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Cablegate: Osce Kazakhstan Demarche: Finland Agrees And

Published: Thu 27 Dec 2007 12:12 PM
VZCZCXRO0252
RR RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHHE #0897 3611239
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 271239Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3974
INFO RUCNOSC/ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY COOPERATION IN EUROPE
RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ALMATY 0207
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 0123
C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000897
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/27/2017
TAGS: OSCE PGOV PREL KZ FI
SUBJECT: OSCE KAZAKHSTAN DEMARCHE: FINLAND AGREES AND
COMMENTS
REF: SECSTATE 167807
Classified By: POLOFF LISA CONESA FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) & (D)
1. (C) PolOff delivered subject demarche to Ms. Paivi
Peltokoski, First Secretary, Finnish OSCE Chairmanship Task
Force December 20. Peltokoski stated that the GoF agrees
with the Kazakhstani commitments and
everything8. Peltokoski characterized the delay itself as
minimally significant to Kazakhstan since Kazakhstan came
willing to negotiate on the year.
First Commitments First
------------------------------------
2. (C) Peltokoski noted that the Kazakhstanis publicly
withdrew their support for Russia in making their commitments
to preserve the ODIHR and maintain the existing access
Non-Governmental organizations currently enjoy. GoF views
the 1992 Helsinki and 1994 Budapest documents as viable with
unchanged principals. They perceive the Kazakhstani speech
and commitments in Madrid November 29 as significant.
At Home in Kazakhstan
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3. (C) Peltokoski views domestic commitments as harder to
verify. The OSCE is limited in mechanism and resources to
verify domestic compliance in the field in such a large
country. She raised concern twice that the OSCE field
mission in Almaty, the former capital, must continue at an
effective level, citing the reduction to project
coordination level, in the Uzbek and the Ukrainian missions,
and now possibly the Tajik mission. Kazahkstanis must also
ensure political opposition groups have a voice; Peltokoski
cited the lower house, currently occupied by only one
political party. She noted that many OSCE delegations were
disappointed with the outcome of Kazahkstani parliamentary
elections.
Kazakhstan Success at OSCE as a Bridge for the Future
----------------------------------
4. (C) The GoF sees potential in Kazakhstan,s OSCE
Chairmanship as the first Chairmanship of a former Soviet
Republic and hopes the OSCE is ready to help. Kazakhstan
could be a bridge, ending discussion once and for all on
east-west divisions in the OSCE, finally squelching the
feeling of two groups in one. Kazakhstan actively
approached Finland and Romania for OSCE training and has
already taken some training in Vienna, pursuing practical
information on personnel, travel and budget, study, and
organizational issues. GoF views Kazakhstan as seriously
preparing for its role.
Comment on Response
----------------------------------
5. (C) The GoF is deeply focused on moving into its own
Chairmanship. They are attentive to what the Chairmanship
turnover requires. They believe that the decision to set up
3 chairmanships instead of 2 was crucial and that the OSCE
was close to crisis. This way will be more pragmatic in
their view and could ensure long term planning and a
potentially common approach to priorities. They recognize
that each Chairmanship comes with an agenda. They embraced
the potential success of a Kazakhstani Chairmanship as a
forum for the active demonstration of OSCE successes on a
number of levels.
HYATT
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