OSCE/FSC:FALL FSC OPENS--1540 BPG TEE-ED UP;

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USOSCE 000201 SIPDIS STATE FOR VCI/CCA, VCI/NRRC, EUR/RPM, EUR/PRA, EUR/CARC, SCA/CEN, SCA/RA, PM/WRA, ISN/CPI JCS FOR J-5 OSD FOR ISA (KEHL, WALLENDER) NSC FOR NILSSON, HAYDEN USUN FOR LEGAL, POL EUCOM FOR J-5 CENTCOM FOR J-5 UNVIE FOR AC GENEVA FOR CD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM PREL KCFE OSCE RS XG SUBJECT: OSCE/FSC:FALL FSC OPENS--1540 BPG TEE-ED UP; BELARUS REPORTS LARGE EXERCISE WITH RUSSIA REF: A. USOSCE 00198 ¶B. STATE 93327 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The fall round of the OSCE's Forum for Security Cooperation (FSC) opened on September 9 with a presentation by a British FCO official on the strategic relevance of FSC issues in the global security context. Meanwhile, the USDel drew attention to the draft UNSCR 1540 Best Practice Guide, which is expected to receive the initial consensus it needs in a FSC working group as soon as September 16. Belarus provided information on its upcoming combined Belarus-Russia-Kazakhstan exercise "West-2009." End summary. ¶2. (SBU) The 2009 Fall round of the FSC opened under the chairmanship of the United Kingdom, with Ambassador Ian Cliff chairing. The Chair's opening remarks were followed by a presentation from Mr. Paul Johnston, Director of International Security of the UK and Commonwealth Office, on the strategic relevance of FSC issues in the global security context. Johnston's remarks reiterated familiar themes while describing old and new security threats, including the relationship between the impasse on A/CFE and stalemate on Vienna Document, the importance to the UK of CFE and relevance of FSC in dealing with emerging threats such as proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and threats to cyber security. (Full text of Johnston's presentation as well as AMB Cliff's opening remarks may be found in FSC.JOUR/593/09, annexes 2 and 1 respectively.) ¶3. (SBU) Johnston's remarks were followed by a number of general statements, including from the U.S., welcoming the UK Chairmanship and congratulating the outgoing Georgian Chair. ¶4. (SBU) Under Any Other Business, the U.S. (Neighbour) called participating States' attention to FSC.DEL/145/09 (UNSCR 1540 Best Practice Guide: Export Controls and Transshipment--Final Review),which was distributed in the FSC on July 21. Neighbour asked that the decision be forwarded to the Working Group (WG) for rapid adoption. (Comment. The UK Chair has since placed the decision on the agenda of WG A and plans to introduce the decision as a Chairman's draft (FSC.DD/8/09). The UK plans to push for adoption of the DD in WG A next week with a view to ideally have the decision adopted at the following plenary on September 30. End Comment.) ¶5. (SBU) Belarus reported on its upcoming combined Belarus-Russia-Kazakhstan exercise "West-2009." Belarus' statement and a preliminary translation were provided via separate channels. The statement was distributed in Russian and English under FSC.DEL/153/09. Ref A reports on USDel's execution of demarches requested (Ref B) regarding this exercise. ¶6. (SBU) The Chair announced that the FSC project coordinators for SALW, Stockpile Management and Code of Conduct remain unchanged. The UK SALW Coordinator (Hartnel) reported the completion of Phase II of the Tajik project. Hartnel also appealed to pS for additional contributions for the Belarus project. Finally, he noted that the Kazakh project is in the final stages of development and that he will soon be seeking donor support. The Danish Stockpiles Coordinator (Peterson) noted that a new project in Kazakhstan USOSCE 00000201 002 OF 002 had been entered into the system. In addition, the Moldovan project has been uploaded. ¶7. (SBU) The next FSC Plenary will be held on September 16, followed that morning by the first meetings of the working groups for the Fall round. The UK will chair all FSC plenary meetings through December. FULLER