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