VZCZCXRO1353
PP RUEHAG RUEHLN RUEHSL
DE RUEHSM #0674/01 3001349
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271349Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4828
INFO RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN 3208
RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI 0350
RUEHTL/AMEMBASSY TALLINN 0003
RUEHRA/AMEMBASSY RIGA 0870
RUEHVL/AMEMBASSY VILNIUS 2017
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 1230
RUEHLN/AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG 0486
RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 2382
RUEHAG/AMCONSUL HAMBURG 0003
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0463
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 2543
RUEHRK/AMEMBASSY REYKJAVIK 0099
RUEHSL/AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA 0119
RUEHBM/AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST 0393

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STOCKHOLM 000674 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV PGOV PREL SW
SUBJECT: COUNCIL OF BALTIC SEA STATES SEEKS MORE COLLABORATION WITH 
OBSERVER STATES 
 
REF: A) STOCKHOLM 446, B) COPENHAGEN 282 
 
¶1.  Summary: On October 6, REO and Embassy staff attended the annual 
consultations between the Council of Baltic Sea States and its 
observer states (including the U.S.).  CBSS officials presented 
priorities for the upcoming year and highlighted successful ongoing 
cooperation under CBSS experts groups on nuclear safety, children at 
risk, and the CBSS Task Force Against Trafficking in Human Beings 
(all involving U.S. participation).  Observer state representatives 
outlined respective contributions to the work of the CBSS.  Using 
guidance provided by the Department, we emphasized USG appreciation 
for observer status, support for the CBSS reform process, and USG 
willingness to explore new cooperation on a case-by-case basis, 
across the range of CBSS priority areas.  The eighth CBSS summit 
meeting will take place June 1-2, 2010, in Vilnius.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  Nordic/Baltic Regional Environmental Officer Erik Hall, and 
Carolyn Westerod of the EU Presidency Unit in Embassy Stockholm on 
October 6 attended an annual meeting between the CBSS Committee of 
Senior Officials (CSO) and observer states, in Stockholm. 
Participants included members of the CBSS Committee of Senior 
Officials (CSO) from CBSS member states (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, 
Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, the Russian 
Federation, Swedent, and the European Commission), representatives 
of CBSS observer States (Belarus, France, Italy, Netherlands, 
Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine, United Kingdom, USA) and the CBSS 
Secretariat. 
 
¶3.  In its invitation to this meeting the CBSS had put observer 
states on notice that "observer status implies that observers must 
contribute to CBSS activities in line with its long term 
priorities."  In a follow-up letter to participants (copied to 
EUR/NB, and including a detailed CBSS calendar of events under the 
Lithuanian presidency) dated October 13, CSO Chairman Neris Germanas 
thanked participants and requested that observer states which had 
suggested closer cooperation with other regional councils provide 
contact information.  He also requested that observer states add a 
link to the CBSS on their foreign ministry websites, and requested a 
technical contact point to help the CBSS to do the same. 
 
Experts Collaborating on Children at Risk 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  After CBSS CSO Chairman Germanas briefly outlined the ongoing 
CBSS reform process and the priorities of the Lithuanian Presidency, 
Lars Loof, secretary to the CBSS Expert Group for Cooperation on 
Children at Risk (EGCC) briefed on the expert group's recent work in 
the area of Child Safety.  This work consisted of identifying, 
supporting and implementing cooperation on children at risk between 
countries and organizations in the region.  Furthermore, it examined 
and reviewed areas of concern with regards to children, as 
identified by its network of national coordinators and experts. 
Based on these findings, the EGCC adopted programs and implemented 
actions within areas of concern.  Activities and programs were 
carried out with national authorities, agencies and organizations in 
cooperation with regional and international organizations.  Mr. Loof 
described the newly adopted priority areas for the EGCC as 
following: 
 
--Protection of children from all forms of sexual exploitation, 
including: 
     --Unaccompanied and trafficked children 
     --Children abused by being offered money or other forms of 
remuneration in exchange for sex 
     --Children and online sexual exploitation 
--Protection of children from all forms of sexual abuse and sexual 
violence, and, 
--Rights of children in institutions and in other forms of "out of 
home" care. 
 
