NATO/VCC SEPTEMBER 13 MEETINGS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 USNATO 000524

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2017
TAGS: PREL PARM KCFE NATO RS OSCE
SUBJECT: NATO/VCC SEPTEMBER 13 MEETINGS

REF: A. A. STATE 127663

B. B: STATE 122427

C. C. AC/319-N(2007)0039

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Classified By: Classified by USNATO Charge Richard Olson for reasons 1.
4 (b and d)


1. (SBU) Summary: The September 13 Verification
Coordinating Committee (VCC) and VCC Experts made progress on
agreeing on procedures to deconflict Vienna Document
Inspections with four non-Allied OSCE states (Finland,
Sweden, Switzerland, and Austria) for the 2008 year. The
NATO Staff will send out a new food for thought paper on
modalities for such coordination under a silence procedure.
The next expert meeting will be held on October 18, the next
VCC will be on November 15, and an experts-only meeting is
scheduled for December 19 to finalize CFE quotas for 2008.
The Data Management Experts Group (DMEG) met on September
11-14 to update the Verity database of CFE notification
information. End Summary.


2. (SBU) Vienna Document Evaluations and Inspections:

--Hungary conducted and received bilateral VDOC evaluations
with Ukraine in weeks 30-31, and another bilateral will be
done with Serbia in week 32;

--Germany is planning a bilateral VDOC evaluation in Belarus
in week 42 (15-21 Oct),including Czech and Swedish guest
inspectors;

--Denmark received an inspection from Russia 23-26 July,
during which Russia expressed interest in the disposition of
its Leopard 1 tanks awaiting reduction. It specifically
asked if they were to be sold or transferred to a Baltic
state. Russia asked similar questions during a CFE
inspection to Denmark a few weeks later;

--Hungary conducted a bilateral inspection in Serbia 16-20
July;

--Denmark will conduct an inspection in Tajikistan week of
Sept 17.


3. (SBU) Coordination of VDOC Inspections with a few
non-Allies: Germany emphasized the benefits of such
coordination during the VCC meeting, and joined consensus in
the experts group on extending an invitation for the four
non-Allies identified in the U.S. food for thought paper (Ref
B) to engage in VDOC inspection deconfliction with NATO.
Canada and Norway strongly supported coordination in
October/November in preparation for the 2008 inspection year.
The key goals are to prevent the quota rush in January, and
to avoid losing quotas planned by NATO states to non-Allies.


4. (SBU) The Chair will prepare a new food for thought paper
on this topic by COB September 17, and send it out under a
silence procedure of two weeks for VCC adoption. If agreed,
the Staff will contact the four candidate non-Allies
(Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, and Finland),to invite them
to discuss the coordination procedure at the October 18
experts meeting, and if agreement is reached on modalities,
to join the November 15 VCC experts meeting to discuss
inspection bids and potential scheduling. Mission will
forward the new paper upon receipt.


5. (C) CFE Inspections:

--Bulgaria informed Allies of its declared site inspection
24-27 July in the flanks including guest inspectors from
Germany, Belgium, Romania, and Slovakia, which was carried
out at the third selected site ) Sertolovo (147th Separate
Tank Training Battalion). Russia declared force majeure on
the first locations selected: Prokhladnyy (K0395) and
Vladikavkaz (K0101) due to security concerns;

--Poland conducted an Article VII inspection in Belarus at
Osipovichi, at the 51st High Power Artillery Regiment (OOV
26) including guests from Poland, U.S., Germany, and Hungary;

--Denmark conducted an inspection in Russia 4-6 September at
Ryazan parachute school. Russia did not provide briefings on
equipment seen in the common areas, nor did it allow photos
to be taken inside buildings;

--Germany reported on its attempted supplementary inspection

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to the 42nd Armored Equipment Storage Base site in Pskov
Oblast. Per Ref A, Russia,s response to the notification
request indicated Germany must inspect an OOV that had
previously been inspected. Germany held bilateral
consultations with Russian counterparts in the MFA, and
ultimately was allowed to carry out this inspection, but that
this decision would not apply to future inspections. Germany
had also intended to carry out a supplementary inspection
from 11-14 September, but Russia replied in its notification
that Germany had not conducted an earlier quota inspection
(in order to earn a supplementary one). Subsequently,
Russian MFA reps went beyond this to say that Germany could
only conduct a supplementary inspection at a site in the
flanks that had already been inspected that year. Germany
believes Russia was wrong to seek such an imposition,
although some of their legal advisors said it was a possible
interpretation of the Flank document. Germany recommended
that Allies discuss how to respond during future events,
which he characterized as ¬ urgent8 although Denmark was
quick to point out that there are seven such inspections
pending this fall.

--The U.S. noted that we have studied the flank language
cited by Russia, and also believe Russia,s interpretation is
incorrect, and offered to provide our own legal analysis for
Allied review. We asked Germany to provide a written summary
of this implementation issue as a courtesy to Allies, but
Germany demurred. Comment: Germany does not want to
challenge Russia on this issue, and may be concerned that
putting it in writing to Allies could send the wrong signal
should Russia learn of the paper. End Comment. We urged
Allies to challenge this practice so it does not appear that
Russia, position has been accepted. The Chair offered to
provide background materials from Allied discussion in 1996
for reference. Norway is the next state planning a
supplemental inspection, and it plans to challenge this
position if Russia attempts to impose it again. France
confirmed that it would also challenge the position,
especially since it does not want to inspect a site that has
already been inspected. The U.S. said we would also do so on
our future missions.


