LATVIA SUPPORTS CFE REVIEW GOALS; DOESN'T WANT TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIGA 000432

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2012
TAGS: PARM KCFE PREL NATO LG
SUBJECT: LATVIA SUPPORTS CFE REVIEW GOALS; DOESN'T WANT TO
BE LEFT OUT

REF: A) STATE 77371 B) STATE 75293

Classified By: Ambassador Catherine Todd Bailey. Reason: 1.4 (D)


1. (C) A/DCM delivered ref a points and ref b background to
Latvian MFA PolDir Ilgvars Klave on June 6. Klava took
detailed notes throughout the conversation. Although Latvia
will not participate in the review conference (it is not
party to the CFE treaty),it would actively engage at the
HLTF in Brussels. Klava welcomed news that A/S Fried would
lead the US delegation to the review conference. Klava said
he hoped that no decisions would be taken at the review
conference that would bear on the four Allies not currently
in the CFE, without their involvement. He noted our
suggestion that the states not party issue a statement
reaffirming their desire to join the A/CFE. Klava and A/DCM
discussed the possibility of Latvian FM Pabriks doing that
when he sees FM Lavrov on June 12 and then reflect that in
the press release that follows the meeting. Klava opined
that it was good news that Russia had not recently complained
nearly as often or as loud about Baltic non-participation in
the CFE regime.


2. (C) Comment: Klava genuinely welcomed our consultation on
this issue, reaffirming that "we have no standing under the
treaty" but stressed that Latvia wants to be a constructive
part of the process. To that end, we note that the ref A
talking points say that we would be willing to consider
changes to the A/CFE treaty once it has entered into force.
We believe that it is important to add "and after the states
not currently party to the treaty have acceded" so that our
Baltic Allies (and Slovenia) don't feel there is a
possibility they could be left out of the process.
BAILEY