian counterpart the need for Minsk to renew the
Information Point's authorization, to issue a moratorium on the
death penalty, to ensure freedom of the media, and to open the
political scene to the opposition - "The ball," the Swiss FM
reportedly told her counterpart, "is in Belarus' court." The
Swiss Delegation noted that Martynov had claimed that Minsk is
working on such issues but that the population continues to
support the use of the death penalty; in any case, there are
only "a few" executions every year. He also agreed that a
limited number of opposition members could attend the April
session of the COE's Parliamentary Assembly, but only as guests
seated in the public gallery. The Swiss also noted that
Calmy-Rey might meet Lukashenko in Kiev later that (February
25) day to make similar points.


6. (U) The Polish Delegation stressed that it had always
supported COE-Belarusian rapprochement, but that Warsaw does not
see progress on the human rights front by Minsk. Lithuania
agreed and said that Belarus must demonstrate some progress
before the COE considers further cooperation. Russia, however,
noted that it has no difficulty with Belarus' accession to the
Convention Against Trafficking in Human Beings. The
Secretariat noted that any accession would be problematic given
the Belarusian response February 24 to the COE that it would not
extend privileges and immunities to Belarusian national experts
who would be members of a COE expert group. Belarus also wants
to reserve the right to renounce any agreement it makes in
connection with its possible accession to the Convention while
remaining a party to the Convention. Both the Secretariat and
the Irish Chair of the Democracy Committee suggested a "wait and
see" approach.


7. (C) The Irish Ambassador told us privately February 25 that,
while Belarus has not made much progress on human rights, "It is
in a bubble, with many wanting to burst out." She added that
the COE is one of several international organizations seeking to
increase engagement with both civil society and the
working-level of the GOB.

COE PROGRAMS ON, BUT NOT IN, CHECHNYA
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -


8. (U) The Secretariat and Russian Delegation praised the COE's
(limited - under 300,000 Euros) programs for Chechnya. Several
delegations observed that the programs are largely educational
and awareness-raising and are not held inside the Chechen
Republic. The UK Ambassador called for more concrete programs,
including action plans, on democracy. Germany called for the
broadening of the program to cover Dagestan and Ingushetia.
Lithuania asked about involvement of NGOs, such as Memorial,
that are not linked to the government in Grozny. The
Secretariat replied to some of the pointes by noting that
Russian Ombudsman Lukin viewed seminars held outside Chechnya as
opportunities to broaden the horizons of some of the Chechen
participants. That said, the Secretariat added that the
improved security situation in Chechnya could mean holding
programs "closer to the region.
CARVER