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
--------------


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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.

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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