GPS-GALILEO DEMARCHE: DUTCH DOUBT SUMMIT

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001196

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR OES/SAT/RALPH BRABANTI AND EUR/ERA MARJA
VERLOOP

USDOC PASS OFFICE OF SPACE COMMERCIALIZATION

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TSPA TSPL ECON NL
SUBJECT: GPS-GALILEO DEMARCHE: DUTCH DOUBT SUMMIT
SIGNING FEASIBLE

REF: STATE 102745


1. SUMMARY. THE DUTCH SEE NO OBSTACLES OF A TECHNICAL
NATURE THAT WOULD BLOCK A U.S.-EU GPS/GALILEO
COOPERATION AGREEMENT. HOWEVER, THEY BELIEVE THAT THE
PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CONFIRMING AN AGREEMENT
MAKE IT UNLIKELY THAT THE U.S./EU'S JUNE SUMMIT WILL
SEE THE SIGNING OF THE ACTUAL AGREEMENT. MORE LIKELY,
THEY BELIEVE, IS A SIMPLE DECLARATION THAT THE TWO
SIDES HAVE REACHED AGREEMENT, WITH THE ACTUAL SIGNING
TO FOLLOW AT A LATER DATE, PROBABLY DURING THE DUTCH
PRESIDENCY.

END SUMMARY.


2. PER (REF.A) REQUEST, ECONOFF PASSED GPS-GALILEO
TALKING POINTS TO THE GONL'S INTERAGENCY GALILEO
STEERING GROUP (INVOLVED IN POLICY AND OPERATIONAL
ASPECTS OF GALILEO) IN THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT (MOT)
ON MAY 10. IN A DIRECT TELECON REACTION WIM PLOEG,
CHAIRMAN OF THE GALILEO INTERAGENCY GROUP, SAID THAT
WHILE THERE APPEARS TO BE A DELAY IN PROCEDURES, THERE
ARE NO OBSTACLES OF A TECHNICAL NATURE THAT STAND IN
THE WAY OF SIGNING THE GPS/GALILEO COOPERATION
AGREEMENT. PLOEG EXPLAINED THAT THE TIME NEEDED FOR
APPROVAL OF THE TEXT OF THE GPS/GALILEO AGREEMENT BY
THE GALILEO SECURITY BOARD, THE EU TRANSPORT COUNCIL,
AND MEMBER STATE PARLIAMENTS, MAKES THE TIMETABLE FOR
SIGNING OF THE AGREEMENT VERY TIGHT INDEED. REFERRING
TO A COMMUNICATION FROM GORAN AXELSON, THE SWEDISH
CHAIR OF THE GPS/GALILEO TECHNICAL EXPERTS WORKING
GROUP, PLOEG SAID THAT HE HAD NO INDICATIONS OF SERIOUS
TECHNICAL PROBLEMS, INCLUDING POSSIBLE RE-OPENING OF
THE M-CODE/PRS SIGNAL PROTECTION DISCUSSION THAT WOULD
PUT SIGING OF THE GPS/GALILEO COOPERATION AGREEMENT IN
JEOPARDY.


3. PLOEG REITERATED THIS VIEW FOLLOWING A MAY 11
GALILEO TECHNICAL EXPERTS WORKING GROUP MEETING. PLOEG
DECLINED TO GO INTO TECHNICAL ISSUES BUT EXPANDED ON
HIS COMMENTS REGARDING PROCEDURAL PROBLEMS. ACCORDING
TO PLOEG, THE RESULTS OF A LAST ROUND OF NEGOTIATIONS
SCHEDULED FOR MAY 25 WOULD BE PRESENTED FOR APPROVAL TO
THE GALILEO SECURITY BOARD IN EARLY JUNE AND THEN GO TO
THE TRANSPORT COUNCIL. THIS WILL MAKE THE FINAL TEXT OF
THE AGREEMENT TOO LATE FOR TIMELY APPROVAL BY MEMBER
STATE PARLIAMENTS. THE JUNE 25/26 U.S./EU SUMMIT IS
THEREFORE NOT LIKELY SEE THE SIGNING OF THE ACTUAL
GPS/GALILEO COOPERATION AGREEMENT, PLOEG FEARS, BUT
RATHER A DECLARATION OF AGREEMENT. SIGNING OF THE
ACTUAL AGREEMENT WILL FOLLOW LATER (PERHAPS DURING THE
DUTCH PRESIDENCY). SOBEL