CFE/JCG OCT 13: RUSSIA RAISES MORE POINTS FROM

UNCLAS USOSCE 000220 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR VCI/CCA, EUR/RPM NSC FOR FRIEDT, HAYDEN JCS FOR J5 NORWOOD, COL SMITH OSD FOR ISA (KEHL, WALLENDER) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KCFE OSCE PARM PREL SUBJECT: CFE/JCG OCT 13: RUSSIA RAISES MORE POINTS FROM AIDE-MEMOIRE Sensitive but Unclassified; please protect accordingly. Not for Internet. ¶1. (SBU) Summary: At the October 13 Joint Consultative Group (JCG) plenary, Russia offered familiar comments on paragraphs 10, 11, and 12 of its aide-memoire of 5 May 2009, &Restoring the Viability of the CFE Treaty: A Way Forward.8 The U.S. replied that discussions on the Parallel Actions Package are being held elsewhere and efforts to duplicate those discussions in Vienna would not help resolve the impasse. Canada, on behalf of the NATO Allies, read a joint statement regretting Russia's failure to provide data on its forces at Kushchevskaya as of 1 October. Poland reported that Russia rejected another CFE inspection request and was backed by supporting statements by 11 other delegations. End Summary. Russia Continues Views on Aide-memoire ¶2. (SBU) At the October 13 JCG Plenary, the Russian Federation (Ulyanov) continued discussion of its 5 May aide-memoire, covering paragraphs 10, 11, and 12. Paragraph 10 suggests that once the package solution is agreed upon, it should be adopted as the Final Document at another Extraordinary Conference. Russia believes such a meeting appropriate for Ministers, but is flexible to the desires of all States Parties. ¶3. (SBU) With respect to Para 11 of the aide-memoire, Russia said the subject of when it should resume implementation of the Treaty was an important subject, and extensively debated within the relevant ministries in Moscow. Russia knows it is important to partners that it resume implementation as soon as possible. Thus, as a gesture of goodwill, Russia decided it could resume implementation subject to an agreement to provisionally apply A/CFE. ¶4. (SBU) Russia is also ready to enter into some transparency measures, perhaps on a bilateral basis. These would be basic transparency measures, voluntary and reciprocal in nature. Such measures could be applied in the time proceeding provisional application of the Treaty. Russia will go into more specifics after the other elements of the package are agreed. It is too early to go into detail. ¶5. (SBU) Regarding paragraph 12, Russia believes extensive consultations are needed in order to arrive at the package solution. For example, modalities for the accession of the 
three Baltic states, Slovenia, Croatia, and Albania could take months of work. Achieving the final package cannot be done without them. ¶6. (SBU) Russia reaffirms its readiness to intensify negotiations and to avail itself of all possible venues - through Vienna and the Moscow/Washington channels. We should re-double our efforts. If partners are not willing to engage, then Russia will have to continue its moratorium. Partners should be under no illusions that Russia will come back to the old CFE Treaty. Partners would be better served by taking up our generous offer to work on the package, rather than continuing to complain about inspections that cannot take place under Russian Federal law. Russia is ready to be vigorously engaged. U.S. Repeats Warning on Duplicating Bilat Talks ¶7. (SBU) The U.S. (Neighbour) reminded Russia that its aide-memoire has been examined carefully by Washington and other States Parties. The U.S. is pleased that Russia supports a package approach, and confirmed that we are actively working towards the conditions necessary for A/CFE. The U.S. reiterated that efforts to work on the package in the JCG will not help move forward from the current impasse. Allies Mark Lack of Russian Data on Kushchevskaya ¶8. (SBU) Canada, on behalf of the NATO Allies, read a joint statement regretting Russia's failure to provide data on its forces at Kushchevskaya as of 1 October in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 1, Section V, of Annex A to the Final Document of the First Review Conference (see Journal). At the Review Conference, Russia undertook to provide additional data on its forces at Kushchevskaya every three months after the initial information exchange. This quarterly information is of great value to Russia's treaty partners. The joint statement called on Russia to resume full implementation without further delay. Russia did not respond to this statement. Poland Announces Russian Inspection Rejection ¶9. (SBU) Poland made a statement regretting Russia's rejection of a CFE Section VII inspection request for the week of 12 October (see Journal). Many Allies supported the Polish statement, including the UK, France, Czech Republic, Portugal, Germany, Denmark, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, and Italy. U.S. rep (Neighbour) emphasized the importance for all States Parties to observe all rights and obligations arising out of the CFE Treaty. He noted Russia's continued non-compliance makes it all the more difficult to achieve entry into force of the A/CFE Treaty (see Journal). ¶10. (SBU) Ulyanov said normally there is no point in repeating the same response, but today he wanted to stress that in only two months time we will be at the two-year mark of Russia's moratorium. There is real risk that the regime has eroded, verification centers have a reduced mission, and there is a deterioration of interest. However, those in charge of policy have not expressed much urgency with the situation. There is need for all to be more active in finding a solution. ¶11. (SBU) The next JCG will be held on 20 October under Denmark's chairmanship. Russia did not preview plans for any further interventions. Separately, Ulyanov told the U.S. he had no further interventions planned an, in essence, for the time being had left nothing to say in the JCG. Fuller