OPEN SKIES TREATY: JULY 13 PLENARY - SECOND REVIEW

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USOSCE 000168

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR VCI/CCA, EUR/RPM, EUR/PRA
JCS FOR J-5
OSD FOR ISA (WALLENDER)
NSC FOR NILSSON
EUCOM FOR J-5

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM PREL KCFE OSCE
SUBJECT: OPEN SKIES TREATY: JULY 13 PLENARY - SECOND REVIEW
CONFERENCE PLANNING UNDERWAY

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1. (SBU) Summary: The July 13 Open Skies Consultative
Commission (OSCC) agreed that the dates for the second Review
Conference (RC) would be 7-9 June 2010 under U.S.
Chairmanship. The draft decision on Rules of Procedure for
the RC was circulated for adoption at the September plenary.
USDel has consulted broadly with many Treaty partners on
goals and objectives for the RC. The U.S. raised concerns
with ongoing altitude restrictions for flights in the Moscow
area, with Russia again citing flight safety issues. The
U.S. distributed the updated Certification Technical Document
on CD. Germany announced the arrangements for the October
8-9 annual quota distribution and deconfliction meetings.
Mission recommends holding an Informal Working Group on
Sensors, and conducting further RC planning in Vienna in
early October. The fall session will be chaired by Bulgaria,
beginning with the plenary on September 14. End Summary.

2nd Review Conference Planning Underway

2.(SBU) The July 13 OSCC Plenary adopted the Decision
establishing the dates for the second RC as June 7-9, 2010.
(OSCC.DEC/4/09). The U.S. also worked with the Chair
(Bosnia-Herzegovina) to distribute the draft decision on
Rules of Procedure for the RC, with the goal of OSCC adoption
at the September plenary (OSCC.DD/5/09). USDel has begun
consultations with numerous partners on goals and objectives
for the RC. Delegations consistently supported a
forward-looking agenda, and welcomed preliminary ideas on how
to sustain the Treaty in an environment of shrinking
resources. All agreed that political support remains strong,
but that the worldwide economic crisis is having a negative
impact on operations. Delegations agreed an informal working
group to prepare for the RC would be useful.

3.(SBU) They also supported outreach to other OSCE functional
areas to see if the Open Skies product could be used for a
broader range of security issues in the OSCE area, e.g.,
energy security, climate change, infrastructure protection.
Delegations were open to inviting representatives from these
areas to brief the OSCC on their projects to stimulate
thinking on where Open Skies may be able to provide added
value. In this regard, delegations also welcomed the
possibility to receive a briefing on the results of imagery
obtained during flights.

4.(SBU) In a bilateral with Russia (Federyakov and
Peresypkin),it offered three possible items for inclusion on
the agenda of the RC:
a) Analysis of the conduct of observation flights
together with a quantitative and qualitative assessment of
the resources required to implement the Treaty;
b) On procedures for distribution and account for
active quotas among several States Parties conducting the
observation flight under their joint active quota;
c) On current disbalance in receiving the
Treaty-related information by Russia resulting from the NATO
member countries decision not to conduct observation flights
over each other.
Moving Forward on Sensor Decisions.
5.(SBU) During the plenary, the U.S. (Neighbour) provided a
report from the Chairman of the Informal Working Group on
Sensors (IWGS) (OSCC49.JOUR/156, Annex 1). Lack of digital
imagery taken over Open Skies targets, and the inability to
analyze such data is impeding the work of the IWGS. The
Chair noted he is trying to find additional opportunities for
data collection so the sensor decisions can be adopted with
the practical assessment of results incorporated.
6.(SBU) In preparation for the RC, USDel emphasized during a
series of bilateral discussions, including with Russia, the
importance of completing the sensor decisions prior to the
RC. The OSCC needs a transition plan for states to change
from film sensors to digital capability. Commercial sources
of film are reducing production. Ideally, the RC would be
welcoming the results of a transition plan to digital
sensors. It would be politically unfavorable for the outcome

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of the RC, and perhaps the future of the Treaty, should there
be little progress on these issues. No delegation disagreed
with these U.S. views.
7.(SBU) Comment: The United States is in a unique position
to provide leadership on this subject as incoming Chair of
the RC, as Chair of the IWGS, and as the historical leader of
the Treaty itself. Mission urges Washington to focus on
steps that can be taken to ensure a positive outcome on
resolving the digital sensor issue for the RC, the future of
the Treaty itself, and for U.S. leadership in this important
Euro-Atlantic Treaty. End Comment.
Moscow Altitude Restrictions Raised Again
8.(SBU) During the plenary, U.S. (Neighbour) raised the
subject of Russian airspace altitude restrictions over the
Moscow area (OSCC49.JOUR.156, Annex 2). Drawing on the
language in the F14 Mission report, the U.S. described our
attempt to conduct a flight plan through Moscow at the U.S.
certified sensor altitude of 1,500 meters. Russia refused
this leg of the mission, stating familiar position that the
flights must be conducted at least 3,600 meters or higher in
this area. The U.S. urged Russia to allow flights at
certified altitudes consistent with Treaty obligation to
allow full territorial access. Russia responded with
familiar arguments, namely this altitude is necessary for
flight safety purposes(OSCC49.JOUR/156, Annex 3). Russia
closed by noting States Parties are free to select sensors
that can operate at the higher altitude Russia insists on
over its capital, thus preserving the observing states,
rights to full access.

9. AOB (SBU):
--Annual Quota Distribution Meeting Set: Germany (Ratzlaff)
announced that the arrangements for the annual quota
distribution and deconfliction meetings have been set for
October 8-9 in Vienna (OSCC.INF/8/09). The modalities are
the same as in previous years. He reminded delegations that
notification bids for 2010 quotas are due no later than 1
October.
Comment: In order to maximize resources of Open Skies
delegates coming to Vienna for the quota meeting, Mission
recommends the U.S. plan on hosting an IWGS meeting, as well
as an RC informal working group, in early October. End
Comment.
--The U.S. announced that an updated version of the
Certification Technical Document was distributed to
delegations on CD.
--The fall schedule of meetings was provided by incoming
Chair Bulgaria, with plenaries arranged as follows: 14
September; 19 October; 23 November; and 14 December
(OSCC.INF/10/09).
Scott