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P 090750Z MAY 08
FM USMISSION USOSCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5711
INFO RUCNOSC/ORG FOR SECURITY CO OP IN EUR COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0503
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 1062
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1007
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHMFIUU/HQ USAFE RAMSTEIN AB GE//POLAD/XPXC//
RHMFISS/CDRUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ5-T/ECPLAD/ECCS//
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEASWA/DTRA ALEX WASHINGTON DC//OSAE
RUESDT/DTRA-OSES DARMSTADT GE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J5-DDPMA-E/DDPMA-IN/CAC//
RUEADWD/DA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 07 USOSCE 000125 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR VCI/CCA, VCI/NRRC, EUR/RPM, EUR/PRA, SCA/CEN, 
SCA/RA, PM/WRA, EUR/CARC 
JCS FOR J5 
OSD FOR ISA (PERENYI) 
NSC FOR DOWLEY 
USUN FOR LEGAL, POL 
CENTCOM FOR CCJ5-C, POLAD 
UNVIE FOR AC 
GENEVA FOR CD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PARM PREL OSCE KCFE GG RS XG
SUBJECT: FSC MAY 7: RUSSIA AND GEORGIA RETURN TO UAV 
RECRIMINATIONS 
 
REF: STATE 47868 
 
USOSCE 00000125  001.3 OF 007 
 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Georgia and Russia at the May 7 Forum for 
Security Cooperation resumed trading accusations on the April 
20 UAV incident, Georgia insisting that a Russian fighter 
shot down the Georgian "interior ministry" drone with a 
missile as it over-flew Abkhazia.  Georgia responded to 
Russian questions from last week's FSC and repeated its call 
for participating States to send experts to investigate, 
noting that the three Baltics and the U.S. had already sent 
experts.  Russia then charged that Georgia had failed to 
answer the questions it posed at the April 30 FSC, including 
a credible explanation for sending a reconnaissance aircraft 
over Abkhazian military formations.  Russia also insisted 
that future discussion in the FSC include all UAV incidents 
and similar Georgian "provocations," not just the April 20 
event. 
 
¶2. (SBU) The U.S., in response, repeated its call for 
cooperation in the investigations and appealed for 
transparency and restraint.  In a separate reply to Russia's 
intervention, the U.S. also asked Russia to explain why it 
was reportedly deploying airborne forces and heavy artillery 
into the region, seemingly at odds with Russia's role as a 
facilitator of a peace settlement.  Russia angrily replied it 
was ready to discuss all aspects of the Georgia-Abkhazia 
situation in the FSC, not just the UAV incident.  Georgia 
then invited Russia to join it in asking the FSC to 
investigate, but Russia rejoined that only UNOMIG should 
investigate.  The Estonian chair promised to return to the 
topic when there was new information from the national 
investigators or UNOMIG. 
¶3. (SBU) Sarah Parker, recently with the UN Institute of 
Disarmament Research, updated the Forum on the development of 
the Arms Trade Treaty.  The decision on Small Arms and Light 
Weapons Points of Contact was approved.  In the working 
groups, many delegations supported a U.S. rewrite of the 
Russian draft chair's statement on stricter enforcement of 
Vienna Document timelines for requesting inspections. 
Belarus still lacks instructions to join consensus on the 
MANPADS update decision.  The German draft decision for an 
update of conventional arms reporting categories received 
wide support "in principle."  France and Belgium promise a 
revision of their draft decision on illicit trafficking of 
small arms by air.  There was some support for the Belarusian 
paper proposing an information exchange on end-user 
certificates.  Germany's draft decision on publishing the 
Best Practice Guides on stockpiles of conventional ammunition 
has wide, unqualified support.  The chair's draft letter on 
political-military topics for the Annual Security Review 
Conference will be considered in the Plenary on May 14.  End 
summary. 
 
Security Dialogue: Georgia UAV Incident 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) The chair (Estonia, Parts) reported that UNOMIG and 
several participating States (pS) had begun investigations of 
the April 20 UAV incident in Georgia.  The chair said her 
intent was for the FSC to remain engaged and discuss the 
incident whenever there are new developments.  She announced 
Georgia was ready to answer Russia's five questions from the 
April 30 FSC. 
 
 
USOSCE 00000125  002.3 OF 007 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) Georgia (Gaprindashvili) confirmed that Estonia, 
Latvia, Lithuania, and the U.S. were investigating.  Georgia 
was consulting with other pS about additional experts 
investigating and invited all pS to contribute to the 
investigation. 
 
