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Viewing cable 05ISTANBUL645, RUSSIA PUTS HOLD ON U.S. BSEC OBSERVER REQUEST

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
05ISTANBUL645 2005-05-02 13:07 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Consulate Istanbul
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS ISTANBUL 000645 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECIN ETTC KFPC KTIA TU XG
SUBJECT: RUSSIA PUTS HOLD ON U.S. BSEC OBSERVER REQUEST 
 
REF: A. ISTANBUL 470 
     B. STATE 43828 
     C. ANKARA 398 
     D. STATE 4274 
 
Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for internet distribution. 
This message was coordinated with Embassy Ankara. 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: Sources in the Secretariat of the 
Organization of Black Sea Economic Cooperation indicate the 
Russian Delegation blocked approval of the U.S. application 
for observer status at last week's Meeting of Senior 
Officials in Komotini, Greece.  While the Russians 
technically "supported" the U.S. application, they insisted 
that it only be considered together with the other eleven 
pending applications for observer status.  Organizatin 
officials predict that the action will effectiely postpone a 
decision on the application for sx months, but note that 
they expect it to be appoved during the upcoming Moldavian 
Chairmanship. They also note the development underscores the 
ned for BSEC to move away from its current requiremnt that 
all decisions be made by consensus, and nstead adopt another 
approach.  End Summary. 
 
. (SBU) Nyet: In e-mails to State Department personel, 
which they promise will soon be followed by n official 
diplomatic note, officials at the Orgnization for Black Sea 
Economic Cooperation indiate that the negative scenario they 
outlined in ef A had come to pass as a result of a Russian 
deision to insist that the U.S. application for obsever 
status be considered only in conjunction wit the other 
eleven pending observer applications. BSEC Secretary General 
Ambassador Tedo Japaridz indicated that the Russians are 
particularly comitted to observer status for Belorussia and 
the epublic of Cyprus, and hence argued that the U.S. 
application is not "exceptional" and should be cosidered in 
the same way.  He expressed frustratin with the development, 
noting that it is part ofa pattern of "obstruction" in a 
number of interntional fora, but was at pains to emphasize 
that t did not indicate "opposition" to U.S. observer 
status.  On the 
ntrary, Russia had technically "upported" 
the application, provided that it was cnsidered as part of 
the total group. 
 
3. (SBU)Next Steps:  Japaridze indicates that the 
Secretariat has already formally asked all pending candidates 
 
SIPDIS 
(some of which date from several years ago) to confirm that 
they remain interested in becoming a member of BSEC.  Once 
this is done, all 12 applications will be taken up as a group 
in the next senior officials' meeting (during the Moldavian 
Chairmanship).  Japaridze noted that a number of countries, 
including Georgia, Azerbeijan, Moldova, Albania and Ukraine, 
signed a formal statement of support for the U.S.; others, 
including Turkey, Greece, Armenia and Serbia, did not join 
the statement, but separately expressed a positive view. 
 
4. (SBU) BSEC Reform: Japaridze, who is currently in Albania, 
noted that he is talking to the Albanians about the need to 
rethink the rule of consensus.  He predicted that this will 
be difficult to do, but might be possible by creating "some 
linkages in this regard."  He noted that the Albanian Foreign 
Minister will be in touch with the American Ambassador next 
week in Tirana to discuss this issue.  Japaridze indicated 
that he has heard from some "BSEC insiders" that the Russians 
also want to talk to the U.S. about the Black Sea and BSEC 
directly.  This, he said, has been communicated through 
former Romanian Foreign Minister Segi Cheluk to Ron Asmus. 
 
5. (U) Comment: We will push the dialogue further when BSEC 
officials return to Istanbul from the Komotini meeting and 
their follow-on travels.  End Comment. 
 
ARNETT