NON-PAPER CIRCULATED BY SOME ALLIES ON RAISING

UNCLAS USNATO 000525 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KCFE NATO PARM PREL OSCE SUBJECT: NON-PAPER CIRCULATED BY SOME ALLIES ON RAISING NATO'S PROFILE IN THE FIELD OF ARMS CONTROL AND DISARMAMENT REF: A. USNATO 00522 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: NATO Permanent Representatives from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, and Spain circulated a non-paper (see below) to all Allied PermReps on September 19 on exploring ways to strengthen NATO's profile in arms control and disarmament prior to the 2008 Bucharest Summit. The cover letter notes that the last NATO policy document dealing with these issues dates back to December 2000 and that currently there is a need to highlight these issues once again, making specific reference to the current debate on Missile Defense and the future of the CFE Treaty. Germany has requested that the non-paper be placed on the agenda for discussion at the weekly PermReps' luncheon on October 2. END SUMMARY ¶2. (SBU) Non-Paper by Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain on Raising NATO,s Profile in the field of arms control and disarmament. ¶I. Rationale ¶1. In NATO,s Strategic Concept of 1999 the Alliance has stated that an active policy of arms control and disarmament will continue to be an essential part of the Alliance,s broad approach to security, and that it will assume a distinctive role in this process. In this process the Alliance committed itself to enhance its political efforts to reduce dangers arising from the proliferation of WMD and their means of delivery as entailed in the Report on Options for Confidence and Security Building Measures, Verification, Non-Proliferation, Arms Control and Disarmament (C-M (2000) 93 &Options Report8) adopted by Foreign Ministers in December 2000, and stressed the importance of the CFE Regime in ensuring stability in the Euro-Atlantic Area. ¶2. Work within the Alliance in the area of non-proliferation of WMD has focused on threat analyses and supporting political efforts such as promoting the PSI and the implementation of UNSCR 1540. It should be complemented by a coordinated effort towards the preservation and strengthening of the NPT regime in the current review process. ¶3. With NATO considering deterrence requirements for the 21st century in response to new security challenges and Russia also reviewing its nuclear doctrine, an open dialogue with Russia on nuclear posture and doctrine remains timely and necessary. As stipulated by the Options Report, the NATO-Russia Council should be used to that effect. This dialogue should contribute to strengthening the NPT and NPT Review Process under way. ¶4. In the area of conventional arms control, recent developments are putting the future of the CFE regime into question. Every effort should be undertaken to preserve the CFE regime and to develop a realistic perspective for an early ratification of the adapted Treaty. Likewise, NATO should be open to agree on new confidence and security building measures where they meet the security interests of Allies. II. ¶5. In light of the above and to ensure the continued implementation of these goals and bearing in mind the upcoming Bucharest meeting of Heads of State and Government, we propose that the Council tasks the SPC, based on the Options Report. - to review the achievements and the contributions the Alliance has made in matters of arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation, with a view to identifying opportunities for a pro-active NATO role in these fields, including through an effective use of the NATO-Russia Council. - to report in time for the meeting of Foreign Ministers in December 2007. END TEXT. OLSON