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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USOSCE 000031 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OSCE PGOV PREL MARR KZ RS GM AJ
SUBJECT: OSCE WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS: JANUARY 25 - 29, 2010 
 
Chairmanship Eager to Please with Low-Calorie Human Dimension 
Agenda 
 
¶1. (SBU) Kazakhstani PermRep Abdrakhmanov formally presented 
the Chairmanship's Human Dimension (HD) calendar at the 
well-attended HD Committee's inaugural meeting January 22. 
True to the Chairmanship's stated priorities, the proposal 
was heavy on tolerance, gender, and trafficking events at the 
expense of possible events on human rights and fundamental 
freedoms.  In an earlier meeting convened by USOSCE, the 
EU/Spain, Norway, and Canada developed coordinated statements 
to reinforce our common interest in a more ambitious program. 
 Accordingly, these delegations recommended changes, 
including a Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting on freedom 
of assembly and association in lieu of trafficking; the 
replacement of "self-regulation of the media" with a broader 
focus on "freedom of the media" or "freedom of expression" 
for a special day at the annual Human Dimension 
Implementation Meeting; and the shifting of "intolerance 
against migrants" from the Human Dimension Seminar to the 
planned high-level conference on tolerance, in order to free 
the seminar for a discussion of how to strengthen HD 
implementation mechanisms. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Russia stated its willingness to "give consent" to 
the Kazakhstani proposal as presented since it was "a 
negotiated compromise, even though it did not include any of 
the Russian priorities."  Russia warned, however, that if 
others were to open the package for discussion, Russia would 
be forced to push for more emphasis on freedom of movement, 
national minorities, intercultural dialogue, and efforts to 
combat neo-fascism.  Belarus also stated it was prepared to 
accept the proposal as presented.  Along the same lines, 
Turkmenistan hinted at raising NGO registration at HD events 
if the package were re-opened, saying "you know we have a 
problem with this." 
 
¶3. (SBU) In an attempt to accommodate opposing viewpoints, 
Kazakhstani Deputy PermRep Suleimenov reassured delegations 
that all comments would be taken into consideration, but 
reminded delegations of the planned conference to commemorate 
the 20th anniversary of the Copenhagen document, which would 
serve to address issues that could not be accommodated 
elsewhere.  He offered other ideas for augmenting the 
Chairmanship's priorities, including a special PC at the end 
of the tolerance conference and the inclusion of HD issues at 
the proposed Corfu Process informal ministerial.  A revised 
proposal is expected to be distributed by the Chairmanship 
prior to the next Human Dimension Committee meeting, 
scheduled for February 2. 
 
Chairmanship Chooses Corfu Process Coordinators 
 
¶4. (SBU) Kazakhstani Deputy PermRep Akhinzhanov updated CDA 
Fuller January 26 on impending appointments of Corfu Process 
coordinators for each of the planned sessions, as well as 
cross-dimensional threats and challenges; interaction with 
other organizations and institutions; enhancing the OSCE's 
effectiveness; Euro-Atlantic security; and commitment 
implementation.  Turning to the process leading to the June 
interim report on the Corfu Process, Akhinzhanov said the 
Chairmanship, in cooperation with the coordinators, would 
draft a number of food-for-thought papers following the 
February 12-13 PermReps' retreat.  Coordinators then would 
use the papers as a basis for considering specific proposals 
 
USOSCE 00000031  002 OF 003 
 
 
and structuring discussions and eventually would produce a 
summary, including "workable and unworkable" ideas, that the 
Chairmanship would use for the interim report.  The 
Kazakhstanis also are considering using the Annual Security 
Review Conference, slated for the first or third week of 
June, to contribute to the report.  The proposed informal 
ministerial, provisionally planned for June or July (either 
adjacent to the late June high-level conference on tolerance 
or stand-alone in mid-July), would consider the interim 
report and make recommendations on the possible content of a 
summit. 
 
