Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09USOSCE256
2009-11-16 16:44:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Mission USOSCE
Cable title:  

FSC OF NOVEMBER 11: BOAT TO ATHENS BETWEEN SCYLLA

Tags:  KCFE OSCE PARM PREL RS XG 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9395
PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR
DE RUEHVEN #0256/01 3201644
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 161644Z NOV 09
FM USMISSION USOSCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6705
INFO RUCNOSC/ORG FOR SECURITY CO OP IN EUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDRUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUESDT/DTRA-OSES DARMSTADT GE PRIORITY
RUEASWA/DTRA ALEX WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMCSUU/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 USOSCE 000256 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR VCI/CCA, VCI/NRRC, EUR/RPM, EUR/PRA, EUR/CARC,
SCA/CEN, SCA/RA, PM/WRA, ISN/CPI
NSC FOR SHERWOOD-RANDALL, HAYDEN, MCFAUL, HOVENIER,
NILSSON, FRIEDT
OSD FOR ISA (WALLENDER, KEHL)
JCS, EUCOM, USAREUR AND CENTCOM: FOR J-5

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/12/2019
TAGS: KCFE OSCE PARM PREL RS XG
SUBJECT: FSC OF NOVEMBER 11: BOAT TO ATHENS BETWEEN SCYLLA
AND CHARYBDIS

Classified By: Chief Arms Control Delegate Hugh Neighbour; Reasons 1.4(
b)(d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 USOSCE 000256

SIPDIS

STATE FOR VCI/CCA, VCI/NRRC, EUR/RPM, EUR/PRA, EUR/CARC,
SCA/CEN, SCA/RA, PM/WRA, ISN/CPI
NSC FOR SHERWOOD-RANDALL, HAYDEN, MCFAUL, HOVENIER,
NILSSON, FRIEDT
OSD FOR ISA (WALLENDER, KEHL)
JCS, EUCOM, USAREUR AND CENTCOM: FOR J-5

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/12/2019
TAGS: KCFE OSCE PARM PREL RS XG
SUBJECT: FSC OF NOVEMBER 11: BOAT TO ATHENS BETWEEN SCYLLA
AND CHARYBDIS

Classified By: Chief Arms Control Delegate Hugh Neighbour; Reasons 1.4(
b)(d).


1. (C) Summary: The November 11 FSC's Working Group B (WGB)
has displaced the Plenary for length of time and most
attention in the run up to the OSCE Athens Ministerial. The
Draft Ministerial Council Decision on Small Arms and Light
Weapons will move forward, but the politically-charged paper
"Issues Relevant to the FSC" continued to flounder on several
points, among them were characterizations of the Security
Dialogue discussion on the Russia-Georgia conflict and
Russia's attempt to insert Corfu prerogatives into the FSC
format. The UK FSC Chair (Gare) called an informal FSC on
November 12 to attempt clearing away some of the chaff within
the Issues draft paper. At that meeting, the U.S. proposed
language to seek to displace Russia,s unhelpful draft for a
stand-alone decision mandating a review of Vienna Document

1999. Meanwhile, the UK hopes to resurrect their original
draft with minor ) but still problematic ) changes that
will still need heavy lifting before the Issues paper is
ready to ship off to Athens. A Ukraine-proposed draft
Ministerial Declaration on Non-Proliferation is being worked
separately in a U.S.-Russia-Ukraine trilateral format and
could be ready for formal presentation in WGB as a revised
draft soon depending on Washington's and Moscow's
flexibility. End Summary.

FSC Plenary is "any other business"


2. (SBU) There were no General Statements or Security
Dialogue issues at the 594th FSC discussion held on November

11. France announced (under AOB) a Euros 15,000 contribution
to the Belarus SALW project. Slovenia described its
participation with the Czech Republic, Hungary, Azerbaijan
and Georgia in a Middle Management Course on revering the
threats of landmines and Unexploded Ordinance (UX0).


WGB: how do you describe conflict?


