VZCZCXRO1452
PP RUEHAST RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR
DE RUEHVEN #0036/01 0441017
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 131017Z FEB 09
FM USMISSION USOSCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6216
INFO RUCNOSC/ORG FOR SECURITY CO OP IN EUR COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0682
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 1237
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 1177

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USOSCE 000036 
 
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: CORRECTED COPY FSC-PC FEBRUARY 11: EU AND OSCE 
MISSIONS TO GEORGIA COMPLAIN TO RUSSIA 
 
¶1. (SBU) This corrected copy changes only the format. 
 
SUMMARY: EU Monitoring Mission head Haber told the joint 
Forum for Security Cooperation-Permanent Council that the EU 
was make reasonable progress on its goals of stabilization, 
normalization, and confidence building in the conflict zones 
of Georgia.  Both Haber and OSCE Conflict Prevention Center 
head Salber reported that EU cooperation with the smaller 
OSCE military monitoring mission was good.  Both said that 
their missions need access to both sides of the conflict zone 
boundaries and will try to arrange this with Russian military 
representatives.  They regretted continuing "incidents" in 
the region, including the detention of two OSCE observers on 
February 10 by South Ossetian militia. 
 
¶2. (SBU) In the FSC working groups, Germany and Austria 
proposed to extend the deadline for submission of Code of 
Conduct questionnaire responses from April 15 until June 15 
in hopes that the update of the questionnaire will be 
approved shortly.  Many delegations supported the idea.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
Monitoring Missions in Georgia 
------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (SBU) At the February 12 joint FSC-PC meeting, EU 
Monitoring Mission (EUMM) head Hansjoerg Haber urged 
discussion in the medium to long term of the "architecture" 
of the international presence in Georgia, noting this would 
be especially crucial if UNOMIG and the OSCE mission in 
Georgia cease operations.  Haber pledged that the EUMM would 
remain visible for the foreseeable future (later telling U.S. 
Charge Scott that Brussels had instructed him to cease 
further mention of an exit strategy), but said the mission's 
effectiveness was limited by South Ossetian, Abkhaz, and 
Russian authorities' lack of cooperation.  Haber urged Russia 
to be more constructive, and to consider reciprocating the 
January 26 memorandum of understanding between the EUMM and 
the Georgian Ministry of Defense.  He also called for access 
to South Ossetia. 
 
¶4. (SBU) OSCE Conflict Prevention Center head Herbert Salber, 
in a supporting presentation after Haber, highlighted the 
critical role of the OSCE and the EUMM in strengthening 
security on the ground.  He also called for access to South 
Ossetia. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Georgia, the UK, Switzerland, Norway, Canada, 
Turkey, Ukraine, and the United States echoed these comments, 
and condemned the February 10 detention of two OSCE military 
monitoring officers (MMOs) by South Ossetian militia that 
Salber had mentioned. 
 
Russia Takes the Offensive 
------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Striking with his usual belligerent tone, Russian 
PermRep Azimov accused the EUMM of failing to "guarantee" 
Georgia's non-use of force, and argued the Georgia-EU 
memorandum of understanding was of little use, as it called 
only for notification of Georgian military movements without 
imposing restrictions on Georgian actions.  Azimov reiterated 
calls for Georgia to sign binding non-use of force agreements 
 
USOSCE 00000036  002 OF 003 
 
 
with the "independent republics" of South Ossetia and 
Abkhazia and again urged an embargo on arms for Georgia. 
 
February 10 Incident 
-------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Azimov cautioned delegations not to get too "wound 
up" over the recent detention of two OSCE monitors.  Although 
they had crossed the South Ossetian border illegally and were 
arrested,  once this was explained and "proper formalities 
observed," they were released.  Azimov insinuated further 
discussion of the February 10 incident would hinder progress 
in renewing the MMOs' mandate, due to expire February 18. 
Mandate of MMOs Still in Play 
 
¶8. (SBU) Azimov said Russia was willing to consider renewing 
the MMOs' mandate ) but only for the areas adjacent to South 
Ossetia, and only for the 20 monitors deployed in August, as 
the original eight "should have gone home" weeks ago.  CPC 
head Salber had earlier called on participating States to 
extend the MMO mission, noting they still lacked access to 
both sides of the conflict zone boundaries. 
 
