OSCE WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS: JANUARY 25 - 29, 2010

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USOSCE 000031 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OSCE PGOV PREL MARR KZ RS GM AJ SUBJECT: OSCE WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS: JANUARY 25 - 29, 2010 Chairmanship Eager to Please with Low-Calorie Human Dimension Agenda ¶1. (SBU) Kazakhstani PermRep Abdrakhmanov formally presented the Chairmanship's Human Dimension (HD) calendar at the well-attended HD Committee's inaugural meeting January 22. True to the Chairmanship's stated priorities, the proposal was heavy on tolerance, gender, and trafficking events at the expense of possible events on human rights and fundamental freedoms. In an earlier meeting convened by USOSCE, the EU/Spain, Norway, and Canada developed coordinated statements to reinforce our common interest in a more ambitious program. Accordingly, these delegations recommended changes, including a Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting on freedom of assembly and association in lieu of trafficking; the replacement of "self-regulation of the media" with a broader focus on "freedom of the media" or "freedom of expression" for a special day at the annual Human Dimension Implementation Meeting; and the shifting of "intolerance against migrants" from the Human Dimension Seminar to the planned high-level conference on tolerance, in order to free the seminar for a discussion of how to strengthen HD implementation mechanisms. ¶2. (SBU) Russia stated its willingness to "give consent" to the Kazakhstani proposal as presented since it was "a negotiated compromise, even though it did not include any of the Russian priorities." Russia warned, however, that if others were to open the package for discussion, Russia would be forced to push for more emphasis on freedom of movement, national minorities, intercultural dialogue, and efforts to combat neo-fascism. Belarus also stated it was prepared to accept the proposal as presented. Along the same lines, Turkmenistan hinted at raising NGO registration at HD events if the package were re-opened, saying "you know we have a problem with this." ¶3. (SBU) In an attempt to accommodate opposing viewpoints, Kazakhstani Deputy PermRep Suleimenov reassured delegations that all comments would be taken into consideration, but reminded delegations of the planned conference to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Copenhagen document, which would serve to address issues that could not be accommodated elsewhere. He offered other ideas for augmenting the Chairmanship's priorities, including a special PC at the end of the tolerance conference and the inclusion of HD issues at �00A;the proposed Corfu Process informal ministerial. A revised proposal is expected to be distributed by the Chairmanship prior to the next Human Dimension Committee meeting, scheduled for February 2. Chairmanship Chooses Corfu Process Coordinators ¶4. (SBU) Kazakhstani Deputy PermRep Akhinzhanov updated CDA Fuller January 26 on impending appointments of Corfu Process coordinators for each of the planned sessions, as well as cross-dimensional threats and challenges; interaction with other organizations and institutions; enhancing the OSCE's effectiveness; Euro-Atlantic security; and commitment implementation. Turning to the process leading to the June interim report on the Corfu Process, Akhinzhanov said the Chairmanship, in cooperation with the coordinators, would draft a number of food-for-thought papers following the February 12-13 PermReps' retreat. Coordinators then would use the papers as a basis for considering specific proposals USOSCE 00000031 002 OF 003 and structuring discussions and eventually would produce a summary, including "workable and unworkable" ideas, that the Chairmanship would use for the interim report. The Kazakhstanis also are considering using the Annual Security Review Conference, slated for the first or third week of June, to contribute to the report. The proposed informal ministerial, provisionally planned for June or July (either adjacent to the late June high-level conference on tolerance or stand-alone in mid-July),would consider the interim report and make recommendations on the possible content of a summit. Russia Blocks Funds for ODIHR's Proposed Move ¶5. (U) At the January 26 meeting of the Advisory Committee on Management and Finance, Russia blocked approval of ODIHR's request to transfer EUR 500,000 from its FY '09 cash surplus to FY '10 to pay for make-ready work and moving expenses to new office premises in Warsaw. ODIHR initiated the work, on a building identified by and secured with the cooperation of the Polish MFA, after the Polish Ministry of Justice asked ODIHR to relocate because identified structural defects made the building unsafe. Russia admitted to a Secretariat contact that Russia's requests for further information on the building's management were driven not so much by concerns about the proposed move, but "because it's ODIHR." This action also holds up consideration of the year-end revision of the Unified Budget, the OSCE's effort to reflect actual expenditures and adjust participating States' bills. The OSCE estimates additional savings of EUR 5,291,500 for a final '09 Unified Budget of EUR 153,385,200. Draft Decision on Gender Equality in OSCE Hiring Creeps Forward ¶6. (U) The Irish charge attempted January 26 to push forward a draft decision on gender equality in OSCE hiring. The decision seeks to strengthen the Secretariat's efforts to recruit and retain qualified female staff and include Secretariat reporting on efforts to promote gender equality in the required Secretary General's Annual Evaluation Report on the Implementation of the 2004 OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality. Germany proposed that the Secretariat's gender advisor assume a role in the recruitment of OSCE staff, but other participating States objected, noting they did not want the office to get involved in what are basically administrative -- not policy -- decisions. EU Inquisitive about Conflict Resolution Mechanism ¶7. (SBU) At the weekly EU coordination meeting January 27, Spanish PermRep Betanzos Roig expressed keen interest in the U.S. proposal for a conflict prevention and resolution mechanism, asking CDA Fuller to share details and provide early drafts. (Note: Per Washington instructions, we have provided our circulated concept paper from last October and orally described how we might build upon it). Betanzos Roig insinuated that consideration of such a mechanism would be difficult without also discussing the Medvedev proposal for a new European security treaty. On the mechanism itself, Head of EU Delegation Ambassador Lundin cautioned against specifying in a draft decision the level of the deployed team, urging us to refrain from using the word "experts," and highlighted the importance of resolving the question of under whose auspices any operation could be undertaken. Betanzos USOSCE 00000031 003 OF 003 Roig concluded that "a few people" would need to be assigned to study the U.S. proposal before the EU could give a coordinated response. Spotlight Focuses on Russia at Permanent Council Meeting ¶8. (SBU) At the January 28 Permanent Council meeting, the EU opened with a statement expressing concern over the treatment of individuals in Russian police custody, highlighting the cases of Konstatin Popov and Sergei Magnitsky. The statement welcomed President Medvedev's initial steps to address the problem. In his response, Russian Deputy PermRep Lukashevich said the administration was on a path towards reforming the criminal justice system and improving the criminal code to "make it more humane." The United States delivered a statement reiterating concern about violence against journalists, human rights defenders, and others in Russia's North Caucasus region, while positively acknowledging Prime Minister Putin's recent call for the protection of human rights organizations in that region. Lukashevich, acting surprised at the keen interest taken by everyone in "Russia's internal affairs," reserved the right to reply at the next Permanent Council meeting. Azerbaijan Says No Link Between Cases Against Journalists and Their Work ¶9. (SBU) In response to a January 28 U.S. Permanent Council statement citing concern about possible infringements on freedom of the media in Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani representative stated that the prosecutions were conducted in line with domestic and international law. She called on participating States to await the outcome of the investigation in the case of Eynulla Fatullayev and the results of the appeal in the cases of Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizade before raising concerns in the Permanent Council, in order to avoid undue politicization. Contrary to previous indications, the EU did not speak on the Fatullayev and Milli/Hajizade cases; a handful of member States apparently blocked the statement at the last minute. FULLER