VZCZCXRO2765
PP RUEHAST RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR
DE RUEHC #9612 3451347
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 101340Z DEC 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 6507
INFO ORG FOR SECURITY CO OP IN EUR COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS STATE 129612
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV OSCE AZ AR
SUBJECT: OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: RESPONSE TO THE REPORT
BY THE HEAD OF THE HIGH-LEVEL PLANNING GROUP
1. (U) Post is authorized to make the following statement at
the December 11 meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in
Vienna.
Begin Text:
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The United States would like to welcome Captain Erikki
Platan, Head of the High-Level Planning Group, to the
Permanent Council and thank him for his report.
We appreciate the HLPG's ongoing efforts to update and
maintain operational plans for an eventual OSCE peacekeeping
force in the area of the conflict dealt with by the OSCE
Minsk Conference.
We particularly welcome your initiation of discussions on
planning for the non-military activities that will inherently
be part of any OSCE crisis management or peacekeeping
operation. This type of comprehensive approach could be
ensured by the creation of an internal OSCE working group
among various potential actors, including staff from ODIHR,
the HCNM and the Secretariat. Political guidance should be
provided by the participating States.
Regarding the staffing of the HLPG itself, we agree with the
decision not to fully staff all nine positions authorized on
the post table. We would suggest that all positions, except
for a minimum number necessary for skeleton staffing, could
be left vacant until developments in the Minsk Group Process
might warrant a return to full staffing levels. We look
forward to discussing this idea further within the framework
of the ACMF.
Captain Platan, we thank you for your contribution to the
improvement of the planning process, as well as the
operational plans, which we sincerely hope can be put into
practice soon.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
RICE