VZCZCXRO1848
OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR
DE RUEHC #6206/01 3432230
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O R 092227Z DEC 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM IMMEDIATE 8677
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 5218
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 6005
RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV PRIORITY 2805
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 8282
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 3395
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 0696
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 7568
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 3367
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 2578
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1578
INFO DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE COLLECTIVE
EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 5906
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 9017

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 STATE 126206 
 
SIPDIS 
GENEVA FOR CD DEL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/09/2019 
TAGS: AS CA CDG EC ESA EUN FR GM IT JA KACT KS KTIA MCAP
PARM, PO, PREL, SP, TSPA, UK, UP 
SUBJECT: U.S. RESPONSE TO EU DRAFT CODE OF CONDUCT FOR 
OUTER SPACE ACTIVITIES 
 
REF: A. (A) 07 LISBON 002604 
     ¶B. (B) 07 STATE 157671 
     ¶C. (C) STATE 002007 
 
Classified By: DEHoppler,Reasons 1.4(a),(d),(e),and(g) 
 
¶1.     (SBU) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST.  See paragraph 3 
below. 
 
¶2.  (U) BACKGROUND:  On December 8, 2008, the European Union 
(EU) Foreign Ministers endorsed a draft proposal for a "Code 
of Conduct for Outer Space Activities" 
(http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/0 8/st17/st17175. 
en08.pdf).  Upon approving this draft package of voluntary 
transparency and confidence-building measures (TCBMs), in 
which Subscribing States would participate on a voluntary 
basis, the EU Council called for consultations "with key 
third countries that have activities in outer space or have 
interests in outer space activities, with the aim of reaching 
a text that is acceptable to the greatest number of 
countries." 
 
¶3. (C) The United States received the first, preliminary 
draft from the Portuguese Presidency of the EU Council in 
October 2007 (REF A).  The United States provided 
"line-in/line-out" comments on this draft in November 2007 
(REF B).  The Department received a second preliminary draft 
of the Code of Conduct from the French Presidency in July 
¶2008.  On September 19, 2008, U.S. and EU experts held 
informal consultations in Washington, D.C., during which U.S. 
experts clarified several concerns regarding the second 
preliminary draft. 
 
¶4. (C) In November 2008, reflecting a desire to reach an 
expanded consensus, the French Presidency sent advance copies 
of the draft approved by the EU Foreign Ministers to eight 
countries "with activities in outer space or interests in 
outer space," including Canada, Japan, Israel, Brazil, India, 
the United States, Russia, and China. 
 
¶5. (C) In a November 27, 2008, letter to Acting Under 
Secretary of State for Arms Control and International 
Security, John C. Rood, French MFA Director of Strategic 
Affairs, Security and Disarmament, Jacques Audibert, invited 
the United States to provide the EU with further comments. 
The French Presidency also expressed its interest in pursuing 
further bilateral consultations on the text "to continue to 
improve it."  In his letter to U/S Rood, Audibert noted 
"fruitful" consultations between the United States and the EU 
on two preliminary versions of the draft code. 
 
¶6. (SBU) In January 2009, the United States provided the 
Czech Presidency and the Council of the European Union with a 
U.S. non-paper (dated January 7, 2009) that detailed initial 
U.S. reactions to the EU's December 2008 draft (REF C). 
 
¶7. (SBU) The current Swedish EU Presidency has continued 
developing the draft, using informal inputs provided by U.S. 
experts in June and September 2009 as well as inputs received 
during formal consultations with other countries with 
"activities in outer space or interests in outer space."  In 
October 2009, the EU announced its intent to pursue the space 
Code of Conduct at an ad hoc conference to be convened in 
2010, using a process for adoption modeled on the Hague Code 
of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation.  In 
November, Stockholm informally requested that Washington 
provide inputs prior to the conclusion of the Swedish 
Presidency.  END BACKGROUND. 
 
¶8. (U) ACTION REQUESTS: 
 
STATE 00126206  002 OF 005 
 
SUBJECT: U.S. RESPONSE TO EU DRAFT CODE OF CONDUCT FOR 
OUTER SPACE ACTIVITI 
(SBU) For Stockholm:  Embassy is requested to hand over the 
U.S. non-paper (contained in paragraph 9 below) to the 
Swedish Presidency of the EU (Ronnie Nilsson) as soon as 
possible.  Embassy also is authorized to provide the U.S. 
line-in/line-out mark-up of the EU's December 2008 draft (to 
be transmitted via e-mail).  Embassy should indicate that the 
United States welcomes further exchanges on this topic with 
Sweden and with future EU Presidencies.  Embassy also should 
note that the U.S. non-paper is marked "For Government Use 
Only," and request that the non-paper be handled in the same 
manner as "Restreint UE" information. 
 
