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DE RUEHSR #0003/01 0571534
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P 261534Z FEB 10
FM AMCONSUL STRASBOURG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0204
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHSR/AMCONSUL STRASBOURG 0215

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STRASBOURG 000003 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE ALSO FOR EUR/ERA EUR/RUS AND EUR/CARC 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  2/25/2020 
TAGS: PHUM PREL COE BO FR GG RS
SUBJECT: COUNCIL OF EUROPE:  APPLAUDING GEORGIA; CONCERN ABOUT 
BELARUS 
 
REF: STRASBOURG 02 
 
STRASBOURG 00000003  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Vincent Carver, CG, Strasbourg, State. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
SUMMARY 
- - - - - 
 
¶1.  (C) The Council of Europe (COE) welcomed Georgia's 
transparency and efforts at political and human rights reforms, 
although it noted that Tblisi should increase efforts to involve 
the opposition in the parliamentary process.  There is, however, 
increasing fatigue  among member-states when discussing the 
consequences of the war between Russia and Georgia - in large 
part because of Russian stonewalling and threats.  The Secretary 
General is exploring a "new approach" to build on the limited 
common ground between Russia and Georgia.  On Belarus, COE 
member-states noted that Minsk's failure thus far to renew 
authorization for the COE's "Information Point" office in Minsk 
and the GOB's recent move against the Union of Poles complicate 
greater COE-Belarusian engagement.  The Swiss reported that 
their FM may meet Lukashenko today (February 25) in Kiev to 
discuss these issues.  Delegations supported the continued 
(limited) COE programs concerning Chechnya.  End summary 
 
GEORGIA:  MUCH PROGRESS, MORE TO DO 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶2. (U) The COE's Democracy Committee discussed Georgia's 
fulfillment of its COE obligations, prospects for greater 
engagement with Belarus, and its program for Chechnya February 
¶25.  The Secretariat characterized Georgia's attitude as "open 
and constructive," and said that Tblisi has made progress in 
"practically every field."  Still, Georgia has not met its 
commitment of signing and ratifying the COE's Convention on 
Regional and Minority Languages and constitutional reform is an 
"ongoing work where the landscape is not always clear."  The 
Secretariat added that a large part of the political opposition 
is not represented in the parliament and that some in the 
opposition had presented visiting Secretariat officials with 
lists of "political prisoners" - their term, not the COE's, he 
noted. 
 
¶3.  (U) Most delegations praised Georgia's transparency and 
progress in the judicial and anti-corruption fields.  Several 
noted Tblisi's reform efforts continued despite the war with 
Russia.  Russia and Greece were more muted but did agree that 
Georgia had made progress, although the Russian added that he 
would like to see how the "so-called legislation on the Occupied 
Territories" is being adjusted to meet Venice Commission 
recommendations.   The Georgian Ambassador acknowledged that 
"sporadic problems" remain but stressed that Tblisi has tackled 
most of its systemic problems.  He noted the use of minority 
languages in education while admitting that Georgia is 
responsible for signing and ratifying the Convention on Regional 
and Minority Languages when possible.  He observed that the 
Georgian Parliament is scheduled February 26 to adopt amendments 
to its Law on the Occupied Territories in line with Venice 
Commission recommendations. 
 
COE "FATIGUE" FROM DISCUSSING AUG 2008 CONFLICT 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶4.  (C) Reflecting what several delegations have told us 
privately is "Georgia Fatigue" from the 18 months of discussion 
of the consequences of the war between Russia and Georgia 
(during which the Russians skillfully threatened the end of any 
cooperation with the COE should Moscow be placed on a par with 
the "aggressors") the COE Council of Ministers' Deputies 
(resident ambassadors) February 24 voiced informal support for 
the Secretary General's "new approach" to find common ground 
among the parties to the conflict.  The Georgian Ambassador 
reviewed a lengthy list of COE documents and decisions calling 
for the review of both Georgia's and Russia's COE commitments. 
The Russian Ambassador, noting his consistent position, appealed 
to all "to stop participating in endless discussions initiated 
by Georgia" and start thinking of the what the COE can do 
constructively in the conflict zone.    The EU welcomed 
Georgia's "Engagement through Cooperation" initiative for the 
breakaway territories (REFTEL) and reiterated strong support for 
Georgian's territorial integrity and sovereignty.  Many 
delegations echoed the EU Ambassador. 
 
