US embassy cable - 05PARIS1510

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 001510 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2015 
TAGS: PREL, FR, PGOVE, RU, OSCE 
SUBJECT: FRENCH DISCUSS OSCE ISSUES WITH RUSSIAN DIPLOMAT 
 
REF: PARIS 579 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER-COUNSELOR JOSIAH ROSENBLATT, FOR REAS 
ONS 1.4 B/D 
 
1. (C) Summary: Following a meeting March 7 with Alexander 
Grushko, Director of the Russian MFA's European Cooperation 
Department, A/S-equivalent for Security Affairs Philippe 
Carre told POL M/C he believed the Russians may understand 
they had gone too far in their efforts to diminish the OSCE, 
and that they were looking for ways to be more reasonable. 
This contrasted with a harder line taken regarding the 
"frozen conflicts," with Grushko reprising a comparison first 
raised with the French in mid-January bilateral 
consultations; namely, that an independent Kosovo would 
likely lead to Abhkazian independence from Georgia and 
Transnistrian independence from Moldova.  End summary. 
 
CARRE: RUSSIANS LOOKING TO COMPROMISE ON THE OSCE 
 
2. (C) Carre told POL M/C that, in general, his morning 
meeting with Grushko was a "good exchange," and that he 
inferred from the meeting that Russia had sensed it had gone 
too far in bashing the OSCE.  However, Carre said it was 
unclear how far and how quickly the Russians might move to 
correct course.  Carre planned on visiting Moscow in 4-6 
weeks to discuss these issues further. 
 
3. (C) Carre opened the meeting by saying that the OSCE 
remained an important and vital institution to European 
security.  It was a unique instrument, said Carre, the only 
one where everyone was a stakeholder.  He then focused on two 
major issues of concern to the French regarding the OSCE and 
Russia.  First was Russia's efforts to reduce its 
contributions to the budget and to separate the 
administrative and operational budgets in order to feed the 
former and starve the latter.  Carre told Grushko that the 
Russians were the only ones refusing to pay their assessments 
and asked whether Russia would be willing to accept the 
reduced influence commensurate with their demands to pay only 
1.9% of the budget.  Would Russia want only 1.9% of the 
OSCE's influence, given the U.S.'s contributions of 34% of 
the budget, Carre asked.  Russia has complained about 
under-representation in the OSCE secretariat and minimum 
staffing, yet such a minimal contribution would mean Russia 
would receive significantly fewer spots for its nationals in 
the OSCE administration. 
 
4. (C) The second major point Carre raised concerned Russian 
efforts to dilute the power and decision-making authority of 
OSCE election monitoring missions to write and issue reports. 
 Carre told Grushko that the Russian proposal to transfer 
election report-authoring to the Permanent Council was a 
nonstarter, but that the French were willing to discuss ways 
to clarify existing rules on election monitoring and OSCE 
governance.  Carre also replied to standard Russian criticism 
that the OSCE was unfairly focused on the Eastern part of 
Europe by saying that the OSCE had raised numerous issues of 
concern to Western European countries, such as anti-Semitism, 
the status of women and hate speech.  Grushko responded with 
familiar talking points on Russian concerns.  In reply to a 
proposal that OSCE reform discussions continue in capitals 
with the UK, Germany and the US, Grushko said the Russians 
preferred to keep such talks in Vienna. 
 
RUSSIANS RECONCILED TO FRENCH OSCE SG CANDIDATE 
 
5. (C) Carre said that the Russians were reconciled to the 
OSCE Secretary General candidacy of Frenchman Marc Perrin de 
Brichambaut.  The Russians understand that they will get the 
Economic Coordinator position as part of a package.  Carre 
said a strong candidate like Brichambaut would reinvigorate 
the body, and signal that the major players are ready to 
reinvest politically in the organization.  According to 
French calculations, Carre said, 38 OSCE member countries 
support Brichambaut; the organization was near consensus, 
with the only important holdouts being Austria and 
Switzerland.  At some point it would be important to 
emphasize to those two countries, Carre told POL M/C, that 
they were blocking consensus. 
 
GRUSHKO HARD-LINE ON FORMER SOVIET SPACE ISSUES 
 
6. (C) Although Grushko appeared open to compromise on the 
OSCE, Carre said the Russian diplomat was predictably tough 
on the frozen conflicts, particularly Moldova/Transnistria. 
Grushko raised both in comparison with Kosovo, and told Carre 
that moves towards independence by Kosovo would inevitably 
influence the separatist regions of Abhkazia and 
Transnistria.  Regarding Moldova, Grushko flatly stated that 
the Kozak plan was the only starting point for discussion. 
On Georgia and border monitoring, Grushko said OSCE training 
of Georgian border guards would not be a problem, as long as 
that training was not along the border.  Carre inferred that 
the Russians were looking at a proposed EU border mission in 
a positive light, largely because the U.S. would not have a 
presence. 
Leach