FSC NOVEMBER 12: RUSSIA WANTS TO KEEP UNSCR 1540

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 USOSCE 000274 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR VCI/CCA, VCI/NRRC, EUR/RPM, EUR/PRA, EUR/CARC, SCA/CEN, SCA/RA, PM/WRA, INR/B, ISN/CPI JCS FOR J-5 OSD FOR ISA (PERENYI) NSC FOR HAYES USUN FOR LEGAL, POL EUCOM FOR J-5 CENTCOM FOR J-5 UNVIE FOR AC GENEVA FOR CD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM PREL KCFE OSCE PINR RS XG SUBJECT: FSC NOVEMBER 12: RUSSIA WANTS TO KEEP UNSCR 1540 IN FSC REF: A. OCTOBER 31 WRIGHT-SILBERBERG EMAIL ¶B. STATE 116705 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The Forum for Security Cooperation on November 12 adopted decisions for an information exchange on end-user certificates, endorsement of a guide to disposition of melange (rocket fuel oxidizer),and the forwarding of a draft Ministerial Council decision on small arms, light weapons, and stockpiles of conventional ammunition (SALW/SCA) to the Ministerial Council. The impasse continues over the companion Ministerial draft decision on other FSC issues as Georgia and Russia cannot agree how to describe the autumn round Security Dialogue discussions of their conflict in August. Estonia welcomed initial comments on the draft agenda for the March 2009 cyber security workshop. Russia opposes expanding the work of implementing UNSCR 1540 at the OSCE to the Security Committee/Permanent Council, preferring to keep it in the FSC and avoid "too many cooks." End summary. Defense Planning Deadline -------------- ¶2. (SBU) In the November 12 FSC working group, Sweden (Byren) announced it supported the Russian proposal for a single deadline for submission of defense planning information (FSC.DEL/494/07/Rev.3/Corr.1) as it would "strengthen implementation of the Vienna Document." Russia (Ulyanov) said there was near consensus and called on delegations that were not prepared to endorse the proposal to say so. Azerbaijan reported it lacked final guidance. The U.S. reminded that it opposed the proposal. Germany (Schweizer) reported it would have difficulty in predicting by what date its defense budget data would be available for submission, although in principle it wants to support the proposal. End-User Certificates -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The working group endorsed, and the plenary subsequently adopted without comment, the draft decision for an information exchange on end-user certificates (FSC.DD.9/08/Rev.3). Melange Overview -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The working group also endorsed, and the plenary subsequently adopted without comment, the draft decision (FSC.DD/13/08/Corr.1) welcoming the "overview" of disposal of melange (rocket fuel oxidizer) (FSC.DEL/443/07/Rev.2). Code of Conduct Questionnaire -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Belarus (Pavlov) proposed adding a reference to the Helsinki Final Act in the preamble to the draft decision for an update of the Code of Conduct Questionnaire (FSC.DD/14/08). Switzerland supported Belarus. Germany (Schweizer) asked whether Belarus could then support the entire document. Pavlov said he still needed final instructions but doubted Belarus would block consensus. Latvia (Nilsons) recommended combining draft Questionnaire sections I.3.1. and I.3.2., on the implementation of "other USOSCE 00000274 002 OF 004 international commitments," as they appeared redundant. Russia objected, insisting that the first section addressed current commitments while the second concerned future ones. Germany still lacks final instructions, although signals from Berlin are "increasingly positive." SALW MC.DD -------------- ¶6. (SBU) The working group and plenary endorsed the draft Ministerial Council decision (MC.DD/7/08/Rev.3) welcoming work done by the FSC in 2008 on SALW/SCA and requesting for 2009, inter alia, a review of the OSCE Document on SALW, establishment of national legal frameworks for the control on SALW brokering, and national efforts to adopt an international tracing instrument for SALW. ¶7. (SBU) The working group also endorsed a draft decision that was later adopted by the plenary transmitting the SALW draft decision to the Ministerial Council for its approval in December (FSC.DD/15/08). USDEL Silberberg discussed with the Secretariat and CiO its intention to make an interpretive statement if the SALW is adopted at the Ministerial. The Secretariat recommended informing the chair at the Ministerial