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DE RUEHVEN #0163/01 1701420
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O 181420Z JUN 08
FM USMISSION USOSCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5791
INFO RUCNCFE/CONVENTIONAL ARMED FORCES IN EUROPE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L USOSCE 000163 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR VCI/CCA, EUR/RPM 
NSC FOR DOWLEY 
JCS FOR J5 NORWOOD 
OSD FOR ISA (PERENYI) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/17/2012 
TAGS: KCFE OSCE PARM PREL
SUBJECT: CFE/JCG: JUNE 17, 2008 PLENARY - RUSSIA AWAITS 
"ACTIVE" NEGOTIATIONS, ALLIES CALL FOR OFFICIAL RUSSIAN 
RESPONSE 
 
 
Classified By: Chief Arms Control Delegate Hugh Neighbour, 
for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary.  During the June 17 JCG Plenary under 
Kazakh Chairmanship, Turkey (Begec), supported by the U.S., 
Germany, the UK and Netherlands, raised the issue of Russia's 
latest inspection refusal.  Russia (Solomenko) underscored 
there was no need to offer any explanations as they are well 
known and justified, but alleged lack of bilateral and 
multilateral discussions aimed at resolving the impasse. 
Allies retorted that it is Russia who has failed to respond 
to date to the serious proposals Allies laid out in the March 
28 NAC Statement and - at the most senior levels - supported 
in the Bucharest Communique.  Following the JCG, the Treaty 
Operation and Implementation (TOI) Group met to nominate a 
new chair for JCG final approval.  At the June 16 JCG-T, 
Germany (Richter) informed Allies of his intent to provide a 
presentation on the nature of the NAC Statement proposal and 
related CFE terminology to the JCG sometime in July, but only 
after first previewing with Allies well in advance. 
 
¶2.  (C)  In bilateral discussions with Allies, Russian Chief 
Arms Control Delegate Mikhail Ulyanov continues to push for 
JCG discussions of elements of the parallel actions package 
alleging lack of progress in the U.S.-Russia bilateral 
channel and quietly telling Allies that they do not have the 
"complete" version of the package.  Intent on initiating 
"technical" discussions in Vienna, Ulyanov is promoting a 
Russian foreign minister-level approach to the U.S. to jump 
start the process.  End Summary. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
JCG PLENARY - WHO IS WAITING ON WHOM? 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  At the June 17 JCG Plenary chaired by Kazakhstan, 
Turkey (Begec) directed the JCG's attention to Russia's 
refusal of a Turkish CFE inspection notification for 16-20 
June and recalled Turkey's Note Verbale which indicated 
Russia's "suspension" was not legitimate.  In support of 
Turkey, the U.S. (Neighbour) emphasized its deep regret over 
Russia's continuing "suspension," which has no basis in the 
Treaty or customary international law and does not indicate 
interest on the part of Russia to work with its Treaty 
partners to resolve the current impasse.  Recalling the March 
28 NAC Statement on CFE and paragraph 42 of the Bucharest 
Summit Communique, Neighbour urged Russia to resume Treaty 
implementation and to work with concerned States Parties on 
the basis of the parallel actions package. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Russian CFE Expert (Solomenko), substituting for 
Chief Arms Control Delegate Ulyanov for the third week in a 
row, reminded all of Russia's December 12 suspension noting 
that it was fully justified and there was no reason to repeat 
Russia's argumentation.  Solomenko then took the opportunity 
to take a direct jab at the U.S. regarding the "active" pace 
of the bilateral process while noting that Russia stands 
ready to discuss issues bilaterally and at the JCG.  He 
remarked that the insistence of the Alliance in holding 
general positions and refusing to engage in dialogue in the 
JCG results in holding back progress.  Solomenko appealed to 
his Western colleagues to step up negotiations. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Germany (Richter), the UK (Gare) and the 
Netherlands (Kleinjan) each took the floor to echo the 
concerns raised by Turkey and the U.S. and to redirect blame 
at the Russian Federation for not having yet responded to 
Allied proposals.  Richter underscored that NATO had made a 
proposal to overcome current constraints and achieve 
ratification of the adapted CFE Treaty through the March 28 
NAC Statement.  This proposal, supported by the Heads of 
State/Government of 26 States in paragraph 42 of the 
Bucharest Communique, calls for a commensurate official reply 
on the part of Russia. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
JCG TOI GETS A NEW CHAIR 
 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  The Treaty Operation and Implementation (TOI) 
Group Chairman (Fardellotti, Italy) convened the TOI 
primarily to approve his nomination for the next TOI Chair 
(Linteau, Canada) in the interest of maintaining continuity 
of the working groups.  Germany, the U.S., Italy Portugal, 
the UK, Greece, France, Spain and finally Russia voiced 
support for the nomination which is now distributed as 
JCG.DD/2/08. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
JCG-T PLUS 4 - GERMANY PLANNING ANOTHER JCG PRESENTATION 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶7. (SBU)  At the 14 January JCG-T plus 4, the chair (Richter, 
Germany) reiterated concerns with the possibility of facing a 
year-long stalemate as each side waited for the other to 
respond and noted a change in Russia's position in the short 
term was unlikely due to the recent presidential election. 
Still pushing for some measure of substantive dialogue in the 
JCG, Richter noted that Germany was working on a presentation 
on the nature of the NAC Statement proposal that would draw 
conclusions from the CFE Treaty text with the intent of 
clarifying terminology.  Richter suggested the need to 
highlight that use of the term "stationing" involved Treaty 
Limited Equipment (TLE) and not infrastructure, as well as to 
explain the differences between substantial combat forces, 
temporary deployments, exceptional deployments and permanent 
stationing.  He indicated he did not intend to present this 
briefing to the JCG until after the July 1-2 ASRC and 
promised to preview it at next week's JCG-T with ample time 
for Allies to comment.  The U.S. and UK each noted 
appreciation for the opportunity to preview, emphasizing the 
need for sufficient time. 
 