3. (SBU) The discussion in Working Group B bogged down on the
differences between Russian and Georgian approaches to the
references regarding discussion in the FSC Security Dialogue
to address conflict situations and security problems (Op 1,
Tick 2 of MC.DD/8/09/Rev.2). Georgia (Giorgadze) reported
his strict instructions from Tbilisi to use the agreed
language contained in the 2008 Issues Relevant to the FSC
document that specified the FSC did discuss "the armed
conflict of August 2008." Russia (Ulyanov) argued for
retaining the original FSC Chair draft language that did not
specify the August 2008 conflict, but noted that if Georgia
insists on the specificity then Russia would need to assert
the moral distinction between aggressor (Georgia) and those
that ended the aggression (Russia).


4. (C) Several delegations (Denmark, Austria, Switzerland,
Armenia, Georgia, Austria, Greece, Sweden, Romania, Canada,
Ireland) attempted to move forward ) more or less ) with a
"more neutral tone" varying between the UK's original
language for this paragraph or the 2008 language but were
stymied by continued lengthy interventions by Russia and
Georgia. Eventually the UK chair suggested further bilateral
discussions would be required before returning to this
particular operational paragraph. (Comment: The exchange
between Russia and Georgia became personal when Ulyanov
accused Georgian diplomats of being notorious for operating
"on their own." One point was clear that no one wanted
inclusion of the Russian "moral distinction." Many delegates
attempted to further diffuse the acerbic exchange by drawing
attention to suggestions for the second operational
paragraph. Another danger flared but passed to the relief of
all when Armenia and Azerbaijan engaged on a distantly
related issue of defining the "conflict cycle," which will be
continued informally! End comment.)


USOSCE 00000256 002 OF 003



5. (SBU) Russia defended its changes to operational
paragraph 2, which directs the FSC over the next year.
Ulyanov said the only real security dialogue was between
Russia and Georgia, and that the FSC was not able to get to
work because some delegations refuse to engage in a real
discussion about conflict situations. Ulyanov warned if the
FSC were to conduct business as usual then this would be a
backwards step. The U.S. (Neighbour) offered up language on
intensifying the Security Dialogue that would "help Russia
out by using its language."

Russia's Proposal for VD99 Review


6. (SBU) Belarus introduced the Russia-Belarus draft
Ministerial Decision to review VD99 (FSC.DEL/203/09). The
U.S. (Neighbour) challenged the need for a separate decision,
noting the original UK draft was the optimal formulation.
Romania, The Netherlands, Latvia, Canada, Norway all spoke
out against a separate Ministerial Decision on VD99, although
some indicated their support for an "assessment" of VD99.
Denmark, Sweden, Cyprus, France, Armenia, and Spain, noted
their support for a VD99 review or assessment but were
flexible on how this moved forward towards consensus.
Austria said the time had come for improvements after ten
years, an assessment (or evaluation) should be the first step
followed by a review, and a decision was needed but was
flexible on how. Italy and Germany supported a separate
decision for a review without responding to the issue of the
particular form this would take. Russia expressed "gratitude
that virtually all comments have said it was time for an
update to VD99." Ulyanov also noted there was "broad support
for targeted improvements," adding Russia was taking a
carefully balanced, considered, and not hasty "phased
approach for joint considerations." While acknowledging some
countries were against a separate decision, Russia believed
it was necessary to "clearly spell out or nothing will be
accomplished."


7. (C) With regards to its draft decision for a Ministerial
Declaration on Non-Proliferation (FSC.DEL/199/09),Ukraine
announced that consultations continued and it hoped to
circulate a revised draft before the next WGB. (Note: an
informal trilateral discussion among Russia, U.S. and Ukraine
was held on November 13 to tighten the text and agree common
positions on the range of issues included in the Ukrainian
draft declaration. Much progress was made at reconciling
positions, including review of additional changes put forward
by Switzerland, Turkey and France. Details are reported
separately. End note.)


