Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07USNATO532
2007-09-28 15:10:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Mission USNATO
Cable title:  

RUSSIANS SOFTENING TONE ON CFE AT THE NRC?

Tags:  PREL PARM KCFE NATO RS OSCE 
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DE RUEHNO #0532 2711510
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 281510Z SEP 07
FM USMISSION USNATO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1229
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHSS/OECD POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 5764
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 0420
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JCS WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 000532 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/27/2017
TAGS: PREL PARM KCFE NATO RS OSCE
SUBJECT: RUSSIANS SOFTENING TONE ON CFE AT THE NRC?

REF: USNATO 00525

Classified By: USNATO Deputy Chief of Mission Richard Olson for reasons
1.4 (b and d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 000532

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/27/2017
TAGS: PREL PARM KCFE NATO RS OSCE
SUBJECT: RUSSIANS SOFTENING TONE ON CFE AT THE NRC?

REF: USNATO 00525

Classified By: USNATO Deputy Chief of Mission Richard Olson for reasons
1.4 (b and d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: A Senior Russian military official briefing
at the September 26 NATO-Russia Council (NRC) meeting
signaled possible Russian softening on its CFE line. NATO
International staff reports that Russian Foreign Minister
Lavrov also made some constructive comments in a recent
discussion with Secretary General de Hoop Scheffer on the
margins of the UNGA. END SUMMARY.

2. (C) The senior Russian military representative to NATO,
Vice-Admiral Valentin Kuznetsov, provided a somewhat positive
outlook for the CFE Treaty during an exchange with Allies
following his briefing on Russia,s military reform efforts
at the September 26 meeting of the NRC. In response to a
question posed by the Spanish PermRep on efforts to preserve
the CFE regime and his thoughts on the U.S. proposed parallel
action plan, Admiral Kuznetsov said that Russia,s official
stance would be known by the end of October. However, in
mentioning the parallel action plan, he said, that the
proposals "offer a roadmap" for discussion at the Berlin
informal meeting and that "all problems could be resolved
since there is now a declared political will on both sides."
He continued to say that ratification of the Adapted Treaty
and Russia,s fulfillment of the Istanbul Commitments, are
not linked, saying they were two different, "but parallel,
processes." Finally, he noted that he could not foresee a
Europe without a conventional arms control regime that
includes confidence security building measures, limits on
heavy equipment including in the flank areas, and an
inspection regime (mentioning that this is a sentiment shared
by Moscow's senior leadership). Allies generally appeared to
welcome the comments as a positive development heading into
next week's informal conference on CFE in Berlin.

3. (C) Under any other business, the German PermRep noted
the important role that the NRC plays on maintaining an open
dialogue. He further said that entry into force of the
Adapted CFE Treaty was a key part of the disarmament
architecture and that all efforts should be made to preserve
the CFE regime (echoing text from the non-paper on
disarmament recently circulated at NATO). He called on
Allies to provide an open and forward looking discussion at
the Berlin conference, maintain flexibility, and to explore
all possible avenues. Charge noted that the U.S. is looking
forward to the upcoming Berlin conference which should
provide an important opportunity to remind ourselves of the
benefits of the CFE Treaty and our security cooperation more
broadly.

4. (C) In a related development, the NATO International
Staff at the September 28th meeting of the High-Level Task
Force Deputies provided a readout of Russian Foreign Minister
Lavrov's meeting with NATO Secretary General de Hoop Scheffer
in New York this week. FM Lavrov told the SYG that Russia
wanted ratification of the Adapted CFE Treaty, they did not
want the CFE Treaty regime to disappear, and that they are
willing to work with the Alliance toward that goal.
NULAND