¶8. (SBU)  Germany also alerted the group that Ulyanov would 
not be at the JCG the following day, offering a repeat of the 
"preoccupation with Georgia" excuse and adding that Alexander 
Ivanov of the Russian del had fallen ill and would be 
returning to Moscow on June 17.  (Comment. On the margins of 
the JCG, a Russian del rep confirmed to U.S. del that Ivanov 
was returning to Moscow due to a liver-related illness, but 
this was unrelated to Ulyanov's absence which was a direct 
result of his perceived lack of progress and substantive 
discussion in the JCG. End comment) 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  During a lunch hosted by new TOI Chair Linteau, in 
response to a question, Solomenko stated that the new Treaty 
proposed by Russian President Medvedev is not intended to 
replace CFE. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
Russian Efforts to Drive Wedges and Split Package 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶10. (C) Several Allies (including UK, TR, RO) have told USDel 
that Russian Chief Arms Control Delegate Mikhail Ulyanov has 
quietly been saying to them that the U.S. isn't interested in 
talking, alleging the U.S. cannot negotiate seriously due to 
the U.S. election cycle.  The RF then asks our Allies if they 
have the "latest, complete" copy of the parallel actions 
package -- most Allies only have the version distributed in 
Madrid, which updated the original version distributed in Bad 
Saarow.  A charge the Russians cite to show the U.S. is not 
serious is the number of bilateral meetings since Madrid and 
the U.S. proposal for a short, informal Fried-Antonov meeting 
in Stockholm.  (Comment:  A number of Allies (led by Germany) 
seem privately sympathetic to this Russian argument.  End 
comment.) 
 
¶11. (C) Ulyanov wants to disaggregate the parallel actions 
package and sow disunity among the Allies over "technical" 
discussions in Vienna on elements of the package (e.g., 
"substantial combat forces").   He told the USDel (Neighbour) 
on June 18 that he was more determined than ever to bring 
parts of the package to Vienna.  Neighbour replied that 
 
 
NATO's position was clear, including keeping the parallel 
actions package intact, and explained why Vienna was a very 
inappropriate venue.  Russia should reply to the generous 
offer by NATO states detailed in the 28 March NAC Statement 
and the Bucharest summit declaration.  Ulyanov said he would 
seek to get Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov to approach the 
Secretary to agree to bilateral U.S.-Russia "technical" talks 
in Vienna as a means to break the impasse and "not waste more 
time."  (Comment:  Ulyanov did not appear fully confident he 
could get a minister-level approach to the U.S. on this and 
hinted at professional rivalry between him and MFA Director 
for Disarmament and Arms Control Anatoliy Antonov.) 
 
¶12. (U)  The next JCG Plenary, to be chaired by Luxembourg, 
will take place on Friday, June 27 due to the June 24 HLTF 
meeting in Brussels.  The JCG will be preceded by a JCG-T on 
the same day.  Greece has already informed Allies that it 
will raise Russia's recent refusal of a CFE inspection by 
Greece. 
LAEUCHLI