(SBU) For USEU:  USEU is requested to hand over the U.S. 
non-paper (contained in paragraph 9 below) to the Personal 
Representative on Non-Proliferation of WMD of the General 
Secretariat of the Council of the European Union, to 
Lars-Gunnar Wigemark of the Security Policy Unit of the 
European Commission's Directorate-General for External 
Relations, and to Stefan Nonneman of the Space Policy and 
Coordination Unit of the EC's Directorate-General for 
Enterprise and Industry, as well as to other appropriate 
officials, as soon as possible.  USEU also is authorized to 
provide the U.S. line-in/line-out mark-up of the EU's 
December 2008 draft (to be transmitted via e-mail).  USEU 
also should indicate that the United States welcomes further 
exchanges on this topic with EU Council Disarmament (CODUN) 
experts.  Mission should note that the U.S. non-paper is 
marked "For Government Use Only," and request that the 
non-paper be handled in the same manner as "Restreint UE" 
information. 
 
(SBU) For Madrid:  Embassy is requested to hand over the U.S. 
non-paper (contained in paragraph 9 below) to the CODUN 
coordinator at the Spanish MFA as soon as possible.  Embassy 
Madrid is also authorized to provide the U.S. 
line-in/line-out mark-up version of EU's December 2008 draft 
(to be transmitted via e-mail).  Embassy should indicate that 
the U.S. welcomes further exchanges on this topic during the 
Spanish Presidency of the EU Council and note that the United 
States will continue to work with the European Union and 
other like-minded nations in efforts to advance a set of 
voluntary TCBMs that is acceptable to the greatest number of 
countries.  Embassy also should note that the U.S. non-paper 
is marked "For Government Use Only," and request that the 
non-paper be handled in the same manner as "Restreint UE" 
information. 
 
(SBU) For London and Paris:  Embassies are requested to hand 
over the U.S. non-paper contained in paragraph 9 to John 
Saltford of the UK FCO and to Donatianne Hissard of the 
French MFA, as well as to other appropriate FCO or MFA 
officials.  Posts also are requested to provide the U.S. 
line-in/line-out mark-up of the EU's December 2008 draft (to 
be transmitted via e-mail).  Embassies also should indicate 
that the U.S. welcomes continued close collaboration within 
the P-3, as well as at the expert level on a bilateral basis, 
on approaches to build consensus for the EU's Code of Conduct 
initiative.  Embassy also should note that the U.S non-paper 
is marked "For Government Use Only," and request that the 
non-paper be handled in the same manner as "Restreint UE" 
information. 
 
(SBU) For Berlin, Ottawa, Rome, and Tokyo:  Embassies are 
requested to hand over the U.S. non-paper contained in 
paragraph 9 to outer space disarmament experts at Host 
Nation's MFAs.  Posts also are requested to provide the U.S. 
line-in/line-out mark-up of the EU's December 2008 draft (to 
be transmitted via e-mail).  Embassies should indicate that 
this is a further U.S. response to the EU's December 2008 
draft "Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities," and that 
the United States welcomes opportunities for discussions on 
specific points of the document at future bilateral space 
security dialogue discussions conducted at the expert level. 
Embassy also should note that the U.S non-paper is marked 
"For Government Use Only." 
 
 
STATE 00126206  003 OF 005 
 
SUBJECT: U.S. RESPONSE TO EU DRAFT CODE OF CONDUCT FOR 
OUTER SPACE ACTIVITI 
(SBU) For Canberra:  Embassy is requested to hand over the 
U.S. non-paper contained in paragraph 9 to Cameron Archer at 
Australian DFAT, as well as to other appropriate DFAT 
officials.  Post also is requested to provide the U.S. 
line-in/line-out mark-up of the EU's December 2008 draft (to 
be transmitted via e-mail).  Embassy should indicate that 
this is a further U.S. response to the December 2008 EU's 
draft "Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities," and that 
the United States is looking forward to the first bilateral 
space security dialogue discussions with Australia in March 
¶2010.  Embassy also should note that the U.S non-paper is 
marked "For Government Use Only." 
 
