TALKING POINTS ON SATELLITE COLLISION DELIVERED TO

UNCLAS BRUSSELS 000222 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EUN TSPA TSPL SUBJECT: TALKING POINTS ON SATELLITE COLLISION DELIVERED TO EU COUNCIL AND COMMISSION REF: A. SECSTATE 12948 ¶B. BERLIN 188 ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 5. ¶2. (SBU) USEU EconOff delivered REFTEL A points separately to interlocutors at the European Union Council and Commission on February 13. Both interlocutors were appreciative of the delivery, but noted that there was no information they did not already have through press reports. Both requested further information on the details and analysis of the collision of the Russian and Iridium satellites and the events leading up to the impact. As with German MFA comments per REFTEL B, both EU contacts also noted that the collision provides a strong incentive to develop an international code of conduct for non-military use of space. ¶3. (SBU) EU Commission Space Policy Officer Helene-Diane Dage expressed that she was having difficulties understanding what happened. She implied that it appeared that Iridium was at fault, asking what was missed and if Iridium calculates its own risk analysis or if it relies on reporting from the United States. She added that as of February 13, there was still no information on Iridium's web site referencing the collision, much less the results. Turning to Russia, she stated that it was her belief that Russia used to have a good space surveillance capability and asked if it still existed and what Russia uses now. In response to questions about the events, EconOff referred Ms. Dage to STRATCOM's Space Track website, noting the debris data will be available online shortly. ¶4. (SBU) EU Council Policy Officer Zuzana Sutiakova, responsible for the EU's Space Code of Conduct currently in discussion in the UN Council on Disarmament, focused exclusively on the relevance of the Code of Conduct to events such as this. She expressed that Europe thinkis that the Code is very pertinent, especially as relates to notification of possible events such as the collision. Sutiakova also looks forward to learning more after NASA and DOD complete their analyses. ¶5. (SBU) Post would appreciate any information to provide greater transparency on this situation as soon as possible. Please contact Robert Dollinger who will follow up with the USG response. MURRAY .