Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09USOSCE268
2009-11-27 08:26:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Mission USOSCE
Cable title:
OPEN SKIES: NOVEMBER 23--PLANS TO RE-CONVENE
how-toVZCZCXRO1365 PP RUEHAST RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR DE RUEHVEN #0268 3310826 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 270826Z NOV 09 FM USMISSION USOSCE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6744 INFO RUCNCFE/CONVENTIONAL ARMED FORCES IN EUROPE PRIORITY 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 RUESDT/DTRA-OSES DARMSTADT GE PRIORITY RUEASWA/DTRA ALEX WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMCSUU/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RHMCSUU/SACEUR POLAD SHAPE BE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAHQA/HQ USAF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
UNCLAS USOSCE 000268
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR VCI/CCA, EUR/RPM
NSC FOR NILSSON, HAYDEN
JCS FOR J5 NORWOOD, COL SMITH
OSD FOR ISA (KEHL, SCHWARTZ, ALBERQUE)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCFE OSCE PARM PREL
SUBJECT: OPEN SKIES: NOVEMBER 23--PLANS TO RE-CONVENE
"FORMATS AND NOTIFICATIONS" WORKING GROUP
UNCLAS USOSCE 000268
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR VCI/CCA, EUR/RPM
NSC FOR NILSSON, HAYDEN
JCS FOR J5 NORWOOD, COL SMITH
OSD FOR ISA (KEHL, SCHWARTZ, ALBERQUE)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCFE OSCE PARM PREL
SUBJECT: OPEN SKIES: NOVEMBER 23--PLANS TO RE-CONVENE
"FORMATS AND NOTIFICATIONS" WORKING GROUP
1. (SBU): Summary: The Open Skies Consultative Commission
plenary addressed Russian concerns over air navigation
invoices; cleared the draft Chairman's letter and paragraph
contribution to the Athens Ministerial Declaration; and
called for reactivating the Working Group on Notifications
and Formats to address proposed changes to the OSCE
Communication Network. The U.S. announced the Informal
Working Group on Sensors (IWGS) will reconvene on December 7
in Athens. End Summary.
2. (SBU) At the November 23 Open Skies Consultative
Commission (OSCC),Russia (Federyakov) complained about
discrepancies in air navigation invoices in Europe associated
with Open Skies implementation. Russia specifically requested
the Chair (Bulgaria's Iliev) to contact the group &Euro
Control8 on behalf of the OSCC, informing them of the
problem, and the actions being taken. Germany (Ratzlaff)
asked for a list of the erroneous invoices; Russia said it
would provide more details.
3. (SBU) The draft letter from the Open Skies Chair to the
Greek FonMin as Chair of the OSCE Ministerial
(MC.GAL/2/09/Rev.1) was discussed. Germany, supported by
Finland (Salonen),wanted &sometimes even in challenging
circumstances8 removed from the penultimate paragraph of the
second page, calling the reference &ambiguous.8 The UK
(Hartnell),supported by the U.S. (Neighbour) and Russia,
responded the reference was a &positive commendation of the
Open Skies treaty.8 The Chair retained the phrase and the
letter has been forwarded to the Chair.
4. (SBU) The Open Skies paragraph (MC.GAL/3/09/Rev.1) to be
included in the political declaration at the Athens OSCE
ministerial (if a declaration is agreed) was adopted without
objections. This also has been forwarded to the Greeks.
5. (SBU) In reference to its proposal for changes to the OSCE
Communication Network, Hungary (Szatmari) supported by the
U.S. called for re-activating the Working Group on
Notifications and Formats WGNF) as the appropriate
jurisdictional body. The U.S., which as the last chair of
the WGNF, offered to prepare a draft decision on this and
other housekeeping issues, in full consultation with
interested delegations. Bulgaria noted the issue was not
urgent and this would give delegations time to check with
capials if needed.