Georgia Repeats Earlier Position 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Gaprindashvili asserted the April 20 flight of its 
UAV Georgia did not violate the Moscow Agreement or UN 
Security council resolutions.  The drone was unarmed and 
operated by the interior ministry and therefore not engaged 
in "military activity."  It would be more appropriate to 
consider the "legality" of Russian military deployments and 
exercises near the security zone, he added.  The UAV was 
flown to "verify" information about Russian military 
activities.  How, he asked, does the presence of a jet 
fighter in the security zone comply with these international 
agreements?  Even if the drone was destroyed by the Abkhazian 
air defense forces, the shoot-down would still violate these 
agreements. 
 
Georgia on Russian Saber Rattling 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Gaprindashvili asserted Russia's recent 
reinforcements to the area violate the requirement for 
complete transparency.  He said Russia's belligerent 
statements only worsen the situation.  According to Russia, 
it has deployed 400 fully armed paratroopers to provide 
conditions for unhindered peacekeeping operations.  What is 
the role of the Russian airborne forces recently deployed to 
the region? 
 
¶8. (SBU) Turning to other Russian questions, Gaprindashvili 
explained Georgia delayed in announcing the April 20 incident 
until it could verify the facts.  Turning to Russia's claim 
that the attacking aircraft in the Internet video behaved 
erratically, Gaprindashvili explained that the preferred 
tactic for engagement is to approach the target from below to 
get a clear shot, as occurred in the video.  In general, he 
added, it would be better to wait on the results of the 
experts' investigation for more detailed answers to the 
technical questions. 
 
¶9. (SBU) On the Russian assertion that UNOMIG rejected 
earlier Georgian claims of Russian aggression, Gaprindashvili 
said the UN itself had subsequently abandoned the UNOMIG 
findings in those incidents.  In any case, Georgia now 
welcomed the UNOMIG investigation of the April 20 incident. 
Finally, Gaprindashvili said Georgia had fully explained the 
August 2007 missile incident, but invited Russia to detail 
its remaining concerns. 
 
Latvia Sent Military Expert 
--------------------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) Slovenia, on behalf of the UN, announced it would 
make a statement on the incident at the May 8 Permanent 
Council meeting.  Latvia stated that it was concerned about 
the situation and confirmed that it had sent an air force 
expert to Georgia. 
 
U.S. Calls for Cooperation in Investigation 
 
USOSCE 00000125  003.3 OF 007 
 
 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) The U.S. (Neighbour), per reftel guidance, 
reiterated support for the sovereignty and territorial 
integrity of Georgia, and called on all pS to send experts to 
investigate, noting that the U.S. had done so.  Neighbour 
also called on the parties to the incident to cooperate with 
the investigations. 
 
Russia: Georgians Aren't Serious 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶12. (SBU) Russia (Ulyanov) expressed disappointment in the 
Georgian replies.  Although the Georgian comments would be 
sent to Moscow for analysis, Ulyanov immediately dismissed as 
"not serious" the Georgian position that the UAV flight was 
not a "military activity."  This was obviously military 
reconnaissance for targeting, he asserted.  There have been 
29 Georgian UAV flights over Abkhazia this year, he claimed. 
These reconnaissance flights cause considerable concern and 
lead to a sharpening of tensions. 
 
¶13. (SBU) Ulyanov repeated his earlier claims that the 
Internet video was not filmed over the Abkhazian coastline, 
the location of the shoot-down, citing the absence of a beach 
and the presence of "roads that do not actually exist" in the 
video.  He promised to return to the subject when the UN 
releases its findings.  Georgia's remarks, he added, bear out 
Russia's position that the over-flights are a flagrant 
violation of the Moscow Agreement and UNSCR 1808.  He 
announced that two more Georgian drones had been shot down by 
Abkhazian air defense forces on May 4. 
 
Russia Wants All UAV Incidents Discussed 
---------------------------------------- 
 
14 (SBU) Turning to "procedural" issues, Ulyanov objected to 
the FSC agenda including only the April 20 UAV incident.  He 
demanded all such incidents be the subject of future Security 
Dialogue discussions.  He also objected to the April 30 
chair's statement (FSC.DEL/89/08) that the national 
investigators were invited to present their findings at the 
FSC as unnecessary because any national expert can speak at 
any time as part of the national delegation.  Ulyanov 
doubted, though, that it was appropriate for national experts 
to speak before the UN had reported. 
 
¶15. (SBU) The chair repeated Georgia's request for pS to send 
qualified experts to investigate. 
 
