Wikileaks - DCCLXX
110828 6/5/2007 0:29 07PARTO8 US Delegation, Secretary UNCLASSIFIED VZCZCXYZ0001 OO RUEHWEB DE RUCNAI #0008/01 1560029 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 050029Z JUN 07 FM USDEL SECRETARY TO RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE IMMEDIATE RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE INFO RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE IMMEDIATE RUEHBM/AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST IMMEDIATE UNCLAS PARTO 000008
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OVIP (RICE, CONDOLEEZZA), PREL, PHUM, OSCE, KCFE, RS SUBJECT: (U) Secretary Rice's May 31, 2007 Meeting with the OSCE Permanent Council
1. (U) May 31, 2007, 2:00 PM, Vienna, Austria.
2. (U) Participants:
U.S. The Secretary Assistant Secretary Daniel Fried Assistant Secretary Sean McCormack Ambassador Julie Finley General William Fraser, Special Assistant, JCS Brian Besanceney, Deputy Chief of Staff Ted Kontek, John Dunlop - notetakers
OSCE Ambassador Carlos Sanchez de Boado y de la Valgoma Heads of Delegations for the 56 OSCE Participating States Heads of Delegations for the OSCE Observer Organizations
3. (U) SUMMARY. Secretary Rice told the OSCE that the United States pledges to remain active and would continue to play a leadership role in the organization and its important work to consolidate a Europe that is whole, free, democratic, and at peace. She highlighted the importance of the CFE Treaty as a key component of the European Security architecture and called on Russia to implement fully its Istanbul commitments. She reiterated U.S. support for the Ahtisaari plan for Kosovo, welcomed the June 7 Bucharest Tolerance conference, and expressed appreciation for OSCE interest in supporting Afghanistan. END SUMMARY.
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U.S. TO REMAIN ACTIVE IN OSCE
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4. (U) Secretary Rice appeared on May 31, 2007 before the heads of delegations of the 56 OSCE States at a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council chaired by Ambassador Carlos Sanchez de Boado representing the Spanish Chairmanship. Setting aside her formal remarks to allow more time for discussion, Secretary Rice said the OSCE was doing important work to consolidate a Europe that is whole, free, democratic, and at peace. Citing OSCE's work in support of elections, human rights, and the European security architecture, the Secretary pledged that the United States would continue to remain active and play a leadership role in the OSCE.
5. (U) Germany, on behalf of the EU and several other countries, praised U.S.-EU cooperation, highlighted the importance of the CFE as a bedrock of European security, and spoke of the need for cooperation in resolving the frozen conflicts in Moldova, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. Canada and Norway expressed similar viewpoints. Georgia called on Russia to fulfill its Istanbul commitments, which would allow for Adapted CFE ratification, and called for the diversification of energy supplies and distribution networks.
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6. (U) Russian Ambassador Borodavkin said Russia sought new possibilities for Russian/U.S. cooperation in the
OSCE, citing the example of the Russia/U.S.-sponsored Private Public Partnership Conference on Combating Terrorism taking place in Vienna that very day. Russia and the United States could also cooperate on providing assistance to Afghanistan to improve border security (see para 9) and promoting tolerance and non-discrimination, especially the dialogue of civilizations and the protection of ethic minorities, he said.
7. (U) Borodavkin listed missile defense, CFE, frozen conflicts and the need for OSCE reform as areas where US and Russian positions differed, but said cooperation at the OSCE in other fields was possible. He renewed Russian criticisms of the OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and cited the need to make ODIHR accountable to the Permanent Council. He said giving impetus to the OSCE was in the interests of all participating states.
8. (U) Secretary Rice told the delegates that a discussion was necessary to respond to Russian questions on the CFE, and she insisted that the treaty remained important to the security architecture of Europe. She underscored that Russia must implement fully its Istanbul commitments. In addition, she identified common issues such as the fight against terrorism, nuclear nonproliferation, and work to enhance and solidify a Europe that is whole, free, and at peace. The Secretary indicated that the United States has high hopes for the June 7-8 Bucharest Conference on Tolerance and stressed the importance of tolerance issues for the OSCE.
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PROPOSALS FOR AFGHANISTAN ASSISTANCE
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9. (U) The EU, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Afghanistan spoke in favor of possible OSCE involvement in Afghanistan. In particular, they supported projects to improve border security in Afghanistan to stop the flow of drugs and arms across that country's common border with three OSCE countries. Secretary Rice welcomed the OSCE's interest and said she looked forward to a discussion of what role the OSCE might play given the other actors involved in supporting Afghanistan.
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SERBIA PLEADS FOR KOSOVO RECONCILIATION
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10. (U) Serbian Ambassador Beham made a plea for more work on reconciliation between Serbia and Kosovo. Beham acknowledged differences between the United States and Serbia, but said those differences could be overcome through additional dialogue and compromise, as well as through confidence-building measures between Belgrade and Pristina. Secretary Rice restated U.S. support for the Ahtisaari plan, saying that Ahtisaari worked to get the best deal possible and that now was the time to move forward and let go of the past. The Secretary also emphasized U.S. support for Euro-Atlantic integration for Serbia, and said she expected that a democratic Serbia would find its full and rightful place in Europe. RICE