Azimov's Complaints 
------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Azimov complained that Georgia's intervention was 
like WWII propaganda and that the OSCE was biased and 
supported "Georgian propaganda."  He further objected to the 
language of Georgian rep Gaprindashvili as too harsh, noting 
that the OSCE was a diplomatic arena, "not a boxing ring," 
and called on the Greek CiO to "have a talk with the 
Georgians and get them to tone down their language." 
 
Russian Basing Plans 
-------------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) Czech ambassador Pocuch, on behalf of the EU, 
expressed concern over reports of Russia's plans to open a 
naval base in Abkhazia (Ochamchire) and additional military 
bases in South Ossetia. Pocuch said new bases would violate 
Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and the 
spirit of the ceasefire agreements.  U.S. Charge Scott had 
earlier made the same points. 
 
¶11. (SBU) Russian PermRep Azimov retorted that any new 
facilities would be based on agreements with the relevant 
independent states and were an aspect of Russia's role as the 
guarantor of peace and stability in the region.  UK 
ambassador Cliff replied that 55 participating States did not 
recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and 
reiterated the EU position that new bases would violate 
Georgian territorial integrity and the ceasefire agreements. 
 
 
Code of Conduct Deadline Extension 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶12. (SBU) In the FSC working groups, Germany and Austria 
proposed to extend the deadline for the submission of 
responses to the Code of Conduct questionnaire to June 15; 
the current deadline is April 15 (FSC.DEL/13/09).  Germany 
(Schweizer) explained that a later deadline would not prevent 
 
USOSCE 00000036  003 OF 003 
 
 
States from using the current questionnaire, but it would 
allow more time for delegations to agree on the draft update 
of the questionnaire (FSC.DD/14/08) that has been under 
negotiation for almost two years.  Austria, the Czech 
Republic, Luxembourg, Georgia, Ireland, Hungary Portugal, 
Sweden, the UK, Denmark, Italy, Slovenia, Cyprus, and Poland 
support this proposal. 
 
¶13. (SBU) Belarus (Krayushkin) doubted the extension was 
necessary.  One state (Estonia) had already submitted its 
2009 information based on the current questionnaire, and 
Belarus was preparing its own data for submission on April 
¶15.  Even if the update were approved shortly, Krayushkin 
recommended, States should have the discretion to answer 
either version in 2009.  Austria (Eischer) noted that the 
information solicited by the current questionnaire is also 
required by the update, so any responses already prepared 
would not go to waste were the update adopted soon. 
 
¶14. (SBU) Russia (Ulyanov) liked the proposal: it had made a 
similar suggestion earlier.  Ulyanov echoed Krayushkin's 
comment that 2009 should be seen as a transitional year, with 
States free to respond to either version of the questionnaire 
should the update be adopted.  Ulyanov saw no reason, 
however, to immediately decide on the extension as he hoped 
to receive instructions late the week of February 15. 
 
OSCE Document on SALW 
--------------------- 
 
¶15. (SBU) German rep Schweizer, the chair of the Informal 
Group of Friends of SALW, reminded that the Helsinki 
Ministerial had requested a review of the OSCE Document on 
SALW (MC.DEC/11/08).  He will call a meeting on this tasking 
after the Annual Implementation Assessment Meeting (March 4) 
and appealed to delegations to raise ideas and 
recommendations with him for use at a wider discussion. 
Schweizer will chair a panel at the AIAM on SALW and is 
preparing a paper to stimulate discussion of the Helsinki 
tasking. 
 
Next Meeting 
------------ 
 
¶16. (SBU) The joint FSC-PC meeting on February 18 will 
feature Russian DFM Grushko discussing "ways and means to 
improve the European security architecture." 
SCOTT