CFE/JCG DECEMBER 2009 MEETINGS - NATO, DON'T SHIFT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USOSCE 000282

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 DECEMBER 2009 MEETINGS - NATO, DON'T SHIFT
THE BLAME TO RUSSIA

Sensitive but Unclassified; please protect accordingly. Not
for Internet.

1. (SBU) Summary: At the December 8 and 15 Joint Consultative
Group (JCG) plenary meetings, Allies objected to three more
cases of Russia refusing CFE inspection requests. Denmark,
on behalf of NATO states, made a statement calling on Russia
to provide its annual CFE Treaty information exchange data,
noting that failure to do so could make it difficult for us
to provide information to Russia in the future. Russia,
citing the Athens Ministerial NATO statement, called on all
States to demonstrate the political will to negotiate "a way
forward on the basis of the Parallel Actions Package so that
together we can preserve the benefits of this landmark
regime."

2. (SBU) As expected, Russia did not provide its CFE annual
exchange of military information, nor did we receive the
one-page summary provided the past two years. Russia said
the one-page summary should be available by next week. The
U.S. provided its data as JCG.EMI/14/09. Azerbaijan again
declared tanks and artillery over allowed national limits
under CFE. The first meeting of the JCG in 2010 will take
place on January 19. End Summary.
Russia - Please Provide Data
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3. (SBU) At the December 15 JCG Plenary, Denmark, on behalf
of NATO CFE parties, made a statement requesting that Russia
provide its CFE Treaty data, noting that Allies have agreed
to submit our data to all States Parties in order to fulfill
our Treaty obligations. (JCG.JOUR/713, Annex 1). The NATO
statement also referenced the Allied statement at the OSCE
Ministerial MC.DEL/78/09, which was also appended to the
Journal of this meeting.

4. (SBU) Initial mission rep analysis of the annual exchange
of military information (effective as of 1 Jan 2010) provided
by CFE States Parties resulted in one significant finding:
Azerbaijan declared 161 Battle Tanks and 140 artillery pieces
respectively over their allowed national limits under the CFE
treaty.

5. (SBU) Russian Ambassador Ulyanov responded officially to
the NATO statement, drawing attention to their view of "one
serious internal inconsistency in the position taken by the
Alliance." (JCG.JOUR/713/Annex 2) Ulyanov says NATO calls for
Russia to lift its moratorium are not consistent with our
commitment to the PAP. Russia believes this is an
unrealistic approach, and NATO's absolute unwillingness to
engage in substantive and intensive work to extricate the CFE
Treaty from crisis is most worrying. Russia shares Allied
concerns about the current situation which carries the risk
of the erosion or even complete loss of the conventional arms
control regime. Russia is pleased that the Allied statement
at the Athens Ministerial calls for "...intensified efforts
in cooperation with Russia in 2010 to find a way forward on
the basis of the PAP so that together we can preserve the
benefits of this landmark regime."

6. (SBU) Ukraine and Moldova made national statements
supporting the Danish statement, and urging that action be
taken toward full implementation of the Treaty by all States
Parties. Both reaffirmed their continued commitment to
implement and preserve the regime.
Three More Inspection Refusals
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7. (SBU) Canada (Gosal),made a statement regretting Russia's
refusal of its inspection request scheduled for 14 December
(JCG.JOUR/713, Annex 3). At the December 8 JCG meeting, the
U.S. and Hungary also made statements about recent Russian
refusals of inspections. (JCG.JOUR/712 Annexes 1 and 2). On
December 8, thirteen Allies spoke in support of these
statements. On December 15, fifteen Allies supported,
including the U.S. (JCG.JOUR/713, Annex 4).

8. (SBU) Russia, unable to resist the opportunity for the
last word of 2009, called these Allied statements "divorced
from political reality." Ulyanov began by declaring that the
CFE Treaty started degrading in the 1990's, and only due to
Russian efforts was it possible to find a way to keep it
(read: a/CFE). He went on to say the Treaty has been further
deteriorating for the past decade. This is because of NATO's
refusal to engage. Clearly addressing the NATO delegations,

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Ulyanov closed with "Let's call a spade a spade - don't shift
the blame to Russia." NOTE: As the final plenary took place
the day after the FSC-organized Heads of Verification (HOV)
meeting in Vienna, the JCG audience was both larger and more
senior than average - a tempting target for Ulyanov's
theatrics. End Note.
FULLER