VZCZCXYZ0002
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHMO #0086 0151147
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 151147Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6141
UNCLAS MOSCOW 000086
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: NATO PREL AF IO
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR UN SENIOR
CIVILIAN FOR AFGHANISTAN DELIVERED
REF: STATE 1991
(U) On January 9, we delivered reftel demarche to Albert
Sitnikov, Counselor in the MFA International Organizations
office. On January 11, Sitnikov replied that Russia's
preferred candidate for the post is former Turkish FM Hikmet
Cetin. The GOR is impressed with Cetin's success during his
tenure as the NATO Senior Civilian Representative to
Afghanistan from November 2003 to August 2006. Sitnikov also
argued that, because Cetin is Muslim, he is more acceptable
to the Afghan people than Lord Ashdown.
BURNS