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, USNATO 00000210 002 OF 002 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