Russia Blocks Funds for ODIHR's Proposed Move 
 
¶5. (U) At the January 26 meeting of the Advisory Committee on 
Management and Finance, Russia blocked approval of ODIHR's 
request to transfer EUR 500,000 from its FY '09 cash surplus 
to FY '10 to pay for make-ready work and moving expenses to 
new office premises in Warsaw.  ODIHR initiated the work, on 
a building identified by and secured with the cooperation of 
the Polish MFA, after the Polish Ministry of Justice asked 
ODIHR to relocate because identified structural defects made 
the building unsafe.  Russia admitted to a Secretariat 
contact that Russia's requests for further information on the 
building's management were driven not so much by concerns 
about the proposed move, but "because it's ODIHR."  This 
action also holds up consideration of the year-end revision 
of the Unified Budget, the OSCE's effort to reflect actual 
expenditures and adjust participating States' bills.  The 
OSCE estimates additional savings of EUR 5,291,500 for a 
final '09 Unified Budget of EUR 153,385,200. 
 
Draft Decision on Gender Equality in OSCE Hiring Creeps 
Forward 
 
¶6. (U) The Irish charge attempted January 26 to push forward 
a draft decision on gender equality in OSCE hiring.  The 
decision seeks to strengthen the Secretariat's efforts to 
recruit and retain qualified female staff and include 
Secretariat reporting on efforts to promote gender equality 
in the required Secretary General's Annual Evaluation Report 
on the Implementation of the 2004 OSCE Action Plan for the 
Promotion of Gender Equality.  Germany proposed that the 
Secretariat's gender advisor assume a role in the recruitment 
of OSCE staff, but other participating States objected, 
noting they did not want the office to get involved in what 
are basically administrative -- not policy -- decisions. 
 
EU Inquisitive about Conflict Resolution Mechanism 
 
¶7. (SBU) At the weekly EU coordination meeting January 27, 
Spanish PermRep Betanzos Roig expressed keen interest in the 
U.S. proposal for a conflict prevention and resolution 
mechanism, asking CDA Fuller to share details and provide 
early drafts.  (Note: Per Washington instructions, we have 
provided our circulated concept paper from last October and 
orally described how we might build upon it).  Betanzos Roig 
insinuated that consideration of such a mechanism would be 
difficult without also discussing the Medvedev proposal for a 
new European security treaty.  On the mechanism itself, Head 
of EU Delegation Ambassador Lundin cautioned against 
specifying in a draft decision the level of the deployed 
team, urging us to refrain from using the word "experts," and 
highlighted the importance of resolving the question of under 
whose auspices any operation could be undertaken.  Betanzos 
 
USOSCE 00000031  003 OF 003 
 
 
Roig concluded that "a few people" would need to be assigned 
to study the U.S. proposal before the EU could give a 
coordinated response. 
 
Spotlight Focuses on Russia at Permanent Council Meeting 
 
¶8. (SBU) At the January 28 Permanent Council meeting, the EU 
opened with a statement expressing concern over the treatment 
of individuals in Russian police custody, highlighting the 
cases of Konstatin Popov and Sergei Magnitsky.  The statement 
welcomed President Medvedev's initial steps to address the 
problem.  In his response, Russian Deputy PermRep Lukashevich 
said the administration was on a path towards reforming the 
criminal justice system and improving the criminal code to 
"make it more humane."  The United States delivered a 
statement reiterating concern about violence against 
journalists, human rights defenders, and others in Russia's 
North Caucasus region, while positively acknowledging Prime 
Minister Putin's recent call for the protection of human 
rights organizations in that region.  Lukashevich, acting 
surprised at the keen interest taken by everyone in "Russia's 
internal affairs," reserved the right to reply at the next 
Permanent Council meeting. 
 
Azerbaijan Says No Link Between Cases Against Journalists and 
Their Work 
 
¶9. (SBU) In response to a January 28 U.S. Permanent Council 
statement citing concern about possible infringements on 
freedom of the media in Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani 
representative stated that the prosecutions were conducted in 
line with domestic and international law.  She called on 
participating States to await the outcome of the 
investigation in the case of Eynulla Fatullayev and the 
results of the appeal in the cases of Emin Milli and Adnan 
Hajizade before raising concerns in the Permanent Council, in 
order to avoid undue politicization.  Contrary to previous 
indications, the EU did not speak on the Fatullayev and 
Milli/Hajizade cases; a handful of member States apparently 
blocked the statement at the last minute. 
FULLER