VZCZCXRO5967
OO RUEHSK RUEHSL
DE RUEHVEN #0253/01 3160955
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 120955Z NOV 09
FM USMISSION USOSCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6698
INFO RUCNCFE/CONVENTIONAL ARMED FORCES IN EUROPE PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 1770
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUESDT/DTRA-OSES DARMSTADT GE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J5-DDPMA-IN/CAC/DDPMA-E// PRIORITY
RUEAHQA/HQ USAF WASHINGTON DC//XONP// PRIORITY
RUEADWD/DA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEASWA/DTRA ALEX WASHINGTON DC//OSAE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USOSCE 000253 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR VCI/CCA, EUR/RPM 
NSC FOR FRIEDT, NILSSON, HAYDEN 
JCS FOR J5 NORWOOD, COL SMITH 
OSD FOR ISA (KEHL, WALLENDER) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCFE OSCE PARM PREL
SUBJECT: CFE/JCG:  NOVEMBER 10:  NO CHAIRMAN'S LETTER; 
MINISTERIAL TEXT RE-TABLED 
 
USOSCE 00000253  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary.  At the November 10 Joint Consultative 
Group (JCG) plenary, Italy and France supported by 13 other 
delegations, including the U.S., raised the Russian 
Federation's refusals to their recent requests for CFE 
inspections. Russia again accused NATO allies of violating 
group limitations on Treaty Limited Equipment (TLE). The 
start date for the winter/spring JCG session was agreed. 
There was no agreement on the draft Chairman's letter; the 
draft JCG ministerial text was re-tabled.  France, as 
incoming JCG Chair, recommended rescheduling the November 24 
JCG plenary since a reinforced PC is planned for the same 
date and time.   End summary. 
 
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Fifteen States Express Concern over Russian Refusals 
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¶2.  (SBU)  At the November 10 JCG plenary, chaired by Spain, 
Italy and France raised Russia's refusal of their recent 
inspection requests.  They in turn were backed by 13 other 
delegations which expressed appreciation and support for 
bringing the latest Russian refusals to the attention of the 
JCG.  These were: Turkey, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, 
United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Spain, Bulgaria, Denmark, 
Belgium, Germany, Georgia, and the U.S. 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) A reply by Russia (Ulyanov) took issue with Denmark, 
the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom for their 
descriptions of Russia's refusals as "noncompliant" with the 
CFE Treaty.  The U.S. (Neighbour) intervened to observe that 
Russia should take issue with the U.S. approach too, since 
the U.S. similarly views Russia's refusals as not compliant 
with the Treaty.  He stated this view had been detailed 
(JCG.JOUR/682/Annex 4).  Ulyanov tried to turn the blame onto 
NATO allies, whom, he alleged "grossly violated" numerical 
group limitations of TLE under the CFE Treaty.  The UK rep 
(Gare), noting she was instructed to speak when accused of 
"gross violation" of the Treaty, observed that no evidence of 
any violation had been demonstrated.  Ulyanov said that the 
UK, on a national basis, was not in violation of TLE limits; 
however, collectively, NATO was.  Ulyanov recalled the 
"statistical analysis" distributed by Russia to the JCG 
before summer recess. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Germany (Genrich) rejected the notion of NATO's 
collective political responsibility.  When Russia raised 
these allegations earlier this year, Germany went on record 
that legally no State Party was in violation of national or 
group (as a member of NATO) limits.  Ulyanov said the German 
statement "had failed to satisfy Russia" because it took into 
account adapted CFE Treaty provisions, which contain national 
instead of group limits.  Ulyanov again asserted NATO allies 
were in violation of "former CFE Treaty" provisions. 
(COMMENT.  Ulyanov has referred this way to the current CFE 
Treaty a number of times.  End comment.)  Germany immediately 
replied that its argument was indeed based on the current CFE 
treaty, which "is still in force." 
 
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Draft Ministerial Text Back on Table 
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¶5.  (SBU) Under any other business the Chair (Spain-Sabadell) 
implied the prospects of a JCG Chairman's letter to the 
Ministerial Council were bleak, but that consultations were 
ongoing.  Meanwhile, a draft JCG paragraph that would be a 
contribution to a proposed ministerial declaration in Athens 
had been circulated on October 23 (JCG.DEL/2/09) and remained 
on the table.  Sabadell said a JCG contribution this year 
would "be a much needed signal to demonstrate our commitment 
to CFE and arms control."  Russia endorsed this.  Ulyanov, 
instructed by Moscow, said Russia believed consensus on a 
draft paragraph was possible "provided we resist word play," 
i.e., whether CFE was a cornerstone of European security. 
 
USOSCE 00000253  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Instead, Russia believed we should concentrate on common 
ground, i.e., our desire to overcome the current crisis and 
commitment to arms control.  Russia stands ready to engage in 
consultations. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) (NOTE:  Sabadell was even stronger at the NATO-T 
and said the letter was dead, but would leave responsibility 
to confirm it to the incoming French JCG Chair.   He then 
looked at the French delegate who made a motion of killing 
the letter with a stabbing action.  Sabadell indicated he 
would restart consultations on the draft ministerial text. 
Italy's rep Negro compared the current draft JCG ministerial 
text to "a newborn on life support," and warned that we 
consider all atmospherics, including Georgia, Moldova, 
Nagorno-Karabakh, etc., which potentially would also 
complicate OSCE ministerial declaration agreement.  Turkey's 
rep Begec strongly noted that the draft text circulated was a 
Spain/Denmark/France version, NOT a JCG version. End note.) 
 
¶7. (SBU) On the margins of the JCG, France (Simonet) 
cautioned, however, that as incoming Chair he felt he would 
have to "carry the torch until the bitter end" on a draft 
paragraph since the Greek CiO explicitly confirmed its 
intention to aim for an OSCE political declaration with a 
placeholder for CFE.  Mission will rely on standing guidance 
that any draft JCG ministerial text accurately reflect the 
current situation, unless otherwise directed. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) In the JCG plenary, incoming French Chair (Simonet) 
also noted that a reinforced PC had been scheduled same time 
as the November 24 JCG plenary, but expressed that we should 
not miss the JCG plenary, especially since it was the last 
before the December ministerial.  Italy, the UK, and Georgia 
agreed, suggesting that the JCG convene a half hour earlier 
than normal (at 09:30) so delegations could attend both 
meetings.  The U.S. (Neighbour) even suggested more 
flexibility by giving France the options of convening the 
meeting at 09:30 or to cancel the November 24 JCG if nothing 
substantive (such as agreeing to a draft ministerial 
paragraph) was expected.  Russia said it could support the 
Italian/British/Georgian proposal, or agree to postpone the 
JCG plenary. 
 
¶9. (SBU) On the margins, Russia's Chief Arms Control Delegate 
(Ulyanov) told the U.S. (Neighbour) that after the Athens 
ministerial, he might send a deputy to most JCG meetings.  He 
said the JCG meetings are not useful and he might prefer to 
concentrate on other issues, such as the FSC. 
 
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Dates Set for Next JCG Session 
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¶10.  (U)  No objections were raised to the draft decision on 
the duration of the present JCG session.  The current session 
will close December 18 with the last plenary taking place 
December 15.  The work of the next JCG will theoretically 
begin January 11, but the first plenary will not take place 
until January 19 (JCG.DEC/2/09). 
 
¶11.  (U)  The next JCG plenary will be on November 17 under 
the chairmanship of France.  The NATO-T, chaired by Croatia, 
will take place on November 16. 
FULLER