NON-PAPER FOR EUROPEAN UNION ON U.S. SPACE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 STATE 028300 SIPDIS GENEVA FOR CD DEL E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2019 TAGS: ESA EUN EZ FR GM MCAP NASA NATO PARM PREL TSPA XG XT SUBJECT: NON-PAPER FOR EUROPEAN UNION ON U.S. SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS POLICY REF: 08 STATE 70174 Classified By: ISN - Acting A/S C.S. Eliot Kang, Reason 1.4 (d) ¶1. (SBU) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST. See paragraph 3 below. ¶2. (U) BACKGROUND: At a European Council summit in December 2008, EU Heads of State and Government endorsed efforts to pursue space situational awareness (SSA) and other space capabilities as part of the European Security and Defense Policy. This endorsement followed an "European Space Council" meeting of EU research ministers in September 2008, which endorsed the development of independent European capabilities for monitoring and surveillance of active space objects and space debris. (U) In anticipation of these decisions, the Department -- in conjunction with the Department of Defense -- in early 2008 began to conduct a coordinated series of bilateral dialogues on SSA cooperation with key EU member states as well as with the European Commission and European Space Agency (REFTEL). These discussions have included two technical expert workshops hosted by the Department in Washington, D.C., in June 2008 and with the European Space Agency (ESA) in Darmstadt, Germany, on February 24-25, 2009. (SBU) While these workshops have facilitated cooperation with ESA on many technical issues, the two workshops also identified the need for a parallel and complementary dialogue with the European Union (EU) regarding the military and other security aspects of a European SSA capability. These security matters largely fall outside the charter and "competences" of ESA, which focuses on the development and acquisition of technical capabilities. (C) The need for a direct dialogue between the U.S. and EU was also noted in bilateral Space Security Dialogue exchanges with Germany and France in October and December 2008. In these discussions, MFA and Ministry of Defense space policy experts in Berlin and Paris urged their counterparts in Washington to directly approach the Presidency and Council of the European Union, which supervise the work of the EU Military Staff and the European Defense Agency (EDA). In parallel to the Department's discussions with the EU, Washington also intends to examine existing NATO roles, policies, and capabilities related to the use of space; to assess which new space initiatives for NATO might be 
desirable; and to have the option to initiate discussions in NATO-EU channels to ensure that NATO and EU space activities are mutually reinforcing. (U) ESA experts report that they are now regularly meeting with counterparts from the European Commission, the European Council's General Secretariat and the EDA as a part of an "SSA Steering Board." Over three years, the board will conduct a study of "governance and data policy," including protection of "sensitive data." This board will also review the results of an advisory "User's Representative Group," which includes representatives of the EU Military Staff, EDA, European Commission, and the Ministries of Defense of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Norway, Spain, and Belgium, as well as European commercial satellite operators (e.g., Inmarsat, SES, and Eutelsat). (U) The Joint ESA-EU "SSA Preparatory Program" is scheduled to conclude in 2011, with results reviewed by EU and ESA Ministers. If successful, this program may lead to STATE 00028300 002 OF 004 "implementation of a fully operational SSA system" during 2012-2019. ¶3. (U) Action Request. a. (SBU) For USEU: Jeffrey Miotke, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Science, Space and Health is scheduled to deliver the U.S. non-paper (contained in paragraph 4 below) to Paul Weissenberg, Director of the Aerospace, GMES, Security and Defense Directorate in the European Commission's Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry, at approximately Noon, Central European Time, on March 25 in Brussels. After delivery by DAS Miotke, USEU is requested to deliver the U.S. non-paper to the Defense Policy and Capabilities Unit of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union, or to other appropriate EU officials. USEU should indicate that the U.S. also welcomes further exchanges on this topic with EU Member State experts. Post should note that the U.S. non-paper is marked "For Government Use Only" and request that the non-paper be handled in the same manner as "Restreint UE" information. b. (SBU) For Prague: Embassy is requested to deliver the U.S. non-paper (contained in paragraph 4 below) to the Czech Presidency of the EU (Mr. Jiri Svoboda, Head of the Disarmament and Conventional Arms Unit within the MFA), and/or to other appropriate MFA officials no earlier than 2:00 p.m., Central European Time, on March 25. Embassy also should indicate that the U.S. welcomes further exchanges on this topic with the Czech Republic and with future EU Presidencies. Post should note that the U.S non-paper is marked "For Government Use Only" and request that the non-paper be handled in the same manner as "Restreint UE" information. c. (SBU) For Paris: Embassy is requested to deliver the U.S. non-paper contained in paragraph 4 to Rosine Couchoud of the French MFA, or to other appropriate MFA officials, no earlier than March 26. Embassy should also indicate that the U.S. welcomes continued close collaboration with France on this matter. Embassy is also requested to deliver the U.S. non-paper to the Director General of the European Space Agency, or to other appropriate ESA officials, no earlier than 2:00 p.m. Central European Time, on March 25. Embassy should indicate that the U.S. welcomes continued dialogue on SSA with ESA and with experts from ESA Member States. Post also should note to ESA that the U.S. non-paper is marked "For Government Use Only" and request appropriate handling within ESA channels. d. (SBU) For London: Embassy is requested to deliver the U.S. non-paper contained in paragraph 4 to John Saltford of the UK FCO and to Richard Crowther of the British National Space Center, and/or to other appropriate FCO and BNSC officials, no earlier than March 26. Embassy also should note that the U.S. welcomes continued close consultations with HMG on