VZCZCXRO6068
PP RUEHAST RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHVEN #0243/01 2840811
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 100811Z OCT 08
FM USMISSION USOSCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5966
INFO RUCNOSC/ORG FOR SECURITY CO OP IN EUR COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0605
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 1160
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RHMFISS/CDRUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHDLCNE/CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON UK
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC
RUEASWA/DTRA ALEX WASHINGTON DC
RUESDT/DTRA-OSES DARMSTADT GE
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEKJCS/JCS WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1100

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 USOSCE 000243 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR VCI/CCA, VCI/NRRC, EUR/RPM, EUR/PRA, EUR/CARC, 
SCA/CEN, SCA/RA, PM/WRA 
JCS FOR J-5 
OSD FOR ISA (PERENYI) 
NSC FOR HAYES 
USUN FOR LEGAL, POL 
EUCOM FOR J-5 
CENTCOM FOR J-5 
UNVIE FOR AC 
GENEVA FOR CD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PARM PREL KCFE OSCE RS GG XG
SUBJECT: FSC OCTOBER 8: USCG COMMANDANT ON INTERNATIONAL 
MARITIME SECURITY 
 
USOSCE 00000243  001.2 OF 004 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Russia and Georgia again traded innuendo 
and accusations at the October 8 Forum for Security 
Cooperation.  Russia said "some" were still trying to 
aggravate the situation in South Ossetia and provoke new 
military action, citing the October 3 car bomb attack, which 
killed several Russian soldiers, and other incidents. 
Despite these attacks, Russia still intends to withdraw its 
forces by October 10, assuming that the EU will take 
appropriate measures to stabilize the situation.  Georgia 
blamed the attacks on conflict between Russia and unknown 
elements in the South Ossetian militia and complained of 
continued Russian attacks on Georgian police and civilians. 
 
¶2. (SBU) U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen 
briefed the Security Dialogue on his service's contributions 
to international maritime security, including anti-piracy 
measures, environmental protection, and maritime situational 
awareness.  U.S. Navy Commander James Kraska briefed the 
legal background to some of Admiral Allen's programs. 
 
¶3. (SBU) In the working groups there was broad support for 
the Estonian cyber security proposals, although several 
participating States lack instructions.  Germany and Russia 
proposed edits to the Finnish chair's Ministerial Council 
draft decisions on FSC issues and small arms and light 
weapons/stockpiles of conventional weapons (SALW/SCA), 
including a review of the OSCE Document on SALW.  End summary. 
 
Attacks on Russian "Peacekeepers" 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Russia (Ulyanov) complained "some" in South Ossetian 
and the surrounding "security zone" were still trying to 
aggravate the situation and provoke new military action. 
Ulyanov mentioned the October 3 car bomb attack that took the 
lives of several Russian "peace-keepers," an attack on a 
South Ossetian government official, shelling of civilian 
housing areas that killed a construction worker and the 
October 6 attack on a column of Russian soldiers.  Despite 
the attacks Russia still plans to withdraw from the security 
zone by October 10 per the Sarkozy-Medvedev ceasefire 
agreement.  Russia assumes that EU monitors will take 
appropriate measures to stabilize the situation and has 
appealed to the UN and OSCE monitors for their assistance. 
 
Georgia: South Ossetian Militia to Blame 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Georgia (Giorgadze) responded that Russia continues 
to attack Georgian police and civilians, resulting in deaths 
and injuries, and commit other human rights violations.  He 
added Russia still prevents access to humanitarian relief 
supplies and has even accused the OSCE monitors of 
provocative acts.  Giorgadze reported the head of the OSCE 
mission in Georgia Terry Hakala was outraged by these 
accusations.  Giorgadze said the situation South Ossetia had 
significantly deteriorated, with Russian forces and South 
Ossetian militia now in complete control of the territory. 
He blamed the car bomb and other attacks on Russians on 
conflict between "unknown elements" of the South Ossetian 
militia and the Russian military.  Some parties, he said, 
sought to prolong Russian military occupation.  Georgia was 
open to a full investigation of these attacks.  Giorgadze 
 
USOSCE 00000243  002.2 OF 004 
 
 
said Georgia offered its assistance to Russia in withdrawing 
and was itself fully committed to the "six-point plan." 
 
USCG Commandant on Maritime Security 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶6. (SBU) U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen 
briefed the USCG's maritime security and international 
outreach programs.  Admiral Allen described his service's 
roles and missions and highlighted its unique contributions 
to many of the non-military aspects of security such as 
anti-trafficking, environmental protection, search and 
rescue, aids to navigation, and maritime situational 
awareness.  He described regional organizations for the North 
Atlantic and North Pacific that involved cooperation among 
the coast guards of the littoral states, including Russia and 
China. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Admiral Allen, describing the challenge of piracy to 
existing maritime legal regimes, called for an international 
governance mechanism that would allow consultation and 
cooperation among affected states.  U.S. Navy Commander James 
Kraska, an international lawyer, described relevant legal 
instruments and institutions, including the Law of the Sea, 
the International Maritime Organization, the Proliferation 
Security Initiative, and UNSCR 1540. 
 
