VZCZCXRO1273
PP RUEHAST RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL
RUEHSR
DE RUEHC #0596 1891627
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 081605Z JUL 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 1969
INFO ORG FOR SECURITY CO OP IN EUR COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS STATE 070596 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OSCE AJ KDEM PREL PGOV
SUBJECT: OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL:  RESPONSE TO HEAD OF 
OFFICE IN BAKU AMBASSADOR BILGE CANKOREL 
 
¶1. Post is authorized to make the following statement at the 
July 9 meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna: 
 
Begin Text: 
 
Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. 
 
We welcome Ambassador Cankorel to the Permanent Council, and 
thank him for his comprehensive report.  The United States 
highly values the Office's work over the past year, 
particularly in providing election-related assistance to 
Azerbaijani authorities, seeking to strengthen media freedom 
and promoting good governance. 
 
We applaud the expansion of the Office's community policing 
program.  In our view, these innovative centers directly 
contribute to the safety and security of the Azerbaijani 
people.  We also strongly support the Office's programs on 
counter-terrorism and combating corruption among law 
enforcement officials. 
 
In the economic-environmental area, we believe the Office's 
efforts to promote good governance and reinforce the 
anti-corruption work of the Government are particularly 
important and should be continued. 
 
We continue to support the work of the Office and the 
Representative on Freedom of the Media in their vital work to 
create a more pluralistic and open media environment in 
Azerbaijan, in line with OSCE commitments.  We welcome 
President Aliyev,s recent criticism of criminal libel, but 
note that serious challenges to media freedom remain. 
 
The Office's activities regarding rule of law, including 
training to increase professionalization of judges, 
prosecutors and defense lawyers, reinforce the Azerbaijani 
authorities' commitment to undertake a comprehensive reform 
of the judiciary.  We agree that significant shortcomings 
still need to be addressed in this area.  We therefore fully 
support the Office's intention to continue its focus on 
administration of justice in the coming year. 
 
We also support the Office's commitment to advancing 
democratic governance in Azerbaijan and promoting reforms to 
bring Azerbaijan's legislation in line with international 
standards.  Implementation of legislation, in particular 
regarding elections and freedom of assembly, should continue 
to be a focus of the Office. 
 
We appreciate the Ambassador,s May statement regarding the 
importance of an amended NGO law that fully meets 
international standards.  We encourage the Government of 
Azerbaijan to consult with the OSCE and others regarding the 
recently-amended laws on NGOs, religion, and the media. We 
encourage the Office, as well as the Government of 
Azerbaijan, to collaborate with civil society, and to develop 
constructive solutions for some of Azerbaijan's most pressing 
human rights problems. 
 
Recent high-level visits by United States officials to 
Azerbaijan underscore the importance that we attach to 
strengthening our bilateral relationship, and improving 
regional security.  We reaffirm the United States' commitment 
to continue working together with the Government of 
Azerbaijan and the OSCE Office in Baku to advance 
Azerbaijan's development as a prosperous, modern democratic 
country. 
 
Ambassador Cankorel, we wish you all the best for your work 
in the coming year. 
 
Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. 
 
End text. 
CLINTON