FSC APRIL 1: CODE OF CONDUCT FOR MILITARIES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USOSCE 000084 SENSITIVE 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 (PERENYI) NSC FOR HAYES 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: FSC APRIL 1: CODE OF CONDUCT FOR MILITARIES QUESTIONNAIRE DECISION AFTER TWO YEARS ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The French chairmanship of the FSC ended with the adoption of the decision to update the Code of Conduct questionnaire to reflect new threats and missions for armed forces, after almost two years of negotiation, although three interpretive statements then followed. Denmark and Sweden led several nations in lamenting the failure to include specific reference to UNSCR 1325 on the role of gender in security affairs; Germany encouraged states to include information on their efforts to assure the democratic control of private military companies; and Russia reminded delegations that it views the provision of responses to a question on anti-terrorism measures, as well as their "form, content, and structure," as entirely at the discretion of participating States. ¶2. (SBU) An OSCE adviser on gender issues reported on the March 11 roundtable on involving women in security and peace reconstruction. France finished its chairmanship with wide praise from delegations and promised to support Georgia, the next FSC chair. End summary. Code Questionnaire Update -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The Forum adopted the decision on a technical update to the Code of Conduct questionnaire (FSC.DD/14/08/Rev.3). The update had been negotiated for almost two years and is meant to reflect new threats and missions for the armed forces. The questionnaire is part of the FSC's series of annual information exchanges among participating States (pS). The Code, adopted by the FSC in 1994, is a collection of principles for the organization, control, and employment of armed forces by pS. Interpretive Statement on UNSCR 1325 -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Denmark (Petersen) made an interpretive statement on the Code questionnaire decision that regretted the lack of a specific reference in the questionnaire to UNSCR 1325 on the role of gender in security issues. Denmark--and Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland, the UK, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Portugal, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Germany , Switzerland, Canada, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania--promised to expand the scope of the replies to the questionnaire to include information on women, peace, and security. And Another on Private Military Companies -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Germany (Horsten) also made an interpretive statement, regretting the lack of questions dealing with private military or security companies (PMC). Horsten said the role of PMC has been steadily growing and states need to insure that they are subject to democratic control and operate in accordance with constitutional authorities. Horsten urged states to include information on controls on PMC in their questionnaire submissions. Austria, the UK, Luxembourg, and Switzerland joined in the German statement. And One on Answering the Question -------------- USOSCE 00000084 002 OF 003 ¶6. (SBU) Russia (Ulyanov) made an interpretive statement, reminding states of its position that replies to question I.1.4, on measures taken to prevent and combat terrorism, will be "voluntary rather than compulsory" and that the form, structure, and content of the replies are entirely at the discretion of participating States. (Note: Russia had consistently supported language in this question that would dilute any "requirement" to provide information on anti-terrorism measures beyond that already provided in response to questions I.1.1, I.1.2, and I.1.3, which appeared in the 2003 version of the questionnaire. End note.) VD99 "Contacts" Best Practices Guide -------------- ¶7. (SBU) The UK (Gare) invited comments and suggestions on the UK-Russian draft Best Practices Guide on implementation of Vienna Document 1999 Chapter IV, "Contacts." Gare hoped the guide would eventually be endorsed by the FSC. UN Standard Instrument -------------- ¶8. (SBU) The Conflict Prevention Center (Geertsen) announced that the OSCE will participate in a brainstorming seminar in Berlin March 4-5 to review the reporting mechanism for the UN Standard Instrument on military expenditures, per UN General Assembly resolution 62/13. Geertsen invited delegations to submit suggestions and offered that the OSCE representative could discuss the OSCE annual information exchange on defense planning and budgets. Germany, hosting the seminar, welcomed OSCE participation. Gender and Security -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Ms Jamila Seftaoui, the OSCE senior adviser on gender issues, reported in the Security Dialogue on the March 11 roundtable in Vienna on gender and security: "Involving Women: a Key Issue in Security and Peace Reconstruction." Seftaoui highlighted the presentations of U.S. Ambassador (retired) Donald Steinberg, who noted the adverse impact of the failure to include women in the peace settlement process ending the Angolan civil war, and of Dr. Margaret Ward, who described the positive contribution of women to the Northern Ireland peace process. Seftaoui asserted a continuing lack of gender consideration at the OSCE, particularly in first-dimension activities such as mine action. She recommended all OSCE projects include a "gender impact analysis" and close cooperation between Vienna and field mission staffs on gender issues. Further information on the roundtable is available at the OSCE public website (www.osce.org/gender). Russian Diplomat Remembered -------------- ¶10. (SBU) Russia (Geyvandov) asked for a moment of silence in memory of Ambassador Vladimir I. Shustov, long-serving head of the Russian arms control delegation at the OSCE. Geyvandov recalled Shustov's knowledge of history, literature, and culture and his unique sense of humor. Shustov died March 24. USOSCE 00000084 003 OF 003 French Valedictory -------------- ¶11. (SBU) French Ambassador Eric Lebedel, at the close of France's chairmanship of the FSC, noted his "regret, satisfaction, and hope." Lebedel regretted that his chairmanship included only eight plenary meetings, the fewest of the year's three sessions. Yet he reported satisfaction that few issues escaped the attention of the Forum during this session, which included work on European security, UNSCR 1540, SALW, cyber security, and the Code of Conduct. Lebedel praised the FSC Troika, including Finland and Georgia, for its cooperation, as well as the CiO, Greece. He was hopeful that Georgia, the next chair, and the UK, chair for the 2009 autumn session, could maintain the prominence of FSC issues. He promised that Georgia could rely on France for help. Russia's Lament -------------- ¶12. (SBU) Several states praised France for its chairmanship and accomplishments in organizing meetings on cyber security, SALW, and the European security architecture and for reinvigorating the Security Dialogue. Russia (Ulyanov) also commended France, although while complaining that the core elements of the FSC as provided by the 1992 Helsinki conference--arms control, CSBMs, regular consultation on security, reduction of the threat of future conflicts--had "been consigned to oblivion." Still, Ulyanov said, Russia would try to further the active pursuit of these issues through, as France had done, dialogue and a free exchange of ideas in the security arena. Ulyanov closed by wishing Georgia good luck. ¶13. (SBU) Georgia, represented by newly appointed ambassador and former DCM, Paata Gaprindashvili, promised its chairmanship would be based on the cooperation and dialogue inherent in the Forum. Next Meeting -------------- ¶14. (SBU) The next meeting, and first of the spring-summer session, will be on April 29 under Georgian chairmanship. SCOTT