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FM USMISSION USOSCE
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RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
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RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J5-DDPMA-E/DDPMA-IN/CAC//

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USOSCE 000060 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR VCI/CCA, EUR/PRA, EUR/RPM, SCA/CEN 
JCS FOR COL NORWOOD 
OSD FOR ISA (PERENYI) 
NSC FOR HAYES 
EUCOM FOR J-5 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PARM PREL KCFE OSCE
SUBJECT: OPEN SKIES:  DECISION ON COSTS FINALLY ADOPTED; 
BALL ROLLING ON 2010 REVIEW CONFERENCE 
 
REF: MARVIN-NEIGHBOUR EMAIL MARCH 20 
 
 ¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  The Open Skies Consultative Commission 
(OSCC) plenary on March 23 agreed on two decisions:  the 
long-awaited Distribution of Costs and a revision to active 
quotas to reduce Latvia's quota this year.  The U.S., which 
joined consensus on both decisions, reserved the right to 
make a future statement of understanding regarding the 
decision on quotas.  Canada and Hungary, as depositories of 
the Treaty, introduced the topic of planning for the next 
Review Conference, to be chaired by the U.S. in 2010.  The 
next OSCC plenary will be held on April 27 under the 
chairmanship of Bosnia and Herzegovina.  Washington guidance 
requested; please see paras 2 and 10.  End Summary. 
 
- - - - 
Plenary 
- - - - 
 
¶2.  (SBU) During the March 23 OSCC plenary (chaired by 
Belgium-Kenes), two decisions were adopted:  Decision on 
Revision Five of Decision Number One to the Treaty on Open 
Skies on the Distribution of Costs Arising Under the Treaty 
on Open Skies (OSCC.DD/2/09).  This had been under 
consideration for several months in the Russian-chaired 
Informal Working Group on Rules and Procedures and was the 
subject of repeated changes and tweaking of its details.  The 
second was the Decision on Revision One to Decision No. 8/08 
on the Distribution of Active Quotas for Observation Flights 
in the Year 2009 (OSCC.DD/3/09).  This decision on quotas had 
been introduced to take account of a change in Latvia's 
flight plans.  Latvia (Nilsons) announced that due to 
budgetary restrictions, Latvia would not be able to complete 
two of its planned shared missions with Turkey: one over 
Bosnia, the other over Georgia.  After adoption of the 
decision, the U.S. (Neighbour) reserved its right to make a 
statement as appropriate at a later OSCC plenary regarding 
the decision on quotas. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Russia (Kozlov) requested that the next time a 
"bulky document" was circulated for review that the proposed 
changes be highlighted so as to avoid delegations having to 
tediously compare previous and new versions side by side. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - 
IWGRP:  We're on Standby 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Russia (Kozlov) briefly advised the OSCC that now 
that Revision Five of Decision Number One on Costs had been 
adopted, the agenda for the Informal Working Group on Rules 
and Procedures (IWGRP) "had been exhausted."  Kozlov noted 
that some issues were still "on the back burner," but that 
the IWGRP would be "on standby" and not formally meet again 
unless specifically requested by a delegation.  Kozlov 
praised the group for having accomplished "a lot" and looked 
forward to future cooperation on other matters. 
 
- - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - 
Working Group on Sensors Update 
- - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The U.S. (Neighbour) announced that Scott Simmons, 
chair of the Informal Working Group on Sensors (IWGS) was in 
Vienna this week for informal meetings.  Neighbour read a 
report issued by IWGS Chair Simmons (OSCC.SEN/9/08) in which 
Simmons noted that the IWGS had "achieved a milestone" toward 
completing Revision One to Decision Number 14 on sensors.  To 
continue the positive momentum, the U.S. (Neighbour) 
announced that Simmons would be holding small group sessions 
this week (March 24, 25, 26) in Vienna for any interested 
delegations to make progress on the many technical details in 
Decision 14 and the Digital Image Processing Decision. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
Russia on Recent Observation Missions 
 
USOSCE 00000060  002 OF 003 
 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Russia (Kozlov) announced that it recently had 
conducted a number of successful observation missions during 
the period of time since the last OSCC plenary (Februrary 23) 
and today's plenary.  Kozlov said that Russia had completed 
an observation flight over U.S. territory, February 22 ) 
March 2; one over Spain, February 22; one over Benelux and 
Germany, March 2 ) 7; and, one over Hungary, March 16 ) 20. 
 Russia (Kozlov) also announced that during this same time 
period, the Russian Federation escorted a U.S.-German 
observation flight and a Polish flight (on a Ukrainian 
aircraft).  Kozlov thanked the German and Czech delegations 
for permitting Russia to transit both their territories 
during the observation flight over Spain.  The Chair (Kenes) 
thanked Russia for its intervention, which highlighted the 
spirit of cooperation among parties during implementation of 
the Open Skies Treaty. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
Put on Your Thinking Caps for the 2010 Review Conference! 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Under any other business, Canada (Linteau) made a 
statement on behalf of Hungary and Canada, as depositories of 
the Treaty.  Linteau drew attention to the next review 
conference, which is set to take place in 2010 under U.S. 
chairmanship.  Linteau recalled that the depositories of the 
Treaty would convene a Review Conference to review Treaty 
implementation three years after the Treaty entered into 
force and then every five years thereafter. The Chair (Kenes) 
noted that drawing the OSCC's attention to the upcoming 
Second Review Conference was timely. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  The U.S. (Neighbour) thanked the Hungarian and 
Canadian delegations for their joint statement as well as 
their early and timely steps in planning for the next review 
conference.  Neighbour noted, per ref, that the U.S. would 
begin informally consulting with interested States Parties 
over the next few months to listen to their views on details 
of the Second Review Conference, which would include, but not 
be limited to, modalities, agenda, theme, and timing. 
Neighbour observed that according to the Treaty, the Review 
Conference could convene any time in 2010, but cautioned that 
the first half of 2010 may be preferable than trying to fit 
it into the year's second half (September-December) when 
delegations would be consumed with Ministerial preparations 
and other big events during the short autumn session. 
Neighbour welcomed the views of other delegations and 
announced U.S. plans also to begin consulting with the OSCE 
Secretariat concerning calendar options for 2010. 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  Russia (Kozlov) formally introduced Sergey 
Federyakov to the OSCC, a new political adviser for the 
Russian delegation, who will work on Open Skies, JCG, and FSC 
matters. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
Informal Meeting on Second Review Conference 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶10.  (SBU)  After the plenary, the U.S., Canadian, Hungarian, 
Belgian, Russian, Bosnia and Herzegovinian delegations, and 
the OSCE Secretariat met to begin informal consultations on 
preparations for the 2010 Second Review Conference.  Canada 
(Linteau), chaired the informal meeting, and suggested that 
the next step would be to propose a date for the conference. 
The Secretariat (Plut) outlined the budgetary process for 
funding such a conference and answered questions on financial 
procedures. The Secretariat also noted that currently the 
2010 calendar is wide open as the Permanent Council has not 
yet scheduled its large meetings that normally take place 
during the first half of the year.  Mission recommends that 
Washington take advantage of this early opportunity to 
propose a date as soon as possible after considering input 
from other States Parties. 
 
USOSCE 00000060  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
- - - - - - - 
Next Plenary 
- - - - - - - 
 
¶11.  (SBU) The Chair (Kenes) announced that today's was the 
last plenary under Belgian Chairmanship and the OSCC would 
reconvene on April 27 under the chairmanship of Bosnia and 
Herzegovina. 
SCOTT