US embassy cable - 05LJUBLJANA194

UNCLAS LJUBLJANA 000194 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
FOR AMBASSADORS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPDC, PGOV, PREL, KG, SI 
SUBJECT: URGENT DEMARCHE ON OSCE ROLE IN KYRGYZSTAN - 
RUPEL'S RESPONSE 
 
REF: STATE 57807 
 
 1.  (SBU) COM spoke March 30 with Foreign Minister Rupel 
shortly before Rupel,s departure for Bishkek, using reftel 
talking points to urge him to find a continuous senior OSCE 
presence on the ground in Kyrgyzstan.  Ambassador emphasized 
that the Secretary had asked him to call and noted that we 
were also speaking with Ambassador Lenarcic at OSCE Vienna. 
Ambassador referred to DepSec,s visit to Ljubljana and his 
discussion with Minister Rupel March 29 to emphasize that 
this was an opportunity for the OSCE -- and Slovenia -- to 
take advantage of the historic moment in Kyrgyzstan.  He said 
we had been confused why it had not been possible to keep a 
senior level OSCE envoy in Bishkek to provide the political 
leadership during this critical period. 
 
2.  (SBU)  Rupel first responded by noting that there is the 
OSCE Mission in Bishkek, headed by the Swiss Ambassador. 
Ambassador replied that we needed a more senior political 
presence to come in and stay.  We could not understand why 
Alojz Peterle had left on the weekend to be replaced by 
Secretary General Kubis who then turned around and left March 
 
SIPDIS 
29.  Rupel asked how long we felt that the senior presence on 
the ground would be necessary.  Amb replied that it was until 
things on the ground had stabilized and it was clear that 
there is an agreed upon plan to move forward.  He said we 
were talking about weeks, at least, not days. 
 
3.  (SBU)  Rupel said, &This is something we can do.8  He 
volunteered that Peterle had left Bishkek because he did not 
want to share the limelight with Kubis and not because of his 
European Parliament responsibilities. 
 
4.  (SBU)  Rupel agreed to get back to the Amb and added that 
he owed the Secretary a call back as well.  Amb said that he 
looked forward to hearing from him soon. 
ROBERTSON 
 
 
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 2005LJUBLJ00194 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED 


 
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