NATO: JUNE 9 MEETING OF VCC EXPERTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USNATO 000210

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/18/2018
TAGS: KCFE PARM PREL NATO
SUBJECT: NATO: JUNE 9 MEETING OF VCC EXPERTS

REF: A. STATE 061453

B. AC/319-N(2008)0025

C. AC/319-A(2008)0007

D. AC/319-A(2008)0008(CFE)

E. AC/319-N(2008)0017-REV1

F. AC/319-N(2008)0022

Classified By: A/DCM W. Scott Reid, III, reasons 1.4 (b and d)


1. (C) Summary: At the Experts, Meeting, the U.S.
obtained all of the goals specified in Reference A. These
discussions will continue on July 8 with new versions of the
discussion papers transformed into shorter proposed NATO
agreed papers to be distributed by the International Staff.
At the VCC, U.S. Representative briefed on planned and
completed VD inspections as directed in Reference A. It was
agreed that precedent will be followed in regards to arms
control activities in the new NATO invitee countries. Some
problems arose with respect to the scheduling of meetings in
the Fall and the International Staff is looking into new
dates for possibly all meetings before December. The Experts
will meet again on July 8, but the date for the next VCC
meeting is in flux and may be the 15th of September. End
Summary.


2. (C) At the Experts, Meeting, the U.S. obtained all of
the goals specified in Reference A. Experts agreed that
there will be no effort now to change VD99 text (although
both Denmark and Norway repeatedly referred to the need to do
so at some time in the future when addressing a VD2010 or
2012, especially with respect to the ideas in their
discussion papers on quotas and team sizes). For the issues
addressed, short papers will be developed and distributed by
the International Staff for review at the next meeting with
the goal of sending them to Vienna as NATO agreed positions
and interpretations for use primarily at the 2009 AIAM.

-- Allies agreed to continue the 2008 program of
deconflicting VD evaluations and inspections in 2009. Canada
requested that the compensation mechanism in the original
draft for the 2008 exercise be restored. The staff will
prepare such a paper.

-- Allies agreed that a paper on "counting" during VD
evaluations will be prepared by France in order to present a
common position at the 2009 AIAM.

-- The staff will prepare a paper on the duration of an
evaluation visit that can be sent to NATO delegations in
Vienna. The paper will seek to reduce travel time chargeable
against the 12 hour limit for VD evaluations while retaining
the principles on restricting evaluation visits to one day
and the countable evaluation time to 12 hours.

-- The experts agreed that the suggested contents of
briefings made in the German paper were desirable, and the
staff will prepare two papers on this to be presented at the
2009 AIAM. One paper will focus on the desired contents of
briefings during evaluation visits. The second will address
desirable briefing contents during inspection briefings at
the beginning of VD inspections, by commanders of military
units located within the inspected area, and by commanders of
military units temporarily within the inspected area.

-- It was agreed that the Canadian paper on force
majeure should be tabled at the 2009 AIAM.

-- It was agreed that the staff will prepare two
simplified papers for the 2009 AIAM encouraging states to
voluntarily accept higher VD evaluation quotas and larger
evaluation and inspection teams, either in general or as part
of bilateral agreements. The papers will make no linkages
between increased evaluation quotas or larger teams and
either decreased inspection numbers or quotas, nor will it
include references to the status of interpreters on VD
evaluation and inspection teams.


3. (SBU) A Turkish paper on the use of digital cameras
and GPS was distributed to experts and will be added to the
agenda for the July 8 meeting. At first glance, it looks to
replicate positions taken by NATO for CFE. In addition, the
Staff requested nations to consider drafting remaining
unassigned discussion papers for issues 5, 6, 12, and 15 in
Reference E. Finally, Turkey suggested that experts need to
start looking at a proposed agenda for the 2009 VCC seminar,

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and also suggested that experts need to be ready to address
any topics remanded to the VCC by the HLTF for the Fall 2008
HLTF seminar.


4. (C) At the VCC, U.S. Representative briefed on VD
inspections planned and completed in accordance with
Reference A. A number of Allies also briefed on completed VD
and CFE activities (the evaluation of inspection reports for
all of which have or will be distributed to all NATO states).
One such report of interest was that Russian escorts during
a French VD inspection in Armenia reportedly stated that
President Medvedev will make no changes in former President
Putin,s policies toward CFE. Also of interest was a
Norwegian report of overly restrictive Tadzhik policies
toward photography encountered during an evaluation visit in
Tadzhikistan. According to the Norwegians, the Tadzhik
escorts stated that the restrictions were what they were
taught at a VD99 school in Kazakhstan. Germany questioned
this fact, and the International Staff has agreed to contact
Kazakhstan to ascertain what that school is teaching on the
subject.


5. (C) Various Allies and the U.S. announced VD
evaluation and inspection plans and changes, and changes in
CFE inspection plans:

-- Germany and Hungary announced upcoming VD evaluation
visits above quotas because of bilateral agreements;

-- Germany announced a VD inspection in Kazakhstan in
week 26 (23-29 June);

-- Italy announced the cancellation of its planned VD
inspections in Kazakhstan in week 40 (15-19 Oct) and in
Azerbaijan in week 48 (24-30 Nov) because of a new national
policy to only notify VD inspections when there is an actual
or suspected military activity underway. This would make an
inspection opportunity for others in Kazakhstan;

-- Turkey noted that Austria with Swedish guests will
be conducting a VD inspection in Turkey along the border with
Greece this week, while at the same time, Sweden with
Austrian guests will be conducting a VD inspection in Greece
along the Turkish border;

-- Turkey will send to Russia this week a notification
of a CFE inspection (which it expects to be denied);

-- The Canadian inspection in Russia planned for
timeblock 35 will be moved to timeblock 41 (15-19 December);

-- The UK inspection in Russia that was cancelled for
timeblock 11 will be moved to timeblock 32 (13-19 October).


6. (C) The VCC agreed that, as was done during previous
NATO expansions, NATO will cease inspecting the two new NATO
invitees when they formally accede to NATO.


7. (SBU) Several states, including the U.S., complained
about the Fall VCC schedule. As a result, the International
Staff will seek rooms for different dates in September
(presumably the 15th) and in October (probably during the
week of 27 to 31 October).


8. (C) In response to the Ukrainian offer to accept three
additional CFE inspections, the UK will take one in timeblock
31, Canada one in timeblock 34, and Norway one in a timeblock
to be announced.
NULAND