Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10USOSCE16
2010-01-21 11:28:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Mission USOSCE
Cable title:
CFE/JCG: 2010 WINTER OPENING-OF-ROUND, JAN 19 -
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHVEN #0016 0211128 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 211128Z JAN 10 FM USMISSION USOSCE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6828 INFO RUCNOSC/ORG FOR SECURITY CO OP IN EUR COLLECTIVE RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RHMFISS/CDRUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUESDT/DTRA-OSES DARMSTADT GE RUEASWA/DTRA ALEX WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RHMCSUU/SACEUR POLAD SHAPE BE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1781
UNCLAS USOSCE 000016
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCFE OSCE PARM PREL
SUBJECT: CFE/JCG: 2010 WINTER OPENING-OF-ROUND, JAN 19 -
U.S. LAYS DOWN MARKER
REF: STATE 4441
(U) Summary. The opening of round plenary for the winter
session of the Joint Consultative Group (JCG) was brief. The
United States underscored the importance of the CFE Treaty,
called on Russia to resume compliance, and looked to 2010
with renewed hope, a sentiment echoed by several Allies and
partner states around the table. The U.S. also met
informally with Azerbaijan to express concern over
Azerbaijan,s overages in holdings, and with Russia to note
U.S. interest in Russia providing more details, in the spirit
of transparency, of its recent force restructuring. End
summary.
(U) The winter session of the JCG opened on January 19 with
Georgia (Giorgadze) in the chair. The United States
(Neighbour) delivered an opening statement reaffirming the
U.S. commitment to work cooperatively with all parties to
resolve the continued CFE impasse (text reftel). The U.S.
called on Russia to return to compliance, stated that
continued noncompliance could make it difficult to provide
information to Russia in upcoming data exchanges, and that we
look to 2010 with renewed hope. Russia was not represented
by its Chief or Deputy Arms Control Delegate, but by Vadim
Solomenko, and did not reply.
(U) The UK, Romania, and Georgia avowed their support for CFE
and noted the importance of making progress in the coming
year. Kazakhstan (Tulakbeyev) also highlighted the
importance of resolving the CFE impasse, arguing that the
best way to achieve success was for the JCG to take the lead
on CFE negotiations.
(SBU) Following the meeting, U.S. del met informally with
Azerbaijan (Guliyev and Imamaliyev),to express U.S. concerns
regarding Azerbaijan,s 2009 CFE data, which reported
overages in holdings of artillery and tanks (per instructions
reftel). Azerbaijan responded that the excess was in fact a
national security imperative and partly in response to vast
unreported Armenian TLE holdings.
(SBU) The U.S. (Neighbour) also bilaterally approached the
Russian delegation (Solomenko) regarding U.S. interest in
Russia providing more details, in the spirit of transparency,
on results of its recent armed forces restructuring and
forces in the flank. Solomenko was politely non-committal.
Neighbour followed up with Russian del head Ulyanov on
January 21. Ulyanov observed that the U.S. was not the first
delegation to make such a request, although it was the first
time he had heard it to specify also forces in the flank.
Ulyanov undertook to convey this Moscow, but cautioned that,
even in the event of a positive response, it probably would
be "months" before Russia actually provided details to its
partners.
(U) The next JCG plenary will be held on January 26, under UK
chairmanship.
FULLER
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCFE OSCE PARM PREL
SUBJECT: CFE/JCG: 2010 WINTER OPENING-OF-ROUND, JAN 19 -
U.S. LAYS DOWN MARKER
REF: STATE 4441
(U) Summary. The opening of round plenary for the winter
session of the Joint Consultative Group (JCG) was brief. The
United States underscored the importance of the CFE Treaty,
called on Russia to resume compliance, and looked to 2010
with renewed hope, a sentiment echoed by several Allies and
partner states around the table. The U.S. also met
informally with Azerbaijan to express concern over
Azerbaijan,s overages in holdings, and with Russia to note
U.S. interest in Russia providing more details, in the spirit
of transparency, of its recent force restructuring. End
summary.
(U) The winter session of the JCG opened on January 19 with
Georgia (Giorgadze) in the chair. The United States
(Neighbour) delivered an opening statement reaffirming the
U.S. commitment to work cooperatively with all parties to
resolve the continued CFE impasse (text reftel). The U.S.
called on Russia to return to compliance, stated that
continued noncompliance could make it difficult to provide
information to Russia in upcoming data exchanges, and that we
look to 2010 with renewed hope. Russia was not represented
by its Chief or Deputy Arms Control Delegate, but by Vadim
Solomenko, and did not reply.
(U) The UK, Romania, and Georgia avowed their support for CFE
and noted the importance of making progress in the coming
year. Kazakhstan (Tulakbeyev) also highlighted the
importance of resolving the CFE impasse, arguing that the
best way to achieve success was for the JCG to take the lead
on CFE negotiations.
(SBU) Following the meeting, U.S. del met informally with
Azerbaijan (Guliyev and Imamaliyev),to express U.S. concerns
regarding Azerbaijan,s 2009 CFE data, which reported
overages in holdings of artillery and tanks (per instructions
reftel). Azerbaijan responded that the excess was in fact a
national security imperative and partly in response to vast
unreported Armenian TLE holdings.
(SBU) The U.S. (Neighbour) also bilaterally approached the
Russian delegation (Solomenko) regarding U.S. interest in
Russia providing more details, in the spirit of transparency,
on results of its recent armed forces restructuring and
forces in the flank. Solomenko was politely non-committal.
Neighbour followed up with Russian del head Ulyanov on
January 21. Ulyanov observed that the U.S. was not the first
delegation to make such a request, although it was the first
time he had heard it to specify also forces in the flank.
Ulyanov undertook to convey this Moscow, but cautioned that,
even in the event of a positive response, it probably would
be "months" before Russia actually provided details to its
partners.
(U) The next JCG plenary will be held on January 26, under UK
chairmanship.
FULLER