CFE/CSBM: ANNUAL EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION FOR 2009

UNCLAS USOSCE 000320 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR VCI/CCA, VCI/NRRC, EUR/RPM, EUR/PRA, EUR/CARC, SCA/CEN, SCA/RA, PM/WRA 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 RS XG SUBJECT: CFE/CSBM: ANNUAL EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION FOR 2009 REF: STATE 129922 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. Annual exchanges of information under the CFE Treaty and the Vienna Document, with information effective January 1, 2009, were held in Vienna on December 12-15, 2008. Both achieved high levels of participation. The electronic exchange, with support provided by the United States, also reached a high participation level. As expected, Russia did not provide its CFE data. Azerbaijan's declared holdings exceed their Treaty limits by 99 Battle Tanks and by 64 artillery pieces, compared to 58 last year (see para 5). End summary. ¶2. (SBU) CFE Treaty: Required hard-copy information was provided by 27 of the 30 States Parties. As expected, Russia did not provide its data (see para 4) and Mission is awaiting Iceland's nil report. Belarus for the first time failed to provide hardcopy data, although they did provide data in the electronic exchange. USDEL queried a Belarus rep on this omission after the FSC meeting on December 17, who explained that they were having "technical problems" and hoped to have the hardcopy data provided by early the next week. Georgia delivered its hard-copy information late because of what it termed "technical delays." With the exception of Russia, Iceland, and Georgia, all States Parties participated in the automated exchange. ¶3. (SBU) Vienna Document 1999: Information was submitted in hard copy by 44 participating States; 45 participated in the electronic exchange. In addition, diplomatic notes conveying nil reports are on hand from Iceland and Canada. NOTE: Nil reports are still pending from Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino and the Holy See. END NOTE. Of those with military forces, data have not yet been submitted by Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. ¶4. (SBU) Russia: Based on its "suspension" of implementation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), Russia again failed to provide its information as of January 1, 2009 on its force structure, armaments, and personnel as required during the annual exchange of data by the CFE Treaty. Russia did, however, provide the information required by the Vienna Document, which is significantly less detailed. The U.S., NATO States Parties, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine provided information to all CFE States Parties, including Russia. As it did last year, Russia continues to exclude the BRM-1K armored vehicle from Vienna Document reporting, while all other holders continue to declare them as AIFVs. ¶5. (SBU) Azerbaijan: A preliminary assessment of Azerbaijani data shows that instead of lowering its holdings of battle tanks and artillery pieces, it actually has declared higher amounts in these categories. Azerbaijan's declared holdings exceed its Treaty limits by 161 Battle Tanks, compared to 99 over limit last year, and by 119 artillery pieces, compared to 64 over limit last year. ¶6. (SBU) Fourteen OSCE participating States have provided their Global Exchange of Information (GEMI) data for 2009, which is due in April 2009. FINLEY