VZCZCXYZ0017
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHC #5717 0202105
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 202059Z JAN 10
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE IMMEDIATE 7027
INFO RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV 3127
UNCLAS STATE 005717
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OSCE PREL PGOV UP
SUBJECT: OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: STATEMENT ON JANUARY 17
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN UKRAINE
1. Post is authorized to present the following statement at
the January 21 Permanent Council meeting in Vienna.
Begin text:
Thank you, Mister Chairman.
The United States congratulates the people of Ukraine on the
conduct of the January 17 presidential election. Observers
agree that this was generally a well run election. Ukraine
has demonstrated its willingness and ability to conduct an
election in line with most international commitments. We view
this election as a further step in Ukraine,s democratic
progress.
We welcome the preliminary assessment of the International
Election Observation Mission -- comprising experts and
observers from OSCE/ODIHR, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly,
the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, and the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly -- which noted the first round of the
election was of quality8 and showed
progress over previous elections,8 while meeting most OSCE
and Council of Europe commitments.
We are particularly pleased that the International Election
Observation Mission concluded that civil and political rights
were respected. We welcome the robust commitment to the
observation effort exemplified by the participation of
short-term observers from 47 OSCE participating States, as
well as domestic non-governmental organizations. In line
with the OSCE's Copenhagen document, we urge the Ukrainian
authorities to grant formal domestic observer status rather
than insisting the NGOs register as journalists.
We note also the concern voiced by the International Election
Observation Mission of a lack of a complete and clear legal
framework. We urge the Government of Ukraine to adopt a
unified election code in compliance with OSCE commitments and
international obligations.
We are looking forward to the second round of the
presidential election on February 7 and to their being
conducted in a similarly successful manner. We intend to
renew our contribution to the international observation
effort, and we call upon our 46 national partners in that
effort to do the same.
We also want to commend the work and cooperation of Mr. Joao
Soares, the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly,
Head of the OSCE PA delegation and CiO Special Coordinator
for the short-term OSCE observer mission; Ambassador Heidi
Tagliavini, Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation
Mission; Mr. Matyas Eorsi, Head of the PACE delegation; Mr.
Pavel Kowal, Head of the EP delegation; and Mr. Assen Agov,
Head of the NATO PA delegation. Their professionalism and
dedication and those of their staffs are greatly appreciated.
Thank you, Mister Chairman.
END TEXT
CLINTON