¶16. (SBU) Georgia denied that any of its UAVs were shot down 
on May 4.  Georgia was prepared to discuss all UAV flights, 
as Russia demanded. 
 
U.S. Asks Russia about Recent Military Deployments 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶17. (SBU) The U.S., in response to Russia, called for 
restraint and transparency from all sides and noted that the 
OSCE was fulfilling its mandate when it highlighted tensions 
between pS and seeks ways to resolve the tensions and assists 
the sides in finding a road to peace.  Neighbour repeated the 
list of events USDEL cited at the Permanent Council on April 
30, including the closing of the Verkhiny Lars crossing, 
helicopter attacks on Georgian villages in the Kodori valley, 
 
USOSCE 00000125  004.3 OF 007 
 
 
and the August 2007 missile incident.  Neighbour noted the 
Russian announcement that two Georgian UAVs were shot down on 
May 4.  The U.S. was still gathering information, he said, 
but if true, the shoot-downs could mark a significant 
violation of the Moscow Agreement. 
 
¶18. (SBU) Neighbour called on Russia to repeal the recently 
announced official ties between Moscow and the separatist 
governments in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, to stop issuing 
Russian passports to residents of the two provinces, and to 
refrain from further improvements to the infrastructure 
connecting the region with Russia. 
 
¶19. (SBU) Neighbour called on Russia to provide additional 
detail on its recent deployments of airborne forces and heavy 
artillery into the region.  He asked if the forces had 
received peacekeeping training and how they would contribute 
to the relaxation of tensions and stabilization of the 
situation.  He expressed concern that this could be at odds 
with Russia's role as a facilitator of a peace settlement. 
 
U.S. Slide Show 
--------------- 
 
¶20. (SBU) In response to Russian and Georgian claims about 
the Internet video of the UAV shoot-down, Neighbour showed 
Internet photographs of L-39, MiG-29, and Sukhoi-27 aircraft, 
emphasizing that he was not accusing any pS of anything.  He 
noted the L-39 was a single-tail aircraft while the aircraft 
in the video had twin-tails, like the MiG and Sukhoi.  He 
also showed a photo of a MiG-29 firing an air-to-air missile 
that, contrary to Russian assertions that air-to-air missiles 
did not leave a smoke trail, clearly showed the missile's 
smoke trail, again similar to that seen on the UAV video. 
 
¶21. (SBU) Neighbour called on Russia and Georgia to remain 
calm, exercise restraint, and seek reconciliation.  He urged 
Georgia to develop its peace plan with Abkhazian authorities 
and hope Russia would not prevent that effort from going 
forward. 
 
Russia Takes Umbrage 
-------------------- 
 
¶22. (SBU) Russia objected to the "tone" of the U.S. remarks, 
finding them condescending.  Ulyanov noted that the MiG-29 
shown in one of the photographs belonged to Germany.  In 
response to the U.S. list of incidents, he offered to discuss 
them all in the Forum, not just the April 20 shoot-down.  He 
insisted that a Georgian UAV was shot down on March 18, 
despite Georgian denials.  Neighbour replied that yes, the 
MiG-29 in the photo firing an air-to-air missile that smoked 
was German.  He asked if Russia was contending that Germany's 
missiles smoke and Russia's do not. 
 
¶23. (SBU) Georgia asked Russia to join it in requesting an 
OSCE investigation, but Ulyanov rejected the offer, insisting 
that only UNOMIG could conduct a legitimate, unbiased 
investigation.  Georgia asked Russia to clarify who could be 
considered as unbiased.  Ulyanov replied that only after the 
results of the investigation are presented could the bias of 
the investigator be judged.  The chair closed the discussion, 
promising to return to the topic when the investigators had 
information to present.  At the conclusion of the FSC, a 
number of delegations, including Sweden and Switzerland, told 
 
USOSCE 00000125  005.3 OF 007 
 
 
the U.S. that its interventions on Georgia were just right 
and in accordance with what the OSCE should do. 
 
SALW POC Decision 
----------------- 
 
¶24. (SBU) The Plenary adopted without comment the 
Danish-drafted decision on SALW Points of Contact 
(FSC.DEC/4/08). 
 
Vienna Document Inspection Timelines 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶25. (SBU) Delegations reacted favorably to U.S. edits 
(FSC.DEL/93/08) to the Russian proposed chair's statement on 
Vienna Document inspection timelines (FSC.DEL/75/08/Rev.1). 
Most agreed on the need for strict compliance with the 
timelines, but were reluctant to endorse the inflexible 
position found in the Russia draft, even with the diluted 
language--"pS will" becomes "pS are requested to"--found in 
the revision.  Russia agreed to consider the U.S. version. 
The chair announced the Conflict Prevention Center had 
completed a preliminary study of "violations" of the 
timelines, found at paragraphs 85 and 112 on the Vienna 
Document (FSC.DEL/91/08). 
 
