VZCZCXRO3070
RR RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHHE #0034 0281321
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 281321Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4035
INFO RUCNOSC/ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000034 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/2018 
TAGS: PREL PGOV FI RS
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S VISIT WITH FOREIGN MINISTER KANERVA 
 
 
Classified By: POLCHIEF GREG THOME FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
¶1. (SBU) Finnish Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva briefed 
Ambassador Ware on various OSCE-related issues on January 24. 
 He focused mainly on Russia, having just held consultations 
with visiting Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander 
Grushko earlier in the week. 
 
¶2. (C) FINLAND'S FIRST MONTH AS CiO:  Kanerva opened by 
expressing gratitude to the U.S. for our support during his 
first month as CiO, saying he greatly appreciated the U.S. 
response in Vienna to his presentation of the Finnish OSCE 
agenda for its chairmanship.  "The OSCE is a bit of a mess 
right now," he smiled, and we need to be very realistic about 
what can actually be achieved in a year given the current 
circumstances, but Finland is committed to not "giving up" on 
the organization. 
 
¶3. (SBU) RUSSIA AND ELECTION MONITORS:  "Obviously, the 
OSCE's relationship with Russia will have a tremendous impact 
on the results Finland can achieve during its chairmanship," 
Kanerva said.  The GOF does not intend to back down on the 
elections monitoring issue, and Kanerva sent a letter to 
Russian FM Lavrov on a bilateral level urging that it accept 
a robust OHDIR election monitoring mission for the upcoming 
presidential election.  Deputy FM Grushko "did not promise 
anything" on monitors, and "frankly it will be very tough" to 
ensure a credible observation in the face of clear Russian 
reluctance, Kanerva suggested.  Moscow wants to invite a 
mission -- or so it says -- Grushko was already making clear 
that the Russians will seek to heavily limit the number of 
observers and their actual time in country, as occurred 
during the parliamentary elections.  Kanerva said he argued 
to the Russians the need to "normalize" their relationship 
with the OSCE:  "You are not special.  If you are a 
democracy, act like one," he reported having told Grushko. 
 
¶4. (SBU) RUSSIA AND KOSOVO:  Grushko said that if Pristina 
issues a unilateral declaration of independence, Moscow will 
"veto" the prolonging of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo (OMIK). 
Kanerva expressed some pessimim about this, noting that the 
Russian position apeared immutable.  He also noted that he 
will trael in his capacity as CiO to Kosovo with a 
delegtion of journaists on February 4-6. 
 
¶5. (SBU) OCE BUDGET:  Kanerva acknowledged that the OSCE'sbudget woes are becoming acute in light of the genral 
disagreement among member about funding.  He said that U.S. 
Congressman Alcee Hastings told him during an early January 
meeting that the U.S. would support the Finnish proposal for 
a "flat line" budget.  However, Russia's refusal to pay its 
dues means that OSCE operations are secure until June, but 
not guaranteed thereafter. 
WARE