Luxembourg Fails to Steer Admiral onto Shoals 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) In response to questions, Admiral Allen said the 
OSCE could play a part by enhancing awareness among pS of 
maritime border security issues.  Allen ducked Luxembourg's 
(Pilot) invitation to comment on the need for a reporting 
mechanism for warship movements similar to those governing 
land forces in Europe, although Commander Kraska noted that 
U.S. warships routinely use self-identification systems that 
allow littoral states to monitor their movements.  Admiral 
Allen described Coast Guard vessels and aircraft and their 
reliance on friendly countries for logistical support in 
response to a Russian question about the "location of your 
overseas bases." 
 
AIAM Dates Approved 
------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) The FSC adopted the decision to hold the Annual 
Implementation Assessment Meeting in Vienna on March 3 - 4, 
2009 (FSC.DEC/9/08). 
 
Cyber Security 
-------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) In the working group, several pS, including the 
U.S., offered their support for the Estonian cyber security 
proposal (FSC.DEL/125/08/Rev.4), which includes a workshop in 
¶2009.  Estonia also recommended March 17-18, vice March 24-25 
in the latest revision, for the workshop.  Turkey and Russia 
offered general support, but noted they lacked final 
instructions.  The chair will reissue the paper as a draft 
decision. 
 
Ministerial Draft Decision on FSC Issues 
 
USOSCE 00000243  003.2 OF 004 
 
 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) Finland (Kangaste), the FSC chair, has circulated 
draft decisions for the Ministerial Council on FSC issues 
(MC.DD/6/08) and SALW/SCA (MC.DD/7/08).  France proposed each 
decision refer to the other. 
 
¶12. (SBU) On the FSC issues paper, Russia (Ulyanov), while 
lacking final instructions, suggested that the tic in OP1 
welcoming Security Dialogue discussions including "the armed 
conflict in Georgia" be broadened to "conflict situations and 
security matters," recalling that the Security Dialogue also 
discussed Georgian UAVs and naval CSBMs.  For the same 
reason, Ulyanov urged inclusion of a request to "intensify 
the Security Dialogue" in OP2. 
 
¶13. (SBU) Ulyanov described the Russian sponsored FSC 
decision on "taking national holidays into account when 
planning verification" (FSC.DEC/2/08), included in OP1 tic 3, 
as "trivia" and urged the chair to include only decisions 
that were "worthy of the attention of the ministers." 
 
¶14. (SBU) Georgia (Giorgadze) emphasized that the decision, 
in any case, had to include reference to the "war between two 
pS." 
 
Ministerial Draft Decision on SALW/SCA 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶15. (SBU) In the SALW/SCA paper, Germany (Schweizer) proposed 
preamble language, "Recognizing the importance of paying due 
attention to improving the management, security and safety of 
stockpiles of conventional weapons and their ammunition" to 
mirror the subsequent OP2 tic on stockpiles.  Schweizer also 
proposed to substitute "scope and content" for implementation 
in the OP2 concerning the OSCE Document on SALW, noting that 
section VI para 3 of that document called for "regular 
review" of it yet there had been no review for over seven 
years. 
 
¶16. (SBU) The U.S. (Silberberg) reminded Schweizer of, at a 
minimum, its opposition to any review or decisional language 
that would suggest merging SALW and ammunition work. 
Schweizer replied this was not his intent, although he has 
mentioned such a merger in earlier working group discussions 
as has Finland in connection with follow-up work to the third 
Biennial Meeting of States on the UNPOA on SALW. 
 
Turkey Responds to Greece on VD99 Incident 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶17. (SBU) Turkey argued with Greece over the status of 
certain eastern Ionian islands in response to Greek comments 
earlier over an error made by Austria and Sweden in 
describing the Vienna Document 1999 area of inspection in 
Greece.  Greece reserved the right to reply.  The UK (Gare) 
separately noted such arguments detracted from the appearance 
of Allied unity. 
 
FSC Progress Reports for the Ministerial 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶18. (SBU) The chair of the informal group of friends on 
 
USOSCE 00000243  004.3 OF 004 
 
 
SALW/SCA (Schweizer), the Code of Conduct coordinator 
(Eischer), and the FSC chair (Kangaste) reported that draft 
progress reports on, respectively, SALW/SCA, the Code of 
Conduct, and arms control/CSBMs would be circulated shortly 
for comment.  The progress reports are not consensus 
documents. 
 
Melange Overview 
---------------- 
 
¶19. (SBU) There were no substantive comments on the draft 
decision to welcome the Finnish "overview of disposal 
aspects" of melange (rocket fuel oxidizer), formerly known as 
the "Melange Best Practice Guide."  (FSC.DEL/148/08) 
 
Code of Conduct 
--------------- 
 
¶20. (SBU) The FSC coordinator for the Code of Conduct 
(Eischer) announced an informal meeting on October 9 to 
discuss further the draft revision of the Code questionnaire 
(FSC.DEL/98/08/Rev.3).  Eischer plans to submit the revision 
to the working group on October 15. 
 
Next Meeting 
------------ 
 
¶21. (SBU) The next meeting of the FSC will be on October 15 
and will include Security Dialogue presentation by the chair 
of the Group of Government Experts on the Arms Trade Treaty 
and a presentation on export controls and arms transfers by 
Petr Litavrin, the security affairs and disarmament deputy 
director at the Russian MFA. 
SCOTT