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Viewing cable 10USOSCE57, OSCE: FEBRUARY 17--FSC SALW AND VIENNA DOCUMENT

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
10USOSCE57 2010-02-22 06:57 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Mission USOSCE
VZCZCXRO9218
PP RUEHAST RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL
RUEHSR
DE RUEHVEN #0057/01 0530657
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 220657Z FEB 10
FM USMISSION USOSCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6917
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6916
INFO RUCNCFE/CONVENTIONAL ARMED FORCES IN EUROPE PRIORITY
RUCNOSC/ORG FOR SECURITY CO OP IN EUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDRUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUESDT/DTRA-OSES DARMSTADT GE PRIORITY
RUEASWA/DTRA ALEX WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMCSUU/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMCSUU/SACEUR POLAD SHAPE BE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/USAREUR POLAD HEIDELBERG GE PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USOSCE 000057 
 
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: OSCE PARM PREL KCFE RS XG
SUBJECT: OSCE: FEBRUARY 17--FSC SALW AND VIENNA DOCUMENT 
REDUX 
 
REF: USOSCE 0039 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  The FSC received presentations on 
Montenegro's demilitarization program from Deputy Defense 
Minister Rifet Kovacs and on the Wassenaar Arrangement from 
Chief of Secretariat Sune Danielsson.  Kovacs received a mild 
rebuke from Denmark for Montenegro's lapses in keeping donors 
current. Working Group A discussed at length the UK and 
Danish proposals on improving the Vienna Document (VD99), and 
at a special informal meeting held on February 18, fielded, 
inter alia, a French suggestion to combine the two proposals 
into a single document and decision.  Russia harshly assessed 
the Austrian proposal for a reference guide for the Code of 
Conduct Questionnaire.  End Summary. 
 
Security Dialogue (part one): Montenegro Demilitarization 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
2. (SBU) Under the rubric of Small Arms and Light Weapons 
(SALW) discussions continuing from the previous FSC session, 
Deputy Minister of Defense Colonel Kovacs, "in the framework 
of Montenegro's commitment to join the EU and NATO," briefed 
on its SALW demilitarization program.  Among his perfunctory 
descriptions of the program, Kovacs' presentation made some 
emphasis on the conversion of scrap metal from heavy weapons 
as an income generator as an environmentally friendly way to 
strengthen Montenegro's "tourism potential."  He noted there 
were challenges, much of which were related to lack of 
infrastructure, steep training curbs, and insufficient 
resources to be more effective in the demilitarization 
program.  The regional coordinator for UNDP working in 
Montenegro made an unscheduled appearance at the FSC, sharing 
observations on the "solid partnership" between the 
Montenegrin Ministry of Defense, OSCE and UNDP.  He also put 
the SALW program into the context of improving Montenegro's 
regional development and tourism.  Nonetheless he identified 
stockpile management as the most difficult and complex of the 
issues confronting Montenegro. 
 
3. (SBU) Kovacs in response to a U.S. inquiry noted 
Montenegro had learned much in trying to solve SALW 
destruction program design problems and overcome obstacles 
that arose from the lack of equipment for the destruction of 
SALW.  He did not address Montenegro's efforts in the context 
of Dayton Article IV commitments though he was prompted to do 
so.  (Note: USDEL informed the Montenegrin delegation the day 
before the plenary about answering the Article IV inquiry. 
End note.) Spain (as EU President) made some perfunctory 
remarks.  Denmark (Petersen) was critical of Montenegro's 
apparent lapses in meeting donors' reporting deadlines for 
the 250K Euros Copenhagen had contributed to the SALW 
demilitarization program.  Denmark pointed out that the 
elimination of toxic chemicals portion of the program was 
completed over a year ago, but Copenhagen was still waiting 
for the financial report.  (Note: Kovacs also did not address 
the issue of timeliness in reporting as raised by Denmark. 
End note.) 
 
Security Dialogue (part two): Wassenaar Arrangements 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
4. (SBU) The Chief of the Secretariat for the Wassenaar 
Arrangements, Sune Danielsson, noted that he last spoke to 
the FSC in February 2008.  Following his presentation (and in 
response to a few inquiries), he advocated continuing close 
contact between the OSCE Conflict Prevention Center (CPC) and 
Wassenaar Arrangement Secretariats, adding that although he 
was not authorized to raise the issue, it was "about time" 
for the OSCE to speak to the Wassenaar Arrangement.  Turkey 
 
USOSCE 00000057  002 OF 003 
 
 
(Begec), Hungary (Molnar), Spain (for the EU), Ireland 
(O'Leary), Sweden (Byren), and the U.S. (Neighbour) made 
various statements supporting the utility of the Wassenaar 
Arrangement. 
 
5. (SBU) Under Any Other Business: Germany (Genrich) reported 
that a German-sponsored Union of South American Nations 
contingent would attend the February 24 FSC Plenary and meet 
with the CPC as part of a study program on managing regional 
and political conflicts and on ways to enhance CSBMs.  The 
group is also interested in the Code of Conduct, Dayton 
implementation and Arms Control issues.  The Greek FSC Chair 
(Marinaki) welcomed the visit to the FSC by Australia's 
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith. 
 