6. (SBU) The U.S. announced the Informal Working Group on
Sensors (IWGS) will reconvene on December 7 in Athens. The
IWGS continues to focus on Revision One to Decision 14. The
IWGS completed a workshop last month, the data of which is
available on the IWGS section of the OSCE website.
7. (SBU) Russia announced it carried out successful
observation flights over the U.S., Canada, and Greece.
Canada (Gosal) noted it had scheduled a flight over Russia
for November 9-15, accompanied by the UK and Georgia, but the
mission was cancelled due to weather and illness.
8. (SBU) The next OSCC plenary will take place on December
14. It will be the last under Bulgaria,s chairmanship.
FULLER
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR VCI/CCA, EUR/RPM
NSC FOR NILSSON, HAYDEN
JCS FOR J5 NORWOOD, COL SMITH
OSD FOR ISA (KEHL, SCHWARTZ, ALBERQUE)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCFE OSCE PARM PREL
SUBJECT: OPEN SKIES: NOVEMBER 23--PLANS TO RE-CONVENE
"FORMATS AND NOTIFICATIONS" WORKING GROUP
1. (SBU): Summary: The Open Skies Consultative Commission
plenary addressed Russian concerns over air navigation
invoices; cleared the draft Chairman's letter and paragraph
contribution to the Athens Ministerial Declaration; and
called for reactivating the Working Group on Notifications
and Formats to address proposed changes to the OSCE
Communication Network. The U.S. announced the Informal
Working Group on Sensors (IWGS) will reconvene on December 7
in Athens. End Summary.
2. (SBU) At the November 23 Open Skies Consultative
Commission (OSCC),Russia (Federyakov) complained about
discrepancies in air navigation invoices in Europe associated
with Open Skies implementation. Russia specifically requested
the Chair (Bulgaria's Iliev) to contact the group &Euro
Control8 on behalf of the OSCC, informing them of the
problem, and the actions being taken. Germany (Ratzlaff)
asked for a list of the erroneous invoices; Russia said it
would provide more details.
3. (SBU) The draft letter from the Open Skies Chair to the
Greek FonMin as Chair of the OSCE Ministerial
(MC.GAL/2/09/Rev.1) was discussed. Germany, supported by
Finland (Salonen),wanted &sometimes even in challenging
circumstances8 removed from the penultimate paragraph of the
second page, calling the reference &ambiguous.8 The UK
(Hartnell),supported by the U.S. (Neighbour) and Russia,
responded the reference was a &positive commendation of the
Open Skies treaty.8 The Chair retained the phrase and the
letter has been forwarded to the Chair.
4. (SBU) The Open Skies paragraph (MC.GAL/3/09/Rev.1) to be
included in the political declaration at the Athens OSCE
ministerial (if a declaration is agreed) was adopted without
objections. This also has been forwarded to the Greeks.
5. (SBU) In reference to its proposal for changes to the OSCE
Communication Network, Hungary (Szatmari) supported by the
U.S. called for re-activating the Working Group on
Notifications and Formats WGNF) as the appropriate
jurisdictional body. The U.S., which as the last chair of
the WGNF, offered to prepare a draft decision on this and
other housekeeping issues, in full consultation with
interested delegations. Bulgaria noted the issue was not
urgent and this would give delegations time to check with
capials if needed.
6. (SBU) The U.S. announced the Informal Working Group on
Sensors (IWGS) will reconvene on December 7 in Athens. The
IWGS continues to focus on Revision One to Decision 14. The
IWGS completed a workshop last month, the data of which is
available on the IWGS section of the OSCE website.
7. (SBU) Russia announced it carried out successful
observation flights over the U.S., Canada, and Greece.
Canada (Gosal) noted it had scheduled a flight over Russia
for November 9-15, accompanied by the UK and Georgia, but the
mission was cancelled due to weather and illness.
8. (SBU) The next OSCC plenary will take place on December
14. It will be the last under Bulgaria,s chairmanship.
FULLER