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RR RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHHE #0064/01 0451300
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 141300Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4065
INFO RUCNOSC/ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HELSINKI 000064 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2018 
TAGS: PREL PGOV RS FI
SUBJECT: OSCE AMBASSADOR FINLEY MEETS CHAIRMAN KANERVA IN 
FINLAND 
 
 
Classified By: POLOFF LISA CONESA FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: US OSCE Ambassador Julie Finley separately 
met with Finnish Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairman in Office 
(CiO) Ilkka Kanerva and MFA State Secretary Teija Tiilikainen 
in Helsinki January 30.  Kanerva expressed gratitude for the 
US response to Finland's OSCE agenda presented in Vienna a 
few weeks ago.  Minister Kanerva outlined the challenges 
facing the Finnish CiO: Russia, ODIHR, elections, Kosovo, 
frozen conflicts, and the future.  Tiilikainen and Harkonen 
reviewed the same areas in the preceding meeting.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) During a one-day stop in Helsinki on January 30, 
Ambassador to the OSCE Julie Finley held separate meetings 
with Finnish Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairman in Office 
(CiO) Ilkka Kanerva and with MFA State Secretary Teija 
Tiilikainen.  Finley was accompanied by Ambassador Marilyn 
Ware and PolOff (note taker) for the Kanerva meeting and by 
DCM Amy Hyatt and PolOff for the Tiilikainen meeting.  Head 
of the Finnish MFA's OSCE Chairmanship Task Force (CTF) 
Ambassador Aleksi Harkonen and Deputy Head of the OSCE CTF 
Janne Taalas accompanied Kanerva and Tiilikainen. 
 
Kanerva on Russia, Kosovo and ODIHR 
------------------------------------------- 
¶3. (C) Kanerva said that over the last few days, news from 
ODIHR and the parliamentary assembly on efforts to gain 
agreement for an effective observation mission had not been 
good.  Conditions appear to be hardening for Russian election 
observation (March 2).  The Russians will allow observers in 
starting February 28, but Kanerva said it made no sense to go 
3 days before the election.  70 observers with limited time 
on a short observation mission is not realistic.  The OSCE 
sent a letter to Moscow with a constructive counter proposal 
(20 observers next week, 50 the following), which would 
improve the mission's chance for a reasonable observation. 
Kanerva was awaiting the reply from Russian Foreign Minister 
Lavrov and still hoped at the time that the response would be 
positive.  (Note: these negotiations eventually failed, and 
ODIHR cancelled any plans to observe the Russian presidential 
elections.) 
 
¶4.  (C) Kanerva also raised his concern that the Russian 
attempt to undermine the OSCE mission in Kosovo (OMIK) could 
undermine the institutional credibility of the organization 
as a whole.  The symbolic face of the OSCE's Human Dimension 
is election monitoring, he said, but Russia's decision on 
elections will have serious consequences and the OSCE needs 
to unite in one voice to prevent any attempt to Undermine 
ODIHR.  He also noted that the Russians will "veto" a 
continuing mandate for the OSCE Mission in Kosovo (OMiK) 
should Pristina unilaterally declare independence.  Finley 
shared Kanerva's concerns, noting the importance of retaining 
OMIK's presence in Kosovo. 
 
Med Partners and Trafficking 
--------------------------------------------- - 
¶5. (C) Kanerva and Finley discussed ways to get the most out 
of the OSCE's efforts with its Mediterranean partners, and to 
gain the appropriate profile for OSCE work on trafficking in 
persons.  Finley asked Kanerva if he had given thought to 
bringing in Libya and Lebanon as OSCE Med partners.  She also 
suggested a higher profile for TIP activities, perhaps 
bringing in headline activists, would offer the opportunity 
to work on a noncontroversial issue that is not fraught with 
the tensions that underpin discussions of ODIHR or the 
budget. 
 
 
Tiilikainen on Russian Elections and ODIHR's Challenges 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
¶6. (C) Like Kanerva, Tiilikainen named the observation of the 
March 2 Russian election as the first challenge for the 
Finnish Chairmanship.  The ODIHR has stated that it will not 
participate under conditions where observation begins 3 days 
prior to the election and is not realistic.  OSCE/ODIHR 
reconsidered the size of the observation group in response to 
Russia's demands.  Tiilikainen sees the ODIHR role in the 
OSCE as seriously challenged by this event because it 
undermines the credibility of the OSCE in Europe and the 
world.  Finley said we needed to keep supporting ODIHR's 
autonomy, but advocated allowing the Russians to vent in open 
discussion at the organization so that they feel heard and 
not isolated.  Tiilikainen stated that Russia is given proper 
conditions and the same rules as everyone else, and 
questioned the Russians' willingness to discuss. 
 
Money, Money, Money:  Ask for More, Get Less 
--------------------------------------------- 
¶7. (SBU) Tiilikainen and Harkonen then turned to the budget. 
Tiilikainen sought compromise on the OSCE budget.  Finley 
 
HELSINKI 00000064  002 OF 002 
 
 
asked that the OSCE remember the US's previous generosity to 
the organization and explained that for a number of reasons, 
additional resources will not be available this year nor are 
there prospects for improvements in coming years, which 
argues for a roll-over for the next 3 years of the current 
scale of assessments.  Finley suggested approaching the 
Russians for a fairer share based on their equal vote in the 
organization and their need to have a voice in the only 
transatlantic organization available to them.  Tiilikainen 
remarked that the Russian Ambassador in Vienna links 
unhappiness with the current OSCE emphasis together with the 
budget issue, implying that they will not part with funds if 
things are not going their way. Harkonen expressed concern 
that adopting a one-year roll-over of the current scales, as 
suggested by the Russians, would leave the budget problem for 
the Greeks to solve. 
 
Comment 
--------- 
¶8. (SBU) The Finley visit, early in the Finnish Chairmanship, 
was much appreciated by the Finns and was timed well, coming 
just before Kanvera's OSCE-themed trip to Washington.  End 
comment. 
 
¶9. (U) Ambassador Finley has cleared this cable. 
HYATT