RFG AND READOUT OF VCC AND VCC EXPERTS MEETING -

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USNATO 000648

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2017
TAGS: PREL PARM KCFE NATO RS OSCE
SUBJECT: RFG AND READOUT OF VCC AND VCC EXPERTS MEETING -
DECEMBER 19, 2007

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 Charge d'Affairs Richard G. Olson for reasons 1.4
(b and d)


1. This is a Request for Guidance. See Para 11.


2. (C) SUMMARY: At the December 19 meeting of the NATO
Verification Coordinating Committee (VCC),Allies agreed to
allocate and coordinate CFE inspections -- including for
Russia -- based on data from the previous Treaty year.
Allies also coordinated Vienna Document (VDoc) inspections.
In response to a U.S request for clarification, the NATO
International Staff (IS) Chair confirmed that discussion of
VDoc coordination with non-NATO partners would not take place
at the Head of Verification (HOV) meeting at the Annual
Implementation and Assessment Meeting (AIAM) in Vienna.
After the U.S. registered its objection to the Romanian
proposed text for the definition of an inspection site,
Allies agreed to reinsert the original version of the text
and reissue the document under a silence procedure. Several
Allies have approached U.S. verification reps to inquire
about bilateral and multilateral training for inspections
under the adapted CFE Treaty (see para 11 request for
guidance). The next VCC will take place on January 22, 2008.
END SUMMARY.

CFE Quota Allocation
--------------


3. (C) Taking note of the HLTF decision to continue
implementation of the CFE Treaty for now despite the Russian
"suspension," the NATO International Staff (IS) Chair
provided a plan for CFE quota allocation for inspections in
non-Russia nations whereby each Ally would receive 1
inspection quota with the remaining 8 inspection quotas to be
divided between the 9 non-2 quota nations (Greece, Romania,
Poland, France, Italy, Turkey, the UK, Germany, and the
U.S.). Upon realizing that this was 1 quota inspection
short, the Chair gained consensus for dropping Romania from
the list of non-2 quota nations because it has the least
amount of quotas as prescribed by the previously agreed
step-chart. After allocating these quota inspections, Allies
bid on the supplementary flank inspections and the 3 paid
inspections in Ukraine, and then allocated inspections for
Russia using data from the previous inspection year.


4. (C) Germany suggested deferring the CFE allocation for
Russia because of a lack of Russian data and uncertainty
about future Russian participation. The Chair indicated that
allocating inspection quotas for Russia is consistent with
guidance from the HLTF for continued implementation of the
Treaty. Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, and Turkey spoke
out strongly supporting the Chair,s interpretation and the
desire to allocate quotas for inspections in Russia. Germany
then said it was not opposed, but had just suggested it for
practical purposes.


5. (C) The U.S. acquired the following inspections for CFE :
(NOTE: Inspections in Russia were allocated provisionally
only based on the data from the previous Treaty year and are
subject to reallocation based on Russia's participation. END
NOTE.)

- 1 inspection in Azerbaijan.
- 1 quota inspection in Ukraine.
- 1 paid inspection in Ukraine.
- 2 unrestricted quota inspections in Russia.
- 2 quota inspections of Object of Verifications (OOVs) in
Russia eligible for supplementary inspections.
- 2 supplementary inspections in Russia.
- up to 4 additional supplementary inspections in Russia if
no other Ally claims them.


Other CFE-Related Matters
--------------


6. (C) Several Allies (Germany, Canada, France, and UK)
approached the U.S. verification reps to inquire about the
possibility of participating in bilateral and/or multilateral

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training with respect to adapted CFE Treaty implementation.
(See para 11 for RFG on this issue.)


7. (C) The VCC Experts discussed the Romanian proposed edits
to the paper on the "Understanding of the Term Inspection
Site" (AC/319-N(2007)0014-REV2). Per guidance, U.S. rep
stated that the U.S. can not agree to the Romanian proposed
changes in the first section under "The inspection site
comprises" because U.S. interpretation of the Romanian
language is that it would imply the site is defined by the
site diagram, while the Treaty requires that the site diagram
is defined by the site. U.S. rep,s request that the
Romanian language be replaced with the previous language in
the draft referenced above was acceptable to Romania without
objection from any other Ally. The IS will revise the paper
accordingly and issue a new version under silence until
January 31.

Vienna Document
--------------


8. (C) The Chair requested comments on an IS paper drafted
at the request of the VCC to prepare for the AIAM meeting in
Vienna. Per guidance, U.S. rep requested clarification of
the report in the Decision Sheet from the previous VCC
(AC/319-DS(2007)0011) that there was agreement to discuss
coordination of VDoc with non-Allies at the HOV meeting at
the AIAM. The U.S. said that it had not agreed to such a
discussion in Vienna and that the U.S. HOV would not be
positioned to engage in a policy discussion on the matter.
The Chair explained that the reference in the Decision Sheet
was intended to indicate that further discussion and
decisions on coordination with non-Allies would be addressed
in future VCC meetings after the AIAM so as to incorporate
any new views or developments from the AIAM in those VCC
discussions.


9. (C) In addition to the VDoc evaluations already acquired
(U.S. leading an evaluation to Croatia with Bulgaria as a
guest; and Bulgaria leading an evaluation to
Bosnia-Herzegovina with the U.S. as a guest),the U.S.
acquired lead for the following VDoc inspections:

- Armenia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Kazakhstan
- Russia


Other Business
--------------


10. (U) Norway reported on the Nordic-Baltic Arms Control
meeting that took place in November where the respective
nations discussed CSBM proposals in Vienna as well as VDoc
coordination. They agreed to work on a Food-For-Thought
paper regarding the idea of increasing the number of team
members on VDoc inspections for the possibility of tabling
the FFT at the AIAM in Vienna. Norway stated that Sweden and
Finland were not planning any VDoc activities before March

15. Turkey announced that it will host an Arms Control
Orientation course in Ankara 11-15 February and invited
Allies to participate. The next meeting of the VCC will be
on January 22, 2008.


11. Request For Guidance: USDel requests Washington guidance
on how to respond to Allied requests regarding participation
in bilateral and/or multilateral training with regard to
adapted CFE implementation as described in para 6.
OLSON