FSC: JAN 20 OPENING WINTER SESSION--RUSSIA IS READY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USOSCE 000018 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR VCI/CCA, VCI/NRRC, EUR/RPM, EUR/PRA, EUR/CARC, SCA/CEN, SCA/RA, PM/WRA, ISN/CPI NSC FOR SHERWOOD-RANDALL, HAYDEN, MCFAUL, HOVENIER, NILSSON, FRIEDT OSD FOR ISA (WALLENDER, KEHL) JCS, EUCOM, USAREUR AND CENTCOM: FOR J-5 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KCFE OSCE PARM PREL RS XG SUBJECT: FSC: JAN 20 OPENING WINTER SESSION--RUSSIA IS READY REF: A. STATE 4427 ¶B. STATE 5040 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The Winter Session of the FSC Plenary garnered general support for beginning the implementation of the main themes from the Issues Decision agreed at the Athens Ministerial: CSBMs including Vienna Document 1999 (VD99), Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW),Code of Conduct, and strengthening the OSCE's crisis management and conflict prevention capabilities, and non-proliferation. Russia introduced a reissued Draft Decision on Conflict Prevention and Crisis Management as a Joint FSC-PC document, and pressed for the first discussion of this initiative at the February 3 plenary. Russia is aiming for an OSCE Decision on Conflict Prevention at the March 10 FSC/PC Joint Session. Russia also asked for a discussion at the January 27 FSC Plenary on the merits of its proposed European Security Treaty as a separate topic from the OSCE "comprehensive approach" to security. Russia is seeking clarification "from the West" on the linkage between "hard" and "soft" security, as well as a dialogue on the relative value of discussing a comprehensive approach to security as opposed to one reflecting strictly "hard" security principles. End Summary. The Greek FSC Chair's Inaugural Speech -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Greece's Alternate Defense Minister Panos Beglitis opened the winter session marking the 600th Plenary of the Forum for Security Cooperation (FSC) on January 20, setting forth the Greek Chairmanship's goals through March and beyond underscoring close collaboration on the 2010 agenda with Hungary and Ireland, who will hold respectively successive FSC Chairs. Beglitis identified the Greek Chair's priorities for the FSC as CSBMs/VD99, Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW),and the Code of Conduct. He expressed optimism that the FSC could strengthen CSBMs and the Vienna Document "in a way that will provide predictability and openness to all." Beglitis referred to Greece as a "status quo oriented country" that considers the commitment to refrain from the threat or the actual use of force against the territorial integrity or sovereignty of any State as "the cornerstones of inter-state relations," while also recognizing "the notion that security begins with the inherent dignity of the individual" so that "all our efforts should aim at eliminating the inter-state and intra-state challenges to this basic premise." Beglitis described the Georgia crisis of August 2008 as proof that the OSCE tool box for conflict prevention and crisis management was either too cumbersome or insufficient, thus requiring remedy. On SALW, Beglitis previewed Greece's intention to improve "implementation of existing SALW measures as well as OSCE normative work in this field" as preparation for the OSCE's contribution to the Fourth Biennial Meeting of States of SALW this June. Toward this end, the Greek chair has tabled a Food for Thought Paper on a Plan of Action on SALW, and is seeking input from participating States. Finally he noted the importance of addressing non-proliferation and UNSCR 1810, and hope for further work in OSCE on UNSCR 1540 implementation. EU, U.S., then Russia -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Spain (Betanzos) delivered the EU Statement echoing many of the same themes highlighted by the Greek FSC Chair. With regards to SALW, Spain noted that it hoped the OSCE,s efforts in this area would continue to &complement8 EU efforts on SALW. The U.S. (Fuller) delivered ref b statement, with a reference to building synergies between the FSC and PC in the implementation of the Athens Ministerial Decisions. Representing the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Kazakhstan (Sulmeinov) noted the "clear tasking from Foreign USOSCE 00000018 002 OF 003 Ministers to work on VD99, adding its preference for a targeted approach on those sections that "require updating and development." Kazakhstan also noted its support for the themes raised in the Greek statement. Russia (Ulyanov) labeled the Greek inaugural remarks "interesting and solid." Russia said the FSC should not waste time in moving forward with implementation of the Athens Ministerial Decisions, and noted that Russia has reissued its draft decision on conflict prevention and crisis management as a Joint FSC-PC document (FSC-PC.DEL/1/10/Corr.1) for discussions to be held in parallel of the Permanent Council and the FSC. Russia requested the Chair to put the draft on the February 3 agenda for Working Group B (Note: Ulyanov elaborated on this point under Agenda Item 