VZCZCXRO8567
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDF RUEHDH RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHMA RUEHPB
RUEHPOD RUEHTM RUEHTRO
DE RUEHRL #0655 1531603
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 021603Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4245
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 1268
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 0686
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0450
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 1997
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRL/USDAO BERLIN GE
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUCUSTR/USSTRATCOM OFFUTT AFB NE

UNCLAS BERLIN 000655 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
STATE FOR EUR/CE PETER SCHROEDER 
STATE FOR OES/SAT DAVID TURNER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC PGOV PINR MCAP PREL TSPA GM
SUBJECT: GERMAN GENERAL SAYS NO THANKS TO GALILEO; ESA NOW 
WORKING DEFENSE 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  At the 3rd Annual Space Systems and 
Security Conference in Potsdam, Germany, a senior German 
officer firmly stated that his country does not anticipate 
being a customer of the European Galileo Guidance Navigation 
Satellite System (GNSS).  Separately, a European Space Agency 
(ESA) official emphasized the need to strengthen ESA,s role 
in European defense projects.  The conference was held from 
May 26-27 and featured presentations on space situational 
awareness (SSA), domestic security, Galileo, and advanced 
remote 
sensing satellites.  END SUMMARY 
 
 
GERMAN GENERAL SAYS NO TO GALILEO 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) German Luftwaffe Lieutenant General Friedrich W. 
Ploeger of the German Joint Air Power Competence Center, 
frankly told conference attendees that the German military 
"does not have a military need for Galileo."  Ploeger said 
the alliance the German military has with the USG for use of 
GPS is robust/working and remarked the German military's 
limited budget would restrict its involvement with the 
Galileo program. 
 
 
ESA ANTICIPATES GREATER ROLE IN EU SECURITY 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Dr. Thomas Beer of the ESA outlined ESA's plans to 
enter into European defense projects, a departure from its 
original charter limiting activities to the peaceful use of 
outer space.  Beer said the  peaceful use of outer space, 
clause in ESA's charter was "re-examined" and it was 
determined that nothing in this clause prevented ESA from 
participating in European defense activities, as long as 
these activities do not involve "aggressive activities." 
Beer stated that ESA now has the European legal and policy 
authorization to work on EU defense projects. 
Koenig