COUNCIL OF BALTIC SEA STATES SECRETARIAT CALLS FOR U.S.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STOCKHOLM 000616 EUR/NB FOR E-PINE COORDINATOR; EUR/ERA; EUR/PGI; OES/OPA; OES/PCI SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV PGOV PREL SW SUBJECT: COUNCIL OF BALTIC SEA STATES SECRETARIAT CALLS FOR U.S. INPUT INTO OBSERVER STATES CONSULTATIONS OCTOBER 6 REF: A)STOCKHOLM 446 B)COPENHAGEN 282 This is an action request. Please see para 2. ¶1. (U) Summary: The USG is invited to the Council of Baltic Sea States (CBSS) Annual Consultation between the Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) and the CBSS Observer States, in Stockholm on October 6. At a September 24 preparatory meeting, the CBSS Secretariat Director asked of Observer States to be prepared to give a briefing about current participation in CBSS activities and more generally on our involvement in the Baltic Sea Region. The Secretariat provided questions to guide Observer State preparations for the October 6 consultations, for which we request Department guidance. End Summary. ¶2. (U) Action request: Post and ESTH Regional Hub in Copenhagen request Department guidance and answers to questions in para 7. Unless the Department wishes to send representatives from Washington, Regional Environmental Officer will represent the USG at the meeting. The CBSS Secretariat hopes to get a proposal from the USG on how we can be active participants in the BSS. Moreover, we are expected as an Observer State to give a briefing on our current participation in concrete CBSS activities and on our general involvement in the Baltic Sea Region. ¶3. (U) On September 24 Embassy Stockholm attended the preparatory meeting with the CBSS. Throughout the meeting the Council Secretariat officials emphasized their eagerness for active and effective cooperation with the observer states, resulting in concrete results. CBSS wish to benefit from observer states' experience and wanted the respective observer states to think of ways in which they can participate in CBSS projects. ¶4. (U) Background information supplied by the CBSS Secretariat recalls that observer status implies that observers "must contribute to CBSS activities in line with its long term priorities." During the preparatory meeting it was evident that they are hoping for more active observer participation than has been past practice. ¶5. (U) The CBSS Secretariat invites Observer States to present their vision on the cooperation with the CBSS during the Annual Consultation between the Committee of Senior Officials and the CBSS Observer States, 6 October 2009, in Stockholm. Other agenda items include a presentation of the CBSS Expert Group for Cooperation on Children at Risk by Mr Lars Loof, Head of the Children's Unit and Secretary to the CBSS Expert Group for Cooperation on Children at Risk, who will brief on the activities of the expert group and the opportunities for involvement of the Observer States. Additionally, the agenda includes a presentation of the CBSS Expert Group on Nuclear and Radiation Safety, made by a representative of the CBSS Expert Group on Nuclear and Radiation Safety who will introduce the activities of the Expert Group and the opportunities for experts from the Observer States. ¶6. (U) Regarding the other observer states' attitude at the preparatory meeting: France, the UK and the Ukraine did not show up to the meeting at all. Spain, as a new observer state, seemed eager to be an active participant as did Belarus who gave a long speech on their future commitments. The Netherlands attended the meeting but appeared cautious and did not make any commitments. ¶7. (U) CBSS Secretariat questions aimed at guiding Observer States preparations for the Consultations: - How your country can help in linking the CBSS to other regional council and fora; - Which prioritized areas of cooperation /expert groups/projects are of interest for your country; - Which regional experiences and national best practises can be useful in the framework of the implementation of the five CBSS long-term priorities and by which means they can be transferred; - Which on-going projects involving your country are in conformity with the CBSS projects and how perhaps combine them, using the EU facilities for international cooperation such as Interreg IVC, ENPI, etc.; STOCKHOLM 00000616 002 OF 002 - In which public events, conferences and seminars convened by the CBSS you would like to participate/host in your country; - How the experience of the CBSS incorporating the EU members and non-EU countries under the roof of one institution could be helpful in the progress of implementation of the new EU or other initiatives for international regional cooperation, - What issues of common interest could be discussed and implemented via cooperation between the CBSS and different regional formats in other parts of Europe and anywhere else where the observer states to the CBSS are the members, as for an example: the Union for the Mediterranean, the Eastern Partnership, the Central European Initiative, the Adriatic Ionian Initiative, the Danube Cooperation Process Initiative, the Black Sea Forum for Partnership and Dialogue, the Black Sea Economic Cooperation and other intergovernmental foras for the regional cooperation. End questions. ¶8. (SBU) Comment: As EU President, Sweden is working to finalize and launch the EU's new Baltic Sea Strategy, focused on optimizing existing programs and resources in the region. This meeting offers the USG an opportunity to encourage EU efforts and consider opportunities for collaboration on issues of US interest, including Baltic Sea environmental protection. At a minimum, we recommend authority to express USG appreciation for its observer role, and language keeping open the door to possible collaboration in the future. ¶9. (U) Regional ESTH Counselor in Copenhagen has cleared this cable. BARZUN