INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Osce,S Mediterranean Partnership Looks Ahead To

Published: Fri 15 Jan 2010 03:19 PM
VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHVEN #0010/01 0151519
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (CCY AD103EFF MSI5820-695)
P 151519Z JAN 10 ZDK
FM USMISSION USOSCE
TO RUCNOSC/ORG FOR SECURITY CO OP IN EUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 0161
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 0127
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 0123
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 0151
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 0170
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 0154
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6814
INFO RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK PRIORITY 0172
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 0024
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0178
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 0178
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0213
RUEHUM/AMEMBASSY ULAANBAATAR PRIORITY 0114
UNCLAS USOSCE 000010
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D COPY CAPTION
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OSCE AG EG IS JO MO TS KMPI PREL KZ
SUBJECT: OSCE,S MEDITERRANEAN PARTNERSHIP LOOKS AHEAD TO
IMPROVED COOPERATION
1. (SBU) Summary: The OSCE,s annual Mediterranean
Conference was held December 14-15 in Cairo, Egypt. All six
Med Partners (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and
Tunisia) attended and took an active part in discussions that
focused on conflict prevention and resolution, trafficking in
persons, and ways to make the partnership more valuable. The
OSCE,s Mediterranean Partnership is a relatively
underutilized, potentially valuable tool for engaging Maghreb
and Middle Eastern States on issues such as CBMs, democratic
institution-building, tolerance and non-discrimination,
trafficking in persons and environmental security. An action
request of Embassies in Med Partner countries and relevant
Washington offices is contained in para 5.
2. (SBU) There was a wide variety of ideas, suggestions and
recommendations emanated from the discussions at the
Conference.
These included:
-- Recommendations to set up a Track II dialogue to encourage
networking and informal CBMs and discuss application of the
OSCE experience and acquis to the Mediterranean region .
-- In the political-military field, exploration of possible
CBMs for the Mediterranean region, as well as joint projects
or training programs with the Partners on transnational
threats such as terrorism and illicit trafficking in drugs.
-- Cooperation between participating States, Partners, civil
society and the business community on combating trafficking
in persons and child exploitation is another potential area
of joint activity.
-- In the econ/environmental dimension, projects to improve
regional cooperation on soil erosion, desertification and
water management.
-- Projects in the human dimension focusing on the role of
education in preventing intolerance and promoting
integration.
-- Capacity-building training for Partners encompassing areas
such as anti-corruption and independence of the judiciary,
based on OSCE programs in the participating States.
-- Finally, a number of participants suggested that key OSCE
norm-setting documents be translated into Partner languages,
in particular Arabic, Dari and Pashto.
3. (SBU) We believe that these types of projects would
assist the Mediterranean Partners in voluntarily implementing
OSCE standards that embody OSCE norms and principles in a
number of key areas. While the projects listed above stem
from discussion at the OSCE,s Mediterranean Conference, many
could be conducted as well with the organization,s Asian
Partners (Afghanistan, Australia, Japan, Korea, Mongolia and
Thailand).
4. (SBU) These ideas on possible Partnership activities must
be matched with appropriate resources. The OSCE,s
Partnership Fund, created in December 2008, provides a
mechanism through which we can undertake concrete projects
and activities with the Partners within OSCE participating
States. On the basis of a consensus decision of the 56
participating States, the Partnership Fund can also be used
to fund projects to be carried out within the territory of a
Partner State. The U.S. has consistently supported the
efforts of the Partners to promote the OSCE,s comprehensive
norms, principles and commitments in their regions, and
encouraged them to take further steps towards their voluntary
implementation.
5. (SBU) Action request: We would appreciate input from
posts and Washington offices in reaction to the above
specific project ideas emanating from the Mediterranean
Conference. We would also appreciate comments regarding
potential resources to fund them, operational considerations,
and creative approaches that could be used to further wider
USG foreign policy goals in the region through the OSCE
Partnership.
6. (SBU) POC for this issue is Julie Raschka
(raschkajd@sgov.gov or raschkajd@state.gov on the unclass
side).
FULLER
View as: DESKTOP | MOBILE © Scoop Media