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 SIPDIS 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 SIPDIS 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