BELARUS:  STEPS FORWARD AND BACK 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶5.  (U) The Secretariat noted that it is still waiting for Minsk 
to renew the authorization for the COE's "Information Point" 
office in Minsk to operate - the current authorization expires 
in mid-March.  The Secretariat observed that a seminar on COE 
values, held in Minsk with Swedish assistance, attracted a wide 
range of participation from ministries, the parliament, and 
others.  Switzerland noted that Swiss FM Calmy-Rey, as Chair of 
the COE's Council of Ministers, met Belarusian FM Martynov on 
 
STRASBOURG 00000003  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
the margins of the Wehrkunde in Munich.  Calmy-Rey emphasized to 
her Belarusian counterpart the need for Minsk to renew the 
Information Point's authorization, to issue a moratorium on the 
death penalty, to ensure freedom of the media, and to open the 
political scene to the opposition - "The ball," the Swiss FM 
reportedly told her counterpart, "is in Belarus' court."  The 
Swiss Delegation noted that Martynov had claimed that Minsk is 
working on such issues but that the population continues to 
support the use of the death penalty; in any case, there are 
only "a few" executions every year.  He also agreed that a 
limited number of opposition members could attend the April 
session of the COE's Parliamentary Assembly, but only as guests 
seated in the public gallery.  The Swiss also noted that 
Calmy-Rey  might meet Lukashenko in Kiev later that (February 
25) day to make similar points. 
 
¶6.  (U) The Polish Delegation stressed that it had always 
supported COE-Belarusian rapprochement, but that Warsaw does not 
see progress on the human rights front by Minsk.  Lithuania 
agreed and said that Belarus must demonstrate some progress 
before the COE considers further cooperation.  Russia, however, 
noted that it has no difficulty with Belarus' accession to the 
Convention Against  Trafficking in Human Beings.  The 
Secretariat noted that any accession would be problematic given 
the Belarusian response February 24 to the COE that it would not 
extend privileges and immunities to Belarusian national experts 
who would be members of a COE expert group.  Belarus also wants 
to reserve the right to renounce any agreement it makes in 
connection with its possible accession to the Convention while 
remaining a party to the Convention.  Both the Secretariat and 
the Irish Chair of the Democracy Committee suggested a "wait and 
see" approach. 
 
¶7. (C) The Irish Ambassador told us privately February 25 that, 
while Belarus has not made much progress on human rights, "It is 
in a bubble, with many wanting to burst out."  She added that 
the COE is one of several international organizations seeking to 
increase engagement with both civil society and the 
working-level of the GOB. 
 
COE PROGRAMS ON, BUT NOT IN, CHECHNYA 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶8.  (U) The Secretariat and Russian Delegation praised the COE's 
(limited - under 300,000 Euros) programs for Chechnya.  Several 
delegations observed that the programs are largely educational 
and awareness-raising and are not held inside the Chechen 
Republic.  The UK Ambassador called for more concrete programs, 
including action plans, on democracy.  Germany called for the 
broadening of the program to cover Dagestan and Ingushetia. 
Lithuania asked about involvement of NGOs, such as Memorial, 
that are not linked to the government in Grozny.  The 
Secretariat replied to some of the pointes by noting that 
Russian Ombudsman Lukin viewed seminars held outside Chechnya as 
opportunities to broaden the horizons of some of the Chechen 
participants.  That said, the Secretariat added that the 
improved security situation in Chechnya could mean holding 
programs "closer to the region. 
CARVER