Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
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07USNATO351 | 2007-06-04 14:09:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Mission USNATO |
VZCZCXRO4464 RR RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHNO #0351/01 1551409 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 041409Z JUN 07 FM USMISSION USNATO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0930 INFO RUCNCFE/CONVENTIONAL ARMED FORCES IN EUROPE COLLECTIVE RUCNOSC/ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY COOPERATION IN EUROPE RUESDT/DTRA-OSES DARMSTADT GE RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL |
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USNATO 000351 |
1. (C) SUMMARY: At the May 16 VCC and VCC experts' meetings: a. The U.S. announced an upcoming Vienna Document inspection in Sweden during the time a Swedish exercise below Vienna Document thresholds will be conducted; b. Experts agreed to attempt to hold a NATO Vienna Document course in Central Asia; c. The U.S. obtained its goals for a one-year trial period for NATO internal coordination of Vienna Document inspections, and a revised paper will be circulated for further discussion and decision at the July 17 VCC; d. A new draft agenda for the 2007 VCC Seminar in October was circulated and will be discussed at the July 17 VCC meeting; e. During reports on conducted CFE inspections, the U.S. reported on its inspection at Kovrov in Russia the week of 23 April; f. The U.S. points in reference A regarding documenting ambiguities and the definition of an inspection site were generally accepted with a request that the U.S. provide its precise language to the staff; g. U.S. points in reference to the start of the Residual Level Period, updates of the list of inspectors, and notification of new equipment were accepted by Allies; h. The next VCC and experts' meeting to address the above issues will be held on July 17. END SUMMARY. 2. (C) Allies announced the following upcoming Vienna Document inspections: -- Bulgaria in Macedonia in week 27; -- France in Cyprus 25-28 June; -- Germany in Armenia in week 25; and -- Hungary in Serbia 3-6 July by a bilateral agreement. 3. (C) Problems reported by allies during Vienna Document inspection visits: a. Germany reported that during a 16-21 February inspection in the Nakhichivan area of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijanis declared a special security zone with limited access along the Armenian border, and the Germans requested a common NATO approach to this without any real response (COMMENT: the U.S. has not experienced this problem before); b. During week 13, a Swedish inspection was refused by Uzbekistan with no reason given; and c. A Canadian inspection in Tajikistan, that had been originally denied with no reason given, was allowed to proceed on 23-25 April after senior-level diplomatic pressure was brought to bear. 4. (SBU) Follow-up to Seminar for Central Asian Republics: The experts and the VCC agreed that the NATO School's Vienna Document course should be conducted in Central Asia in early 2008, probably in Turkmenistan. A lead nation is being sought. 5. (C) Coordination of Vienna Document activities with non-Allies: After distribution and presentation of a U.S. analysis regarding Vienna Document inspections from 2002 through 2006 (reference A), experts accepted the idea of an internal NATO full coordination of Vienna Document inspections for 2008 on a trial basis. The discussion by Allies revealed uncertainties whether a program similar to CFE-paired inspections should be initiated with selected partners during this trial (some Allies were concerned that in the CFE Pairing process, partners automatically get their inspection plans accepted). Germany agreed to the trial idea, but reiterated that it thought that the next step USNATO 00000351 002 OF 002 should be coordination with non-NATO partners in Vienna because "the Cold War is over." COMMENT: this is reminiscent of a similar German push for coordinating CFE inspections at thirty that was rejected during the development of NATO positions for the adapted CFE Treaty. The staff will prepare a new food-for-thought paper on the subject, to be discussed at the July 17 VCC and experts' meetings. 6. (SBU) Voluntary CSBM on Military Exercises Below VD 99 Thresholds: Nothing was reported, however, during discussion of coordination of Vienna Document activities with non-Allies, the U.S. representative suggested that consideration be given to encouraging nations making such notifications to include a voluntary extra Vienna Document inspection quota. 7. (SBU) Exchange of information on Open Skies: Several Allies reported on recent Open Skies missions. Poland noted that during a Polish Open Skies mission in April over Belarus and Russia, the Russian escorts were hostile and abusive about Poland's joining NATO. 8. (SBU) Training: The staff reported that permission has been given for South Korea to participate in the logistics course. 9. (SBU) Preparations for the 2007 VCC Seminar: The staff circulated a draft two-day agenda which includes all of the topics (see reference D) approved under silence. This subject will also be on the July 17 VCC agenda. 10. (SBU) Paired Inspections: The staff announced that no one had yet responded concerning the Georgian request for paired inspections in September. This topic will also be revisited on July 17. 11. (SBU) Documenting Ambiguities, use of GPS during inspections, and definition of inspection site: The staff announced that use of GPS had been approved under silence procedure. After the U.S. representative responded per guidance on the use of digital cameras, the staff requested that the U.S. provide specific language for the previously circulated paper on this issue. Similarly, after the U.S. representative executed guidance regarding the paper on the definition of an inspected site, the staff requested specific U.S. language. 12. (U) POET issues: The staff announced that, if silence was not broken by May 24, the latest POET paper would be forwarded to Vienna for use by the JCG-T. 13. (U) Information exchange issues: After the U.S. representative, per guidance, addressed past JCG-agreed texts on both dates for update lists of inspectors and transport crew members and the start date of the residual level period, Allies agreed that these resolved the issues raised by one Ally on these topics. NULAND |