KAZAKHSTAN INAUGURATES OSCE CHAIRMANSHIP

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 USOSCE 000009

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/14/2020
TAGS: PREL KZ RU OSCE
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN INAUGURATES OSCE CHAIRMANSHIP

Classified By: CDA Carol Fuller for Reasons 1.5(B) and (D)


1. (SBU) Summary: At its inaugural Permanent Council meeting
January 14, the Kazakhstani Chairmanship reiterated its call
for an OSCE summit - stressing the importance of building on
ongoing discussions of European security - and highlighted
its priorities for the year. Kazakhstan urged efforts to
address terrorism and other threats; resolve the protracted
conflicts; strengthen cooperation with Afghanistan; expand
work on transportation and environmental issues; and promote
tolerance and non-discrimination. While Russia and some
participating States backed the proposed summit, others were
more cautious; the United States, the EU, Norway,
Switzerland, and Canada emphasized that a summit must be
based on substance. Most participating States expressed
general support for Kazakhstan's priorities, but clear
differences emerged on the extent to which the OSCE should
focus on the political-military versus the human dimensions
of security. The number of positive interventions, including
from Central Asian countri
es, on OSCE involvement in Afghanistan, and a less negative
attitude by Russia may bode well for renewed efforts there.
End summary.

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KAZAKHSTAN CALLS FOR A SUMMIT...
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2. (SBU) In a video address to the Permanent Council January
14, Kazakhstani President Nazarbayev highlighted the OSCE's
role in ensuring international security but argued that the
organization's effectiveness must be improved, particularly
given the need to address emerging challenges. Nazarbayev
argued that a summit - possibly focusing on "topical security
issues," Afghanistan, or tolerance - not only would provide a
"powerful impetus" to efforts to adapt the OSCE to new
threats, but also would boost the organization's stature.
While affirming Kazakhstan's commitment to the fundamental
principles and values of the OSCE and promising to pursue
further domestic "political liberalization," Nazarbayev
highlighted the need for "optimum balance" among the OSCE's
political-military, economic, and human dimensions
(suggesting to some that Kazakhstan potentially could back
Russia's push for emphasis on hard security matters over
human rights and fundamental freedoms).


3. (SBU) Building on Nazarbayev's address, Kazakhstani
Foreign Minister Saudabayev emphasized that preparing for and
holding a summit was "a most important task" and urged
participating States to begin the process of reaching
agreement on a substantive agenda and acceptable timeframe.
Saudabayev added that Kazakhstan intended to host an informal
ministerial in Almaty this summer and asked for an
"understanding and enthusiastic approach" to the proposal.

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...AND OUTLINES ITS PRIORITIES
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4. (SBU) Outlining Kazakhstan's priorities in the
political-military dimension, Saudabayev stated Kazakhstan's
intent to continue the Corfu Process, to include discussions
of Russia's proposed European security treaty. He added that
the Vienna Document 1999 (VD99) should be strengthened; urged
progress on the entry into force of A/CFE; mentioned a desire
to make the Annual Security Review Conference (ASRC) more
productive; urged greater non-proliferation efforts; and
vowed to do more to fight terrorism and illicit drugs
trafficking. He also said Kazakhstan intended to pay
particular attention to the protracted conflicts and
Afghanistan, noting that Kazakhstan would urge projects to
strengthen Afghanistan's borders with Central Asian states,
improve cross-border cooperation, and enhance law enforcement
activities.


5. (SBU) Turning to other issues, Saudabayev said
transportation, migration, and energy security would be
Kazakhstan's main concerns in the economic and environmental
dimension. He added that tolerance and intercultural
dialogue would be Kazakhstan's top human dimension priorities
and urged participating States to support the June 29-30
high-level conference on tolerance. Saudabayev went on to

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highlight the importance of rule of law, election monitoring,
and other issues and said Kazakhstan would continue to
support the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human
Rights, the High Commissioner on National Minorities, and the
Representative on Freedom of the Media.

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PARTICIPATING STATES RESPOND
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6. (SBU) While Russia and some participating States (Belarus,
Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Armenia, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan) backed Kazakhstan's proposed
summit, arguing that it could prove "vitally important" after
a decade of "marking time" and adding that it might boost the
OSCE's credibility, others were more cautious. The United
States, the EU, Norway, Switzerland, and Canada emphasized
that a summit must be based on substance and stressed that
concrete progress in ongoing Corfu Process discussions on
European security must precede such a meeting. Speaking for
tThe EU, the Spanish ambassador added that the presentation
by the end of June of an interim report on the Corfu Process
would be an important benchmark. Reacting to positive
comments on the summit, the German ambassador whispered to
the Charge that the summit is not a "done deal" and that
Berlin does not view this push positively right now.


7. (SBU) Kazakhstan's stated priorities won statements of
general support from most participating States, but clear
differences emerged on the extent to which the OSCE should
focus on the political-military versus the human dimensions
of security. Russia (supported by Belarus) reiterated its
desire for "better balance" among the OSCE's three dimensions
and urged greater emphasis on security matters, such as
efforts to update VD99 or extend the length of the ASRC.
Russia also argued that the focus in the human dimension
should shift to freedom of movement issues and visa regimes
issues and proposed a seminar for consular personnel aimed at
"loosening or lifting" visa requirements. The United States,
the EU, Norway, Switzerland, and Canada, in contrast,
reiterated the continued importance of the human dimension
and urged continued focus on democracy, human rights, and
fundamental freedoms.


8. (SBU) On Afghanistan, participating States generally were
supportive of expanded OSCE engagement, in line with the
decision taken at the 2007 Ministerial in Madrid. Russia
stopped short of addressing efforts to introduce OSCE
activities inside Afghanistan, but said it was prepared to
make "specific contributions" to further the OSCE's work with
Afghanistan, including continuing counter-narcotics training
at its Domodedovo facility. and was willing to "consider
other proposals." Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan
expressed support for technical assistance to Afghanistan and
welcomed the OSCE's focus on border management and security,
with Kyrgyzstan noting that it would like to "ward off
threats" emanating from Afghanistan and urging participating
States to reconsider the so-called Bishkek Initiative. The
remaining Central Asian pS-Uzbekistan--which opposes OSCE
involvement in Afghanistan like Russia, did not intervene at
all. In a brief intervention, the Afghan ambassador
reiterated his countri
es appreciation for OSCE assistance.welcomed calls for
greater OSCE engagement and expressed hope the issue would
remain high on the OSCE agenda.


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COMMENT
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9. (C) So far, Kazakhstan is saying all the right things, but
we will need to coordinate closely with key delegations to
ensure that core human rights and fundamental freedoms
receive continued emphasis. Mission perceptions, shared by
the EU and like-minded countries, is that we may need to be
united, consistent, and very vocal on issues of importance to
us, if they do not mesh with the Kazakh agenda. A summit -
preceded by an informal ministerial in Almaty - clearly
remains Kazakhstan's highest priority, and the Chairmanship
likely will urge participating States to support the proposal
at every opportunity. We will have to work with key

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delegations to ensure a coordinated approach, while at the
same time identifying the deliverables we might want in
exchange for any agreement on a summit. We also will have to
coordinate closely with key delegations to ensure that core
human rights and fundamental freedoms receive continued
emphasis.
FULLER