(SBU) For Seoul and Kyiv:  Embassies are requested to hand 
over the U.S. non-paper contained in paragraph 9 to outer 
space disarmament experts at their Host Nation's MFA.  Posts 
also are requested to provide the U.S. line-in/line-out 
mark-up of the EU's December 2008 draft (to be transmitted 
via e-mail).  Embassies should indicate that this is a 
further U.S. response to the EU's December 2008 draft "Code 
of Conduct for Outer Space Activities," and that the United 
States is pleased that the Host Nation indicated its support 
in the UN General Assembly's First Committee for this 
worthwhile endeavor to develop space transparency and 
confidence-building measures.  Embassy also should note that 
the U.S non-paper is marked "For Government Use Only." 
 
(SBU) For USDEL to CD:  Following hand-over to Sweden, USDEL 
to the Conference on Disarmament is authorized to provide 
courtesy copies of the U.S. non-paper contained in paragraph 
9 to the CD delegations of EU Member States.  USDEL also is 
authorized to provide the U.S. line-in/line-out mark-up of 
the EU's December 2008 draft (to be transmitted via e-mail). 
USDEL also is authorized to share copies of the non-paper and 
line-in/line-out version of the EU's December 2008 draft with 
non-EU members of the CD's Western Group, as well as to 
Brazil and India.  USDEL also should note that the U.S 
non-paper is marked "For Government Use Only." END ACTION 
REQUEST. 
 
¶9. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT OF U.S. NON-PAPER: 
 
Non-Paper 
December 9, 2009 
 
The United States welcomes opportunities for substantive 
discussions on outer space transparency and 
confidence-building measures (TCBMs) with all established and 
emerging spacefaring nations. 
 
In particular, the United States has appreciated the 
opportunity to exchange with European experts our thoughts on 
this pragmatic and constructive European Union initiative. 
 
In consultation with the European Union and our allies in 
other regions, the United States currently is assessing 
options for international cooperation in space as a part of a 
comprehensive review of U.S. national space policy.  This 
review of space cooperation options includes a "blank slate" 
analysis of the feasibility of options for effectively 
verifiable space-related arms control measures that advance 
the national security interests of the United States, its 
friends and allies, and all spacefaring nations. 
 
--It is premature to predict the specific decisions that may 
result from the U.S. policy review. 
 
--As a result, the United States currently takes no position 
regarding the feasibility and desirability of a political 
commitment (in Section 4.2. of the EU's draft) for 
Subscribing States to "refrain from any intentional action 
which will or might bring about, directly or indirectly, the 
damage or destruction of outer space objects, unless such 
action is conducted to reduce the creation of outer space 
debris and/or justified by imperative safety considerations." 
 
 
STATE 00126206  004 OF 005 
 
SUBJECT: U.S. RESPONSE TO EU DRAFT CODE OF CONDUCT FOR 
OUTER SPACE ACTIVITI 
--The United States thanks the Swedish Presidency and the 
European Commission for the EU's timely and constructive 
inputs dated October 8, 2009, to our Presidentially-directed 
review. 
 
--The United States looks forward to consulting with the 
European Union in early 2010 on insights gained from this 
Presidential review as part of our continuing dialogues on 
space security. 
 
The United States welcomes opportunities for fruitful and 
forthright exchanges with the European Union to advance 
voluntary transparency and confidence-building measures that 
are acceptable to the greatest number of countries.  In this 
regard, the United States notes its proposals to make several 
key revisions in the Council of the European Union's draft: 
 
--In Section 2, relating to "General Principles": 
----Revise language in the fourth principle for greater 
clarity regarding the responsibility of Subscribing States to 
take measures to prevent outer space from becoming an area of 
conflict.  In modifying the word "measures," the United 
States believes the adjective "reasonable" better reflects a 
Signatory State's responsibility than the adjective 
"adequate."  To the United States, "adequate" means the 
measures a party employs must resolve the problem, otherwise 
that party could be accused of being deficient in its actions. 
 