MANPADS Decision 
---------------- 
 
¶26. (SBU) Belarus still lacks instruction on the draft 
decision to update the MANPADS principles 
(FSC.DD/5/08/Rev.1). 
 
CAT Update 
---------- 
 
¶27. (SBU) Several delegations expressed support in principle 
for the German draft decision on updating the conventional 
arms transfer reporting categories and promised to return 
soon with concrete comments from capitals.  The UK, a 
co-sponsor, noted that the decision represented the "bottom 
line" for the OSCE, the minimum commitment for pS.  Belarus 
noted it retained concerns about the provisions for voluntary 
reporting to the UN Register of Conventional Weapons. 
 
Illicit Air Trafficking of SALW 
------------------------------- 
 
¶28. (SBU) The French-Belgian draft decision on illicit air 
trafficking of SALW, calling for an information exchange and 
a Best Practice Guide, received wide support.  A revised 
edition of the decision will be distributed soon.  The 
sponsors told USDEL their intention was not to alter the 
Wassenaar Arrangement document that would be used as the text 
of the OSCE Best Practice Guide.  Their intent was to assure 
wider use of the guide by making it an OSCE document. 
 
End-User Certificates 
--------------------- 
 
¶29. (SBU) Germany, a ghost-writer of the Belarusian 
Food-for-Thought paper calling for an information exchange on 
national practices with conventional weapons end-user 
certificates, confirmed its support.  Greece, Finland, and 
Sweden also support the paper, the latter noting an exchange 
 
USOSCE 00000125  006.3 OF 007 
 
 
might be of interest to the Biennial Meeting of States at the 
UN in July. 
 
Brokering 
--------- 
 
¶30. (SBU) The chair announced she would ask the CPC to revise 
its analysis of the one-off exchange of national SALW 
brokering practice in light of the late submissions.  Finland 
and Germany struggled over what the former meant when asking 
the CPC to "publicize" the study.  Germany insists on more 
time to consider the request as it lacks instructions. 
 
BPG Publication Decision 
------------------------ 
 
¶31. (SBU) The German draft decision on the modalities of 
publishing the Best Practice Guides on stockpiles of 
conventional ammunition received wide, unqualified support 
and has been re-issued as the chair's (FSC.DD/6/08). 
Separately, Sweden informed that it will call for endorsement 
of its draft BPG on ammunition physical security soon, 
perhaps in conjunction with the Dutch BPG on ammunition 
destruction. 
 
Chair's Letter on Political-Military Topics for ASRC 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶32. (SBU) The transmittal letter and list of topics proposed 
by FSC delegations for discussion at the 2008 Annual Security 
Review Conference will be on the agenda of the May 14 FSC 
Plenary. 
 
Arms Transfer Treaty 
-------------------- 
 
¶33. (SBU) Sarah Parker, recently with the UN Institute of 
Disarmament Research, updated the Forum in the Security 
Dialogue on the development of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). 
Parker is now with the Small Arms Survey Project in Geneva, 
an NGO.  Parker explained the antecedents and recent history 
of efforts to develop a "universal" treaty regulating arms 
transfers, culminating in the UN General Assembly resolution 
61/89 of 2006, supported by most states.  Slovenia, on behalf 
of the EU, Germany, the UK, and France expressed support for 
the ATT. Russia, Belarus, and Armenia expressed skepticism 
over the enforceability of a universal treaty and resisted 
using "irresponsible transfers" as an international standard. 
 
¶34. (SBU) Parker noted that the U.S., the only state to vote 
against the UN resolution that calls for an exploration of 
the feasibility of the treaty by a Group of Government 
Experts, is nonetheless participating in that group.  Parker 
also noted that U.S. export controls are among the strictest 
and most developed in the world and that U.S. opposition to 
the treaty was based on concern that it might undermine 
existing national and regional instruments and efforts and 
doubts about the possibility of universal participation. 
 
German Arms Control Seminars Continue 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶35. (SBU) Germany announced that, with co-host RACVIAC, it 
would host an arms control seminar on "The Role of Arms 
Control in Crisis Situations," July 9-11 in Zagreb. 
 
USOSCE 00000125  007.3 OF 007 
 
 
 
Next Meeting 
------------ 
 
¶36. (U) The FSC will meet again on May 14. 
FINLEY