2, General Statements; see paragraph 5. End note.). ¶4. (SBU) Hungary (Molnar),speaking as "a member of the FSC Troika," said the Athens Ministerial challenged the FSC with an important new role to play in the Corfu Process. Hungary lauded the "expanded Troika" idea employed by Greece to include all of the incoming FSC Chairmen for 2010 as essential for building upon successive achievements, and pledged Hungary would prepare the Forum for Ireland, which will hold the final FSC Chair in 2010. Ireland (O'Leary) underscored that the Corfu Process will add to an already formidable agenda for the FSC in the run up to the tasks for December. Ireland added it was still too early to highlight any Irish initiatives for the FSC. In his closing remarks, Beglitis expressed the opinion that the most important aspect of this session would be to get consensus in the FSC. More on Russia's Draft Decision on Crisis Prevention -------------- -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Russia (Ulyanov) elaborated on its conflict prevention draft decision for discussion on the February 3 in Working Group "B." Russia would like its Draft Decision approved at the March 10 Joint FSC-PC meeting. He said the initiative is a direct contribution to strengthening the OSCE's crisis management capabilities as directed within Ministerial Decision 16/09 (Issues Relevant to the FSC). Referencing "the events of August 2008," Ulyanov said current mechanisms do not address the danger of escalation and permit double standards, thus the need for a common set of rules and precision in the rules of conduct by States. He recognized that each conflict was unique, but noted there were still basic principles that apply equally to all situations: non-use or threat to use force, role of diplomacy and international mediation, etc., and Russia would like these fundamentals "codified" in a single &package.8 Ulyanov acknowledged the elements in the draft decision were not exhaustive, and Russia looked forward to engaging on filling the gaps in order to make the OSCE's capabilities and performance more reliable. ¶6. (SBU) Comment: No delegation spoke up in favor or against the Russian draft. There may be recalculation of national positions now that Russia has circulated its conflict prevention/crisis management proposal as a Joint FSC-PC document, and in light of the Russia,s second initiative, to hold an FSC Security Dialogue discussion on the merits of the proposed European Security Treaty separate from the other OSCE baskets (see below). End Comment. Any Other Business -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Belgium (Van de Velde) reported on the ratification of the anti-Cluster Munitions (Oslo) Agreement, noting it is the 26th State to ratify and 30 are required for Entry-into-Force. The U.S. (Neighbour) briefed on the U.S. donation to the Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) OSCE project in Ukraine. The Stockpile of Conventional Ammunition Coordinator (Petersen) and the SALW Coordinator (Hartnell) USOSCE 00000018 003 OF 003 reported updates, respectively FSC.DEL/4/10 and FSC.DEL/7/10. Georgia requested pS to consider options for assistance for its UXO project. Kazakhstan noted 300K Euros were still needed for implementing its "melange" project, including an additional 300K Euros for an ammunition test lab. Moldova requested financial assistance for a new ammunition storage site, for SALW storage and for SAM disposal. Serbia reported on its SALW project. Russia presses "the West" to explain itself -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Russia (Ulyanov) requested that the FSC have an exchange of views of its proposed Treaty on European Security (EST) and how it would relate to comprehensive security in the OSCE area. Ulyanov expressed concern that the impression given by "the West" insisting on a comprehensive approach to the EST was an attempt to dilute the Russian initiative, and a discussion on this topic in the FSC would help Russia "set forth its initiative in greater detail," which it intended to do in the coming weeks. Ulyanov said there should be no problem taking a "sectoral approach" to discussing the EST as a separate "hard security" initiative since this has been the approach with other issues like CFE and START, but welcomed other pS, views on how and why a comprehensive approach is more useful. He appealed to pS not to create artificial opposition, advocating discussion of the topic "in all formats" and in a "free-ranging" manner. Russia asked to engage in this discussion at the next FSC plenary. ¶9. (SBU) Comment: The thrust of Ulyanov's appeal is to attempt to understand the cross-dimensional security linkages as the framework for what Russia perceives as a sui generis initiative. The Greek Chair agreed to put the discussion on the agenda for the 601st FSC Plenary. Unless instructed otherwise, USDEL will draw from standing guidance (ref a) to steer the discussion in the FSC towards the inclusive, multi-dimensional comparative advantage the OSCE has on security issues. ¶10. (SBU) The 601st FSC Plenary and Working Groups "B" and "A" will be on January 27. FULLER