governance and security issues. e. (SBU) For Berlin, Rome and Ottawa: Embassies are requested to deliver the U.S. non-paper contained in paragraph 4 to space security policy experts at each Host Nation's MFA no earlier than March 26. Embassies should indicate the U.S. welcomes opportunities for discussions on SSA in future bilateral space security dialogues. f. (SBU) For Oslo: Embassy is requested to deliver the U.S. non-paper contained in paragraph 4 to space security policy experts at the Norwegian MFA and Ministry of Defense no earlier than March 26. Embassy should indicate that the U.S. welcomes opportunities for discussion on the ESA and EU SSA initiatives in both diplomatic and military-to-military dialogues. STATE 00028300 003 OF 004 g. (SBU) For Stockholm: Embassy is requested to deliver the U.S. non-paper contained to Ronnie Nilsson of the Swedish MFA, or to other appropriate MFA officials, no earlier than March 26. Embassy also should indicate that the U.S. welcomes further exchanges on this topic with Sweden during its forthcoming EU Council Presidency. ¶4. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT OF U.S. NON-PAPER: FOR GOVERNMENT USE ONLY Non-Paper March 23, 2009 - The United States of America notes the successful range of cooperative trans-Atlantic programs related to outer space and proposes an expansion of the existing U.S.-EU dialogue to improve cooperation using space-based technologies to respond to the common challenges of the 21st Century. -- In proposing this expanded dialogue, the United States reiterates its view that efforts with friends and allies in Europe to pursue improved and interoperable space capabilities can enhance our capabilities to protect and promote common trans-Atlantic foreign policy, security and economic interests. - In particular, the Space Situational Awareness (SSA) initiatives of the European Union and European Space Agency offer an important opportunity to improve our shared ability both to protect critical space infrastructures and to promote safe and responsible operations in outer space. -- The United States notes the European Council's support, at its meeting in Brussels during December 11-12, 2008, for efforts to pursue space situational awareness and a range of other space capabilities as part of the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP). -- The United States also notes the September 26, 2008, resolution of the European Space Council, which underlined the need for the development of a European capability for the monitoring and surveillance of European space infrastructure and of space debris. - In this regard, the United States is pleased to note that it is already participating in an expanded and evolving dialogue with both the European Union and European Space Agency on space security policy and specifically on space situational awareness cooperation. -- The role of space in supporting U.S. and European security policies has been addressed at annual U.S.-EU Civil Space Dialogues held in Washington in April 2007 and in Brussels in May 2008. -- In June 2008, the U.S. Department of State hosted a technical meeting in Washington, D.C., between experts from the United States and their counterparts from ESA and the European Commission. -- During February 24-25, 2009, ESA hosted a subsequent technical meeting in Darmstadt, Germany, where experts from the United States and Europe discussed standards for space object survey and tracking as well as opportunities for expanded cooperation in space weather monitoring. -- The United States welcomes additional opportunities for further discussions with ESA and ESA Member State space experts on cooperation regarding elements of the Space Situational Awareness initiative that was approved by the ESA Ministerial Council on November 26, 2008. - The United States also notes the European Commission's proposal to convene an experts meeting on commercial satellite critical infrastructure protection (CIP) in mid-2009 in Brussels and agrees in principle with this proposal. STATE 00028300 004 OF 004 - As technical discussions on trans-Atlantic SSA issues progress between the United States and ESA, the United States believes it is important also to pursue discussions at the policy level with relevant European Union and other institutions as well as Member States of both the EU and ESA, in order to: -- Identify appropriate venues and opportunities for expanded trans-Atlantic cooperation on space situational awareness in support of common civil, commercial and military requirements; -- Clarify the security aspects of enhanced SSA capabilities and their potential implications for shared economic and national security interests; -- Discuss approaches for broader SSA cooperation with our friends and allies in other regions; and -- Address policy issues associated with the protection of critical commercial satellite infrastructures, including the protection of critical infrastructure data provided by private sector satellite operators. - U.S.-EU elements of such a space security dialogue can build upon the existing strategic-level civil Dialogue on Civil Space Cooperation that the U.S. is conducting with the European Commission as well as ongoing bilateral exchanges that the U.S. is conducting with individual EU and ESA Member States regarding national security space policies and activities. - Such a space security dialogue also could complement related discussions of the role of space capabilities in support of both national and multinational efforts, such as those of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). - To begin this expanded dialogue, the United States proposes to commence discussions between U.S. and EU experts on SSA security policy issues later this spring, with the results of these initial discussions reported -- along with the results of technical expert discussions on commercial satellite infrastructure protection -- at the Fourth U.S.-EU Dialogue on Civil Space Cooperation later this year in Washington, D.C. END TEXT OF U.S. NON-PAPER. ¶5. (SBU) For USNATO: FYI to use as reference in current and future affairs to clarify the space dimensions of U.S., Allied national and NATO operations. ¶6. (U) Any inquiries on this subject should be referred to the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (PoC: Richard Buenneke, 1-202-647-3731; buennekerh@state.gov) and the Bureau of Oceans, Environment, and Science (PoC: David Turner: 1-202-663-2397, turnerda@state.gov). CLINTON