--In Section 6, relating to "Notification of outer space 
activities": 
----Revise language in Sub-section 6.1. to clarify the 
circumstances for notification of planned maneuvers, 
collisions, and other orbital incidents that could pose 
hazards to spaceflight safety. 
----Remove a commitment in Sub-section 6.1. for notification 
of "orbital changes and re-entries, as well as other relevant 
orbital parameters" to "all potentially affected Subscribing 
States."  The United States believes that this proposed 
measure is too broad, and could if adopted, constrain 
unnecessarily national security space activities that are 
already conducted with due regard to the corresponding 
interests of all other spacefaring nations. 
----Add a provision in Sub-section 6.1. to provide for 
notification of high-risk re-entry events, using 
qualification criteria developed by the Inter-Agency Space 
Debris Coordination Committee (IADC). 
----Add a new Sub-section (6.2.) defining the channels for 
Subscribing States to provide appropriate notifications. 
----Delete original Sub-section 6.2, which repeats a 
commitment made in Sub-section 3.1 (b). 
 
--In Section 9, on "Consultation mechanism": 
----Revise language in Sub-section 9.1. to clarify the 
conditions and channels for consultations between and among 
Subscribing States. 
----Substitute an alternative word for "proven" in 
Sub-section 9.2 for the purposes of clarity; it is unclear 
what "proven incidents" are. 
----Revise language in Sub-section 9.2. to clarify the 
approach used in a possible investigation mechanism to 
develop advisory findings and recommendations of a 
non-binding nature. 
 
--In Section 10, on "Biennial meeting of Subscribing States:" 
----Add language on the agenda for biennial meetings to allow 
for the discussion of measures that might appear necessary, 
due to technology advances.  The United States believes that 
this provision could allow for the Code to adapt to the 
development of new capabilities, such as novel concepts for 
the removal of orbital debris. 
 
--In Section 12, on "Outer space activities database:" 
----Add a provision to allow for the sharing of information 
with all Subscribing, as well as non-Subscribing, States on 
the basis of the principle of "co-operation and mutual 
assistance" in Article IX and in Article XI of the Outer 
 
STATE 00126206  005 OF 005 
 
SUBJECT: U.S. RESPONSE TO EU DRAFT CODE OF CONDUCT FOR 
OUTER SPACE ACTIVITI 
Space Treaty, in which Subscribing States conducting 
activities in outer space, including the Moon and other 
celestial bodies, agree to inform the Secretary-General of 
the United Nations, as well as the public and the 
international scientific community, to the greatest extent 
feasible and practicable, of the nature, conduct, locations, 
and results of such activities.  In order to enhance 
space-flight safety, the United States would support 
providing the database to all spacefaring nations, whether or 
not they are Subscribing States. 
 
The United States notes that these proposed revisions will 
help to address a number of the key concerns identified in a 
January 7, 2009, non-paper provided to the Czech Presidency. 
These concerns include: 
 
-- Language in the Section on "Notification of Space 
Activities" (Section 6.1) of the December 2008 draft that 
calls on Subscribing States to provide prior notification of 
"scheduled maneuvers" or "orbital changes and re-entries, as 
well as other relevant orbital parameters," regardless of any 
risk of hazard to another nation's space activities. 
 
-- Draft language on a "consultation mechanism" (Section 9.1) 
that: 
---- Would enable Subscribing States to pursue creation of a 
consultative mechanism to discuss the space-related 
activities of a Subscribing State for the purpose of 
"achieving acceptable solutions regarding measures to be 
adopted in order to prevent or minimize the inherent risks;" 
and 
---- Calls upon the Subscribing States that are involved in 
this consultative mechanism to "seek solutions based on an 
equitable balance of interests." 
 
-- Draft language on "mechanism to investigate proven 
incidents affecting space objects" (Section 9.2). 
 
The United States also continues to have significant concerns 
about the widespread use of language connoting binding 
obligations, such as "shall" and "will," in the proposed 
non-binding Code of Conduct.  The use of such language in a 
non-binding document is contrary to established practice; for 
example, The Hague Code of Conduct, which is not binding 
under international law, does not use such binding language. 
The United States believes that its proposed revisions more 
properly reflect the non-binding nature of the proposed Code 
of Conduct. 
 
END TEXT OF U.S. NON-PAPER. 
 
¶10. (U) Any reporting on this subject should be flagged for 
the Department (ISN/MDSP: Richard H. Buenneke) and Geneva 
(CD). 
CLINTON