8. (SBU) WGB agreed to move the Draft Ministerial Decision
on SALW and SCA (MC.DD/4/09/Rev.2) to plenary. WGB also did
a cursory review of the FSC Chair's Draft Letter to the
Chairman-in-Office (MC.GAL/4/09),and the input for the
Athens Ministerial Council Declaration (MC.GAL/5/09).
Germany (Genrich) requested examples of the "new areas of
work" noted in the Chair's letter to Ministers, "to make the
point clearer." (Comment and RFG: Both texts look generally
acceptable. A small change (proposed by Russia) was made to
the FSC's input specifying, "The progress achieved should
(vice "can") be built on by the FSC in 2010." Unless
otherwise instructed, Del will join consensus on these two
documents to move to plenary. End comment/RFG.)

WGA ) Digital Cameras still pending; Ukraine VD99
Food-for-Thought on menu


9. (SBU) In Working Group "A," the UK Chair announced an
imminent revision to the draft decision on the Agenda and
Modalities of the AIAM (FSC.DD/9/09). Note: the revision is
the result of Russia inserting a curiously worded reference
to VD99 and a "broader assessment of implementation of agreed
CSBMs and relevant OSCE instruments." End note.


USOSCE 00000256 003 OF 003



10. (C) Azerbaijan (Jafarova) said it was uninstructed on the
proposal for a draft decision to extend the use of digital
cameras in VD99 verification visits (FSC.DEL/124/09/Rev.1).
On the margins of the FSC, Jafarova explained to the U.S.
(Ellis) that its Joint Staff was concerned with the technical
capabilities of digital cameras, and may have difficulty
reaching a decision. (Comment and Request for Guidance:
There is much interest in the USG position on this issue. We
note the Turkish Food-for-Thought has been lingering in its
revised form since October 9 (originally aired in May 2009).
Unless otherwise instructed, USDEL intends to request that
this important issue be revisited in the first quarter of

2010. End comment/RFG.)


11. (SBU) The Chair (Gare) and Russia agreed to discuss
separately whether to retain on the agenda for WGA the
Russian Food-for-Thought paper on An Analysis of the
Implementation of VD99 (FSC.AIAM/2/09 -- it subsequently has
been pulled from the next agenda). Ukraine noted it had
received some comments but requested additional ones on its
Food-for-Thought paper on Interpretation of some Provisions
of VD99 Chapter I, Annual Exchange of Military Information
(FSC.DEL/196/09). (Comment: USOSCE/AC believes there is
substantial CSBM value to an exchange of information on
non-resident deployed forces worth exploring in the Ukraine
draft. End comment.) The proposal for a draft decision on
an update of FSC Decision 15/02 Expert Advice on SALW
(FSC.DEL/193/09/Rev.2) was cleared by WGA for reissue as a
decision document. The FSC Chair's several Progress Reports
to the Ministerial Council on SALW (FSC.DEL/191/09/Rev.2),
Stockpiles of Conventional Armaments (FSC.DEL/195/09/Rev.1),
Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security
(FSC.DEL/192/09/Rev.1),and Efforts in the Field of Arms
Control Agreements and CSBMs (FSC.DEL/200/09/Rev.1) were
forwarded to the printers for distribution at the Athens
Ministerial.


12. (SBU) The November 12 informal FSC called by the UK
Chair made some progress on the Issues Relevant to the FSC
draft in shrinking the text but the main contentious issues
(noted above) remain. At that meeting, the U.S. (Neighbour)
noted it preferred the original draft as prepared by the UK
Chair, but tabled some text taken from Russian proposals if
it would help consensus. Afterwards, the UK (Gare) told the
U.S. (Ellis) her plan was to reconstruct the inputs and
exchanges from the informal discussion (minus Georgia-Russia)
to circulate a revised draft "not that much different" than
the original, unrevised UK draft from October 23, as noted
and preferred by several delegations.


13. (SBU) The next meeting of the FSC plenary and Working
Groups is scheduled for November 18.
FULLER