NATO/VCC NOVEMBER 14 AND 15 MEETINGS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USNATO 000613

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2017
TAGS: PREL PARM KCFE NATO RS OSCE
SUBJECT: NATO/VCC NOVEMBER 14 AND 15 MEETINGS

REF: A. A. STATE 155906

B. B.AC/319-A(2007)0012 (CFE)

C. C.AC/319-A(2007)0011

D. D.USNATO 0005254

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


1. (C) SUMMARY: The November 14 and 15 Verification
Coordinating Committee (VCC) and VCC Experts made progress on
several issues, but postponed others until the January VCC.
Particular implementation concerns were discussed in regard
to the potential Russian CFE suspension where HLTF policy
guidance is needed. It was decided that if Russia carried
through on its suspension, each NATO CFE-state would be
entitled to at least one CFE inspection in the other CFE
partner states, and if final policy guidance regarding CFE
inspection requests were not received in time for the planned
19 December inspection coordination and deconfliction
meeting, the process could and would be carried over into
January. END SUMMARY


2. (SBU) Vienna Document Evaluation and Inspection Plans:

-- Germany will conduct a VDOC training Course for
Turkmenistan in December, with a training inspection and a
training evaluation in Switzerland 10-14 December.

-- Lithuania will conduct a forthcoming VDOC evaluation in
Sweden per bilateral arrangements.


3. (C) Coordination of VDOC Inspections: After the staff
reported that the four invited non-NATO states had declined
VDOC inspection coordination at this time, discussion turned
to next steps and coordination within NATO:

-- The NATO IS staff reported that the invited non-NATO
states had indicated that the problem for them was political
in being seen as too closely tied to NATO by a limited
coordination process conducted at NATO. They intend to
propose an agenda item of VDOC activity coordination for the
Heads of Verification Units, meeting during the AIAM in
Vienna. Sweden stated that it did not intend to conduct a
VDOC inspection before March 15, but Switzerland will conduct
one in January.

-- NATO mostly coordinated and deconflicted VDOC evaluations
for 2008. The U.S. received a VDOC evaluation in Croatia and
a guest inspector slot on a Bulgarian evaluation in Bosnia.
However, an impasse continued between four or five NATO
states over the three evaluation opportunities in Russia.
Since the deconfliction process is not finalized until all of
it is, there could be changes depending upon how the states
competing over evaluation opportunities in Russia resolve
their problem. Finalization will take place on or before 19
December.

-- Agreement was reached to internally coordinate and
deconflict VDOC inspections within NATO. The staff will
issue a paper asking for bids with deconfliction to take
place on 19 December.


4. (C) CFE Inspections and Plans:

-- Several nations, including the U.S., reported on recent
CFE inspections and all inspection reports will be forwarded
to Verity:

-- The German supplementary inspection in Russia that was
denied (see below) will be conducted at a time to be
determined in 2008 (pending the suspension);

-- Norway is moving two supplementary inspections from time
block 33 to time block 53, but may not be able to conduct
them per the decision (discussed below) on supplementary
inspection policy,


5. (C) Paired Inspections: No nation volunteered to lead the
paired inspection requested by Georgia. The Chair noted that
this raised questions when NATO invited partners to pair but
took so long to agree to implement such requests. The Chair
also reported that Georgia was the only partner-state to
request pairing, but now no longer wanted to pair this Treaty
year, and noted that Georgia appeared to be only interested
in pairing when the inspection costs would be paid by NATO.

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States were asked to consider for the January VCC whether
they still wished to pursue pairing with partners under these
circumstances.


6. (SBU) Problems Related to Flank Inspections. During
discussion of the problems encountered by Germany in
attempting to conduct supplementary inspections in Russia, as
reported in Reference D, the position espoused by the U.S.
(in Reference A) was agreed by experts and a paper was issued
under two weeks silence for formal VCC approval. Norway did
not object, but noted that agreeing that for every
supplementary inspection there had to be a flank quota
inspection previously conducted would mean that Norway would
not be able to conduct its two planned supplementary
inspections during the current Treaty year. In response to
questions on how the proposed decision on this issue would
affect CFE inspection coordination and deconfliction, the
U.S. suggestion to simply add a new column for quota flank
inspection bids to the matrix, and to ensure that there were
ten bids there was accepted.


7. (U) Definition of the term "inspection site". The
Romanian paper breaking silence on this issue was circulated
for those who had not received it (including the U.S.).
Preliminary discussion revealed several concerns about some
of the Romanian proposed changes and it was decided to let
nations study these proposals in capitals and report comments
to the staff.


8. (U) Documenting Ambiguities. The paper, having been
approved by all, will be forwarded to Vienna for action.


9. (SBU) Arms Control Training. During presentation of
favorable reports on recent training courses, the Chair noted
that Ukraine has offered to provide a lecturer for a NATO
arms control course, and it was agreed by all that this would
be a good thing.


10. (SBU) Follow-up Seminar in Central Asia. No state was
willing to leads this effort, and only a very few to support.
Nations were requested to decide whether we wish to continue
these efforts for addressal at the January VCC.


11. (C) Discussion of CFE Implementation if Russia Suspends
its Participation in the CFE Treaty. The Chair and several
nations noted that policy guidance would be needed from the
HLTF before implementation policies could be finalized. Led
by Norway, several of the smaller nations (primarily those
with only an active CFE inspection quota of two) expressed
the need for guidance by the 19 December experts meeting to
coordinate and deconflict CFE inspections for the next Treaty
year. After much discussion it was agreed that this might
not be forthcoming in time and the deconfliction process
might have to be continued in January 2008. If Russia does
suspend but policy guidance is to continue to carry out all
CFE activities with the remaining participation states, or
even with Russia to the extent that state allows, each NATO
state will be entitled to at least one CFE inspection in the
remaining non-NATO participating states (for the current
Treaty year that was 31 inspection opportunities for the 22
NATO CFE-states.). If policy guidance is received before the
19 December planned deconfliction date, a short VCC meeting
in the morning of 19 December may be scheduled to only
formalize implementation procedures affecting inspection
coordination.


12. (U) Under Any Other Business, the Chair noted that it
would periodically issue to VCC points of contact lists of
documents circulated (for the U.S., these lists will be
provided to the U.S. Mission for transmission to Washington
addressees). The next VCC meeting accompanied by a VCC
experts meeting will be 22 January, 2008 (unless the brief
VCC meeting mentioned above for 19 December needs to be
scheduled).
NULAND