US Participation in anti-TIP Training 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  Mr Loof noted that U.S. authorities had cooperated with the EGCC 
on the topics of Internet safety and child trafficking in the past. 
Norway's CSO praised the achievements of this CBSS effort, noting 
 
STOCKHOLM 00000674  002 OF 003 
 
 
that EGCC training had been carried out throughout the Baltic Sea 
region.  CBSS Director General Gabriele Kotschau highlighted the 
related work of the CBSS Task Force on Human Trafficking in offering 
expert training to authorities in all CBSS member states, including 
participation from the U.S.  Kotschau invited observer states to 
receive similar training organized by CBSS, offered at cost. 
 
Nuclear Safety Experts Collaborating 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶6.  Finn Ugletveit, Chairman of the CBSS Expert Group on Nuclear and 
Radiation Safety (EGNRS), described the group's activities.  The 
EGNRS was established in 1992 and integrates national authorities of 
the CBSS members and its observers, including DOE experts.  The 
Expert Group met twice a year and more frequent in smaller 
sub-groups on an ad-hoc basis to discuss specific tasks.  Ugletveit 
noted that the EGNRS faced the constraint of limited funding, and 
invited observer states to contribute more in this in this area. 
Tasks of EGNRS include: 
 
--collecting information about nuclear facilities and waste storage 
in the Baltic Sea Region; 
--identifying sources of radioactivity that pose potential risks to 
the Baltic Sea Region; 
--identifying potential nuclear and radiological risks that require 
immediate concerted remedial action; 
--taking stock of and monitor various projects aimed at enhancing 
nuclear and radiation safety in the Baltic Sea Region; and, 
--preparing relevant recommendations and develop initiatives 
accordingly. 
 
¶7.  Denmark's CSO commented that the work of these two expert groups 
constituted the "crown jewels" of CBSS cooperation, noting tangible 
benefits for member as well as observer states from these 
activities. 
 
US Message: Appreciation; Will Consider New Cooperation 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶8.  The consultations proceeded with the respective Observer States 
holding presentations on their past and future engagements in the 
CBSS.  The Secretariat reiterated its wish to see more concrete 
participation by observer states.  REO delivered a U.S. statement of 
appreciation for US observer status in CBSS, encouragement of the 
CBSS reform process, and willingness to consider further engagement 
on a case-by-case basis across the range of CBSS priorities 
(environment; economic development; energy; education and culture; 
and civil security and the humanitarian dimension).  The final text 
of the U.S. intervention (drafted by EUR/NB and abbreviated somewhat 
due to time constraints) has been shared with the Department 
(EUR/NB) electronically. 
 
Other Observer State Input 
-------------------------- 
 
¶9.  Belarus' representative elaborated an ambitious list of 
priorities as an observer state, highlighting its participation in 
CBSS training activities even before becoming a formal observer to 
the CBSS in June 2009.  The French representative thanked the CBSS 
for its inspiration for the Mediterranean Union, and promised more 
cooperation in the areas of nuclear safety and protection of 
children at risk.  Italy's representative complimented the 
secretariat on its "impressive" work and expressed interest in 
strengthening cooperation and sharing lessons learned between the 
Baltic and Adriatic sub-regions.  The Dutch representative noted 
that collaboration by the Netherlands had been limited in the past 
but expressed hope for more fruitful cooperation in the future, and 
cited the Nordstream gas pipeline project as an example of useful 
regional cooperation.  Belarus, Romanian and Slovakian 
representatives highlighted potential CBSS collaboration with the 
EU's Eastern Partnership. 
 
¶10.  The Spanish representative pledged to work closely with the 
CBSS during the upcoming Spanish EU Presidency, when Spain's 
priorities would include a focus on energy, the economy and the 
environment.  The Ukrainian representative promised to try to take 
 
STOCKHOLM 00000674  003 OF 003 
 
 
part in future events that were organized by the CBSS.  The United 
Kingdom representative said his government valued its observer 
status and wished to focus future collaboration on the expert 
groups. 
 
¶11.  Comment:  We would like to thank the Department (especially 
EUR/NB and EB) for the comprehensive guidance provided for this 
meeting.  U.S. views were heard and our willingness to explore 
continued and new collaboration appreciated by CBSS member states, 
offering an opportunity to advance shared interests on a range of 
issues in the future. 
 
¶12.  REO Copenhagen has cleared this cable. 
 
BARZUN