Working Group "A": Focus on UK and Denmark VD99 Proposals 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
6. (SBU) The Danish and British proposals for "strengthening" 
Vienna Document 99 (VD99) were the main focus of discussion 
in Working Group "A," but little ground was made beyond an 
airing of delegations' various opinions.  The UK (Gare) 
revealed it was working with Denmark to make their respective 
proposals (FSC.DEL/13/10 and FSC.DEL/9/10) more compatible. 
The UK announced it would co-sponsor the Danish paper; 
Denmark reciprocated co-sponsoring the UK paper along with 
The Netherlands.  Slovakia (Wlachovsky) added its support for 
the Danish proposal and the suggested German amendment to 
include proposed language changes to VD99 within the 
"VD-plus" process "in order to avoid reopening political 
discussions" when the Danish-proposed VD Review Meeting would 
convene.  Slovakia also expressed support for the Swedish 
opinion for immediate validity of VD-plus additions vice the 
proposed one-month approval mechanism.  Finally, Slovakia 
argued for convening VD Review Meetings at intervals of "five 
years or less" perhaps immediately following the AIAM, 
suggesting the meeting would not only review the VD-plus 
folder but also issued a declaration. 
 
7. (SBU) Russia (Ulyanov) supported most of the Slovak 
position (again referring to the German-suggested addition as 
"interesting"), but believed there could be instances where a 
preparatory phase would be necessary for additions to VD99 
that would be better to manage on a case-by-case basis but 
not preclude consideration of a more substantial update for 
VD99.  Ulyanov did note a more frequent review cycle could be 
warranted provided there was sufficient material to consider. 
 The Greek Chair noted Conference Services circulated the 
index of decisions adopted by the FSC under 
SEC.GAL/1/10/Rev.1, and re-circulated the Index of FSC 
Chairman's Statement adopted since VD99 (SEC.GAL/46/08). 
 
The 2/18 VD Informal Working Group's discussion 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
8. (SBU) (Note:  The UK and Denmark convened a 
heavily-attended informal working group on February 18, to 
discuss in more detail their two draft proposals.  France's 
suggestion to merge the two documents failed as the UK, 
Denmark, Germany and Russia made strong arguments against 
mixing the short-term substance of the UK proposal with the 
long-term procedures proposed by the Danish draft.  Spain 
(Anson) and France (Simonet) initiated an exchange of views 
on how the VD-plus mechanism would work for verification 
centers because it was yet unclear whether "decisions" in the 
VD-plus folder could in fact be more pertinent than still 
applicable or related references within the actual Vienna 
Document without risking the integrity of VD99.  The UK 
(Gare) replied that the Danish proposal simply put into a 
 
USOSCE 00000057  003 OF 003 
 
 
neat folder what the heads of verification already must deal 
with, and therefore would simplify the protocols.  Austria 
(Eischer) suggested that the FSC could get a quick win on 
updating VD99, by simply incorporating FSC Chairman's 
Statements first (thus creating a VD 2010), before tackling 
specific chapters that could get bogged down by intensive 
negotiations.  In contrast with the Danish paper which was 
deemed by Russia as "close to final," Ulyanov challenged the 
UK's choice of Chapters V and IX in its draft decision 
suggesting is lacked flexibility and relevance.  He, however, 
did not table any suggestions to the UK text.  (Comment:  On 
the margins Ulyanov told us the Russian MOD had yet to 
weigh-in on his guidance from MFA.  End Comment.)  End note.) 
 
 
Back to Working Group "A": Russia attacks Austria's FFT 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
9. (SBU) After noting the Austrian Food-for-thought paper 
(FSC.DEL/14/10) for developing a reference list to assist in 
the  completion of the Code of Conduct Questionnaire was 
consistent with the Ministerial Decision 16/09, Russia 
(Geyvandov) proceeded to attack various elements in the draft 
without offering alternative language or concepts.  Calling 
the Austrian paper "flawed," Geyvandov criticized in 
excruciating detail inaccuracies in the draft starting from 
the first paragraph and proceeding through to the operational 
paragraphs and the indicative list of references.  Denmark 
(Petersen) and Germany (Risse) defended the Austrian paper as 
a helpful, purely voluntary guide.  Austria (Eischer) pointed 
out that some detail had been omitted for purposes of 
brevity, and that Austria was still open to concrete 
suggestions and co-sponsors. 
 
Any Other Business 
------------------ 
 
10. (SBU) The CPC (Ischi) announced the circulation of: 
 
-- Revised Annual CPC Survey on CSBM Information Exchanged in 
2009 (FSC.GAL/3/10/Rev.1); 
-- Summary Report on Recent Trends in the Implementation of 
VD99 and Other Measures (FSC.GAL/19/10/Corr.1); 
Progress Report on the Elimination of the First Batch of 
Melange, Cycle I in Ukraine (FSC.GAL/23/10) 
-- redistribution of the Survey of Suggestions 
(FSC.AIAM/36/09) and the Third Heads of Verification Centers 
Meeting Report (FSC.GAL/4/10). 
 
11. (SBU) The next Meetings of the FSC Plenary and Working 
Groups are set for February 24. 
FULLER