SPS MEETING

UNCLAS USNATO 000647

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR OES ROBERT RUDNITSKY; NASA GODDARD FOR VIGDOR
TEPLITZ

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMGT NATO PREL TSPL
SUBJECT: SPS MEETING


1. (U) Summary: NATO held its annual SPS meeting October 19
in Brussels. A U.S. expert briefed on developments for
explosives stand-off detection techniques. The Committee
discussed finding alternative funding for the Virtual Silk
Highway project. There was no objection to the U.S.
Commercialization proposal from Allies, and the U.S.
representative was successful in persuading Allies to drop
Global Climate Change from the agenda of a future SPS
Security Forum. End Summary.


2. (U) This cable reports on the October 19 meeting, in
Brussels, of the NATO Science for Peace and Security (SPS)
committee. Dr. Vigdor Teplitz represented the U.S. Dr.
Robert Rudnitsky was alternate. Newly arrived NATO Assistant
Secretary General for Public Diplomacy Jean-Francois Bureau

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chaired the meeting.


3. (U) Opening session and general: The U.S. Rep pointed out
the upcoming anniversaries of the founding of the predecessor
Science Committee (1958) and first meeting of the Committee
on the Challenges of Modern Society (CCMS, 1968). Staff will
recommend appropriate, low cost commemoration events. The
U.S. Rep asked that SPS documents be made available to
national missions and capitals at least two weeks in advance
of meetings. He also asked for detailed project budget
information promised at an earlier meeting, but never
delivered, and suggested mutual SPS-RTB (NATO Research and
Technology Board) review of projects with possible military
dimensions. These proposals were accepted.


4. (U) Explosive detection: The chair of the expert group,
Kyle Malotkey, (U.S.) briefed. Three stand-off techniques,
passive millimeter wave detection, laser induced
spectroscopy, and active microwave detection would be
packaged with a data fusion alert system for the
demonstration project. The U.S. rep said that NATO funding
for technology development was suitable for the initial
phase, but prototype construction and testing in the
subsequent phase should be funded by voluntary national
contributions.


5. (U) Virtual Silk Highway: SPS project connecting 230,000
people in Central Asia to the internet. SPS will begin
efforts to find donor organizations or nations to replace
NATO funding for the Virtual Silk Highway. Further proposals
will be circulated.


6. (U) Security Forum: in response to the U.S. suggestion
that Global Climate Change be removed from the agenda, SPS
decided only to reference climate change in documents
referencing major environmental issues. Security Forum work
would focus on other issues where SPS could make a
difference.


7. (U) Commercialization: There was no opposition from
nations to the U.S. proposal but outgoing Deputy Assistant
Secretary General Keith Gardner (US) said that it would be

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difficult for Public Diplomacy Division (PDD) staff to
support the effort before his replacement arrives. The U.S.
rep recommends that the issue should be taken up before the
March 2008 meeting.


8. (U) Advisory panels: The U.S. has, for several years,
been represented on all four panels reviewing proposals for
workshops, Science for Peace, research, and other mechanisms.
The current U.S. chair of the Information Technology panel is
at the end of his 4 year mandate. The Committee accepted the
U.S. nomination of Dr. Henning Leidecker of Goddard Space
Flight Center to the panel.
OLSON