VZCZCXRO5197
OO RUEHAST RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHC #3068 3242357
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 192351Z NOV 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE IMMEDIATE 5714
INFO ORG FOR SECURITY CO OP IN EUR COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS STATE 123068
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: RPREL PGOV OSCE UP
SUBJECT: OSCE/PERMANENT COUNCIL: RESPONSE TO HEAD OF
OFFICE COORDINATOR IN UKRAINE
1. Post is authorized to present the following statement at
the November 20 meeting of the Permanent Council in Vienna.
Begin text:
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
It is, indeed, a pleasure to welcome Ambassador Kopaj back to
the Permanent Council, and to thank him for his very
comprehensive report. The United States strongly supports
the important work of the Office of the Project Coordinator,
which is occurring in an increasingly challenging
socio-political environment.
The PCU,s broad range of projects appropriately covers all
three dimensions, and their objectives focus on a number of
challenges that confront Ukraine today. We commend the
excellent work being done by the PCU under the democracy,
governance, and rule of law initiatives, and here we
emphasize the efforts to strengthen the institutional
capacity of governmental institutions, aid in electoral
reform, and anti-corruption activities. These priorities
should enjoy the support of the Ukrainian Government and
broader civil society. We hope that the PCU,s assistance to
the Parliament in developing a new election code will help
put in place the necessary legal framework for conducting
elections.
Efforts to combat increasing incidents of xenophobia and
other forms of intolerance in Ukraine continue to be of
concern and remain a high priority for the United States. We
therefore encourage the PCU to identify opportunities to work
with the HCNM to mitigate the potential for conflict among
ethnic Russians and Ukrainians in Crimea. We encourage the
PCU,s active engagement with the HCNM, relevant authorities,
and civil society to promote tolerance among affected groups.
The PCU is actively engaged in a number of projects that, in
the face of the current economic crisis confronting Ukraine,
present timely opportunities for furthering economic
development, promoting employment, and improving security and
environmental management. We commend the collaborative
approach employed in the implementation of these initiatives
with civilian authorities, the private sector, and local
communities.
We would also like to commend your continued overall efforts
to improve accountability and fiscal management of the PCU,s
projects, and urge you to continue to make this a priority.
The United States remains committed to working with the
Ukrainian Government and the OSCE,s Project Coordinator to
assist Ukraine development as an economically stable and
democratic country.
Ambassador Kopaj, we wish you all the best for your work in
the coming year.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
End text.
RICE