6. (C) CFE Schedule changes:
--Turkey will conduct a mission in Russia week 38 versus 51;
--Germany will conduct a mission in Ukraine week 51 versus 31;
--Germany will move a mission to Russia to week 50 versus 36
(in order to keep one available for use after December 12 in
the event Russia does not suspend Treaty activity);
--The U.S. announced it would swap two inspections to Russia
such that we conduct a regular quota in week 33 (22-28 Oct);
and then schedule a supplemental inspection in week 48 (4-10
Feb); and
--Norway plans to schedule the 10th available supplemental
inspection, and thus will conduct two quotas in week 33 ) a
regular and supplemental inspection as a sequential.

7. (SBU) Georgia ) Paired Inspection Request: The Chair
noted that Georgia,s request to pair two inspections with
Allies has not been fully answered. Turkey confirmed that it
plans to share a mission with Georgia of the Russian forces
stationed in Armenia. The Chair asked Allies to review
possibilities for another pairing opportunity and discuss
further at the October 18 experts meeting.


8. (C) Extraordinary Conference: The Chair made note of the
developments regarding a solution to Russia,s possible
suspension of CFE, including the U.S. parallel action plan
under discussion at the HLTF the same day. Canada asked what
the consequences would be if Russia suspended regarding the
December 19 experts meeting on quotas. While recognizing
that contingency planning may be necessary, Germany, the
U.S., and UK urged that we continue planning according to the
Treaty, including inspection planning for 2008. Given the
political efforts underway, it would be premature to discuss
alternate implementation outcomes.


9. (SBU) Inspection Site paper (AC/319-N(2007)0014-Rev 1):
Experts reached consensus on the text discussed at the July
meeting, including previous U.S. and Turkish comments. The
Chair will circulate the document under silence procedure for
VCC approval so it can be sent to Vienna for discussion in
the JCG.


10. (SBU) Documenting Ambiguity paper (AC/319-N(2007)0024):
Canada and Germany were not in favor of the previous language
suggested by Turkey for &unless otherwise agreed8 language
regarding use of digital cameras. Turkey was not present, so

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the Chair will consult with them separately to seek their
agreement to drop the drafting suggestion. If Turkey agrees,
the Chair will circulate the text under a silence procedure
for VCC approval so it may also be discussed in Vienna.


11. (SBU) CARS Seminar. The Chair recalled discussion from
the 16 May meeting concerning possible scheduling for a
second seminar in Central Asia, perhaps in Ashgabad,
Turkmenistan. The NATO staff confirmed that it would not be
possible to &export8 the NATO school VDOC course, but the
ACCS staff would be willing to help organize another seminar
if a state(s) were willing to lead the effort. Germany
expressed interest in another seminar, and is willing to work
with others to prepare it. Canada said it could provide a
speaker. The Chair asked states to review and discuss at the
next meeting.


12. (SBU) Open Skies: Several states reported on recent
observation flights, and Hungary provided information on its
certification event. Norway made note that while the Russian
escorts were not as cooperative as in previous flights, the
imagery obtained from its shared mission with Georgia over
Russia was free of clouds and good quality. Comment: The
U.S. has already ordered a copy of this mission from Norway.
End Comment.


13. (SBU) Moldova: The Chair noted that week 52 remains open
for volunteers should the need arise. Comment: The U.S. has
volunteered for several other weeks this fall. End Comment.


14. (SBU) Training: The Chair noted the CFE
inspector/escort NATO training course P5-18 took place 27 Aug
) 7 September. 20 students took part from 9 states
(including partner states Ukraine and Moldova). He thanked
Germany for providing two sites for field trip exercises. A
VCC experts meeting on training courses will also be held on
November 15. Review: Comments/suggestions/feedback on NATO
courses are welcome for this meeting. Please advise.


15. (SBU) VCC Seminar 4-5 October. The Chair said a few
minor changes have been made to the agenda and a new version
should be circulated soon. The session on Nagorno-Karabakh
has been dropped. The Chair requested that briefings and
bios on speakers be provided as soon as possible. NATO staff
informed us that Russia plans to send MFA rep Fedoryakov to
the VCC Seminar.


16. (SBU) AOB: Slovenia announced an initiative to
establish bilateral contacts with Uzbekistan on VDOC
implementation. German rep Fleissig announced his departure
for a new assignment. An Experts meeting on &outstanding8
issues is scheduled for February 12-13.

DMEG
--------------


17. (SBU) The Data Management Experts Group (DMEG) met on
September 11, followed by the Notified Current Force
Structure (NCFS) Review with partner countries on September
13-14. A new VERITY clone will be available to interested
nations at the end of September and will include the
enhancements and fixes to the chart printing module that the
U.S. contractor made during this meeting. The new clone and
a copy of the latest version of the Offline Inspection
Component (OIC) software used to automate CFE inspection
reports for VERITY will be obtained and maintained for
testing purposes by the contractor in Washington. From the
perspective of U.S. data and software responsibilities, the
interfaces between VERITY XXI and the new, U.S.-developed
versions of ADS Chart Printing software version 6.4 and the
OSCE Integrated Notification Application (INA) version 2.2
are working smoothly.


18. (SBU) The NCFS review was completed, and updates to U.S.
notification entries were confirmed. Unfortunately, Russia
did not send a representative (as has been past practice),so
the U.S. and Canada reviewed the Russia notification data for
completeness.


19. (SBU) The next DMEG is scheduled for 14-15 January 2008
and will be followed by a VERITY Workshop and Data Assembly
Meeting with Partner countries on 16-18 January. The
schedule of DMEG meetings in 2008 provided at the June
meeting was accepted without change.
OLSON