plenary of U.S. intentions well in advance of consideration of the draft decision. FSC Issues MC.DD -------------- ¶8. (SBU) During negotiation of the draft Ministerial Council decision on FSC issues (MC.DD/6/08/Rev.3),Russia agreed ad ref to the language in OP1 tic 2 describing the Security Dialogue on the Georgia-Russia war as the "dialogue . . . addressing the armed conflict in August 2008." Georgia has requested further instructions but for the time being could not agree to this language. Russia also now supports the German compromise version of OP3 on progress reports ("These reports should include . . . and other areas, as appropriate."). The chair has issued a revised version (MC.DD/6/08/Rev.4) with only the German OP3 and encouraged Russia and Georgia to resolve their differences over OP1. FSC Chair's Letter -------------- ¶9. (SBU) There was no discussion of the FSC Chair's Letter (MC.GAL/7/08). The chair announced his intent to forward the letter to the Ministerial Council by November 26. Cyber Security -------------- ¶10. (SBU) Estonia (Tiigimae) solicited comments on the draft agenda and modalities for the March 2009 cyber security workshop (FSC.DEL/177/08). Switzerland recommended a closing session to consider possible follow-up actions by "OSCE bodies." Italy said a distinction needed to be made between terrorist use of the Internet to disseminate propaganda and terrorist attacks on or through the Internet. USDEL had earlier provided comments (ref) from Washington to Estonia, which welcomed these and other comments and will soon convene a "task force" of interested delegations and Secretariat members to refine the plans for the work shop. USOSCE 00000274 003 OF 004 UNSCR 1540 -------------- ¶11. (SBU) Luxembourg (Pilot) recalled in the working group that the U.S. had intervened in the November 10 Security Committee (Permanent Council) meeting to recommend broadening the scope of OSCE efforts to implement UNSCR 1540, which requires all states to prevent the spread of WMD to non-state actors, to include the Borders and Actions against Terrorism Units. Pilot asked the chair what would be the future role of the FSC in implementing 1540? The chair (Kangaste) said he was aware of the U.S. comments in the Security Committee and the CiO was coordinating efforts within the OSCE to implement 1540. ¶12. (SBU) The U.S. (Silberberg) affirmed that the scale of 1540 work at the OSCE should be broad and encouraged the chair and delegations to discuss the future of 1540 implementation at the OSCE with the UN 1540 committee chair, Ambassador Jorge Urbina, when he visits the FSC on December ¶10. ¶13. (SBU) Russia (Ulyanov) said it found the U.S. remarks in the Security Committee interesting but it would need some time to formulate a response. Its initial thought was to keep 1540 work in the FSC ad "avoid too many cooks." Ulyanov also warned that the FSC chair (Kangaste) should not be coordinating with the Security Committee, as the Forum and the committee were not "equals": the FSC's equal is the Permanent Council. If Kangaste needs to coordinate with the Security Committee, he should be doing so as a working group chair. Pavlov Departs -------------- ¶14. (SBU) Vasily Pavlov, the Belarusian representative in the FSC, Joint Consultative Group (CFE),and Open Skies Consultative Commission for the last four years plus has been reassigned to Minsk where he will work on OSCE issues at the MFA. In his farewell remarks, he encouraged the FSC to resume normative work including "updating and improving" the base documents of the OSCE political-military acquis, including the Vienna Document and OSCE Document on SALW. Pavlov's replacement is Dmitry Krayushkin. Russian Visas for VD99 Inspections -------------- ¶15. (SBU) Russia announced in an F41 notification (ref B) that personnel on Vienna Document inspections of Russia who require visas will receive visas at the entry points (POEs) of St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad and the Moscow airports (Vnukovo, Domodedevo, and Sheremetyevo). Use of other entry points will require visas issued through Russian consular offices on the territory of the pS notifying intention to inspect. UK (Gare),Canadian (Gosal) and U.S. representatives (Hnatczuk) discussed the visa requirements on the margins of the FSC and agreed to raise the matter with their capitals. Next Meeting -------------- USOSCE 00000274 004 OF 004 ¶16. (U) The next meeting of the FSC will be November 19. FINLEY