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UNCLAS STATE 017091 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OSCE PARM PREL RU KS CH GM
SUBJECT: OPEN SKIES TREATY MISSION IN RUSSIAN FAR EAST 
(2-7 MARCH 2009) 
 
REF: A. 08 STATE 021602 
     ¶B. MARVIN/EAP EMAIL 2/19 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified. 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action cable - see paragraph 4. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Summary and background. The United States and 
Germany will jointly conduct an Open Skies Treaty flight over 
the Russian Far East from March 2-7.  The mission will be 
conducted from Khabarovsk Novyy (ICAO code: UHHH) 
International Airport, and the flight will cover a route up 
to 5,900 kilometers. Part of the route is adjacent to the 
land borders of China and North Korea. As a courtesy to these 
neighboring countries (China and South Korea), this cable 
provides background to ensure the flight does not prompt 
concerns. Ref A was a similar cable for a previous flight in 
March 2008. 
 
¶3. (U) The Open Skies Treaty enables full territorial, 
unarmed, overflight of other Treaty partners to build mutual 
confidence and security, and has no direct connection to 
civil aviation. Russia is one of 34 State Parties, all of 
which are in Europe/Eurasia except the United States and 
Canada. The Treaty is designed to enhance mutual 
understanding and confidence by giving all participants, 
regardless of size, a direct role in gathering information 
through aerial imaging of military forces and activities of 
concern to them. Open Skies is one of the most wide-ranging 
international arms control efforts to date to promote 
openness and transparency in military forces and activities. 
End summary and background. 
 
¶4. (SBU) For action posts: Posts are requested to inform 
appropriate host government officials concerning the upcoming 
United States Open Skies Treaty mission over the Russian Far 
East. Post may draw on the points in paragraph 5 below, which 
if asked, can be left as a non-paper. Post may use pertinent 
slides from Ref B as a visual aid to describe the mission, 
but should not/not provide copies to host government 
officials. Posts should deliver points on/after February 25, 
but no later than March 2.  Reporting on reactions of host 
government officials would be welcome, but is not required. 
 
¶5. (U) Begin points: 
 
-- The U.S. will carry out an Open Skies Treaty flight in the 
Russian Far East on March 2-7. The United States notified 
Russia of this mission on February 23 and received 
confirmation on February 24.  The mission will be conducted 
from the Russian airfield Khabarovsk Novyy (ICAO code: UHHH), 
for a distance of 5,900 kilometers. Part of the mission route 
is adjacent to land or territorial water borders for 
northeast mainland China and North Korea.  The mission will 
not be in proximity to South Korea itself, but we wanted to 
make sure Korean officials are aware that the flight will 
take place in Russia to the north of North Korea.  The 
mission will not enter North Korean or Chinese airspace.  We 
are informing you of the mission as a courtesy; the 
information requires no action on the part of your government. 
 
-- The "Open Skies" regime is a system of territorial 
overflights to build mutual confidence and security, and has 
no direct connection to civil aviation. The Treaty on Open 
Skies establishes a regime of unarmed aerial observation 
flights over the territories of its States Parties. Russia is 
one of 34 States Parties, all of which are in Europe/Eurasia 
except the United States and Canada. The Treaty is designed 
to enhance mutual understanding and confidence by giving all 
participants, regardless of size, a direct role in gathering 
information through aerial imaging of military forces and 
activities of concern to them. Open Skies is one of the most 
wide-ranging international arms control efforts to date to 
promote openness and transparency in military forces and 
activities. 
 
-- The Open Skies Treaty entered into force in January 2002. 
Since then, over 530 missions have been conducted between the 
parties. The United States has conducted over 50 missions 
over Russia to date, mostly in the West. 
 
-- The Treaty does not permit a flight plan to be closer than 
10 kilometers to the border of a non-State Party.  The United 
States aircraft will not image territory beyond Russia's 
border. 
 
-- The United States uses a dedicated OC-135B aircraft for 
implementing the Open Skies Treaty. The OC-135B aircraft will 
operate at altitudes from 35,000 to 36,000 feet and is 
equipped with optical panoramic and framing cameras permitted 
by the Open Skies Treaty. According to the Treaty, optical 
cameras can achieve no better than 30 centimeters ground 
resolution.  The OC-135B is an unarmed aircraft, is not a 
combat platform and is not engaged in combat operations or 
training. 
 
-- This mission will be conducted with United States, German 
and 
Russian teams on-board the aircraft. 
 
-- (If asked) The United States aircraft is not an 
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance asset. 
 
-- If asked about participation on this flight Posts should 
indicate that we are not able to invite observers on a Treaty 
mission. 
 
End points. 
 
¶6. (U) For Berlin, Moscow and USOSCE: Posts should be aware 
of this demarche if asked by counterparts. 
CLINTON