VZCZCXRO5416
PP RUEHAST RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL
RUEHSR
DE RUEHVEN #0018/01 0221524
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221524Z JAN 10
FM USMISSION USOSCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6830
INFO RUCNOSC/ORG FOR SECURITY CO OP IN EUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDRUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE PRIORITY
RUESDT/DTRA-OSES DARMSTADT GE PRIORITY
RUEASWA/DTRA ALEX WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMCSUU/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/USAREUR POLAD HEIDELBERG GE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USOSCE 000018 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR VCI/CCA, VCI/NRRC, EUR/RPM, EUR/PRA, EUR/CARC, 
SCA/CEN, SCA/RA, PM/WRA, ISN/CPI 
NSC FOR SHERWOOD-RANDALL, HAYDEN, MCFAUL, HOVENIER, 
NILSSON, FRIEDT 
OSD FOR ISA (WALLENDER, KEHL) 
JCS, EUCOM, USAREUR AND CENTCOM: FOR J-5 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCFE OSCE PARM PREL RS XG
SUBJECT: FSC: JAN 20 OPENING WINTER SESSION--RUSSIA IS READY 
 
REF: A. STATE 4427 
     ¶B. STATE 5040 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  The Winter Session of the FSC Plenary 
garnered general support for beginning the implementation of 
the main themes from the Issues Decision agreed at the Athens 
Ministerial: CSBMs including Vienna Document 1999 (VD99), 
Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), Code of Conduct, and 
strengthening the OSCE's crisis management and conflict 
prevention capabilities, and non-proliferation.  Russia 
introduced a reissued Draft Decision on Conflict Prevention 
and Crisis Management as a Joint FSC-PC document, and pressed 
for the first discussion of this initiative at the February 3 
plenary.  Russia is aiming for an OSCE Decision on Conflict 
Prevention at the March 10 FSC/PC Joint Session.  Russia also 
asked for a discussion at the January 27 FSC Plenary on the 
merits of its proposed European Security Treaty as a separate 
topic from the OSCE "comprehensive approach" to security. 
Russia is seeking clarification "from the West" on the 
linkage between "hard" and "soft" security, as well as a 
dialogue on the relative value of discussing a comprehensive 
approach to security as opposed to one reflecting strictly 
"hard" security principles.  End Summary. 
 
The Greek FSC Chair's Inaugural Speech 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Greece's Alternate Defense Minister Panos Beglitis 
opened the winter session marking the 600th Plenary of the 
Forum for Security Cooperation (FSC) on January 20, setting 
forth the Greek Chairmanship's goals through March and beyond 
underscoring close collaboration on the 2010 agenda with 
Hungary and Ireland, who will hold respectively successive 
FSC Chairs.  Beglitis identified the Greek Chair's priorities 
for the FSC as CSBMs/VD99, Small Arms and Light Weapons 
(SALW), and the Code of Conduct.  He expressed optimism that 
the FSC could strengthen CSBMs and the Vienna Document "in a 
way that will provide predictability and openness to all." 
Beglitis referred to Greece as a "status quo oriented 
country" that considers the commitment to refrain from the 
threat or the actual use of force against the territorial 
integrity or sovereignty of any State as "the cornerstones of 
inter-state relations," while also recognizing "the notion 
that security begins with the inherent dignity of the 
individual" so that "all our efforts should aim at 
eliminating the inter-state and intra-state challenges to 
this basic premise." 
 
Beglitis described the Georgia crisis of August 2008 as proof 
that the OSCE tool box for conflict prevention and crisis 
management was either too cumbersome or insufficient, thus 
requiring remedy.  On SALW, Beglitis previewed Greece's 
intention to improve "implementation of existing SALW 
measures as well as OSCE normative work in this field" as 
preparation for the OSCE's contribution to the Fourth 
Biennial Meeting of States of SALW this June.  Toward this 
end, the Greek chair has tabled a Food for Thought Paper on a 
Plan of Action on SALW, and is seeking input from 
participating States.  Finally he noted the importance of 
addressing non-proliferation and UNSCR 1810, and hope for 
further work in OSCE on UNSCR 1540 implementation. 
 
EU, U.S., then Russia 
--------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Spain (Betanzos) delivered the EU Statement echoing 
many of the same themes highlighted by the Greek FSC Chair. 
With regards to SALW, Spain noted that it hoped the OSCE,s 
efforts in this area would continue to &complement8 EU 
efforts on SALW.  The U.S. (Fuller) delivered ref b 
statement, with a reference to building synergies between the 
FSC and PC in the implementation of the Athens Ministerial 
Decisions.  Representing the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, 
Kazakhstan (Sulmeinov) noted the "clear tasking from Foreign 
 
USOSCE 00000018  002 OF 003 
 
 
Ministers to work on VD99, adding its preference for a 
targeted approach on those sections that "require updating 
and development."  Kazakhstan also noted its support for the 
themes raised in the Greek statement.  Russia (Ulyanov) 
labeled the Greek inaugural remarks "interesting and solid." 
Russia said the FSC should not waste time in moving forward 
with implementation of the Athens Ministerial Decisions, and 
noted that Russia has reissued its draft decision on conflict 
prevention and crisis management as a Joint FSC-PC document 
(FSC-PC.DEL/1/10/Corr.1) for discussions to be held in 
parallel of the Permanent Council and the FSC.  Russia 
requested the Chair to put the draft on the February 3 agenda 
for Working Group B (Note: Ulyanov elaborated on this point 
under Agenda Item 2, General Statements; see paragraph 5. End 
note.). 
 
¶4. (SBU) Hungary (Molnar), speaking as "a member of the FSC 
Troika," said the Athens Ministerial challenged the FSC with 
an important new role to play in the Corfu Process.  Hungary 
lauded the "expanded Troika" idea employed by Greece to 
include all of the incoming FSC Chairmen for 2010 as 
essential for building upon successive achievements, and 
pledged Hungary would prepare the Forum for Ireland, which 
will hold the final FSC Chair in 2010.  Ireland (O'Leary) 
underscored that the Corfu Process will add to an already 
formidable agenda for the FSC in the run up to the tasks for 
December.  Ireland added it was still too early to highlight 
any Irish initiatives for the FSC.  In his closing remarks, 
Beglitis expressed the opinion that the most important aspect 
of this session would be to get consensus in the FSC. 
 
More on Russia's Draft Decision on Crisis Prevention 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Russia (Ulyanov) elaborated on its conflict 
prevention draft decision for discussion on the February 3 in 
Working Group "B."  Russia would like its Draft Decision 
approved at the March 10 Joint FSC-PC meeting.  He said the 
initiative is a direct contribution to strengthening the 
OSCE's crisis management capabilities as directed within 
Ministerial Decision 16/09 (Issues Relevant to the FSC). 
Referencing "the events of August 2008," Ulyanov said current 
mechanisms do not address the danger of escalation and permit 
double standards, thus the need for a common set of rules and 
precision in the rules of conduct by States.  He recognized 
that each conflict was unique, but noted there were still 
basic principles that apply equally to all situations: 
non-use or threat to use force, role of diplomacy and 
international mediation, etc., and Russia would like these 
fundamentals "codified" in a single &package.8  Ulyanov 
acknowledged the elements in the draft decision were not 
exhaustive, and Russia looked forward to engaging on filling 
the gaps in order to make the OSCE's capabilities and 
performance more reliable. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Comment: No delegation spoke up in favor or against 
the Russian draft.  There may be recalculation of national 
positions now that Russia has circulated its conflict 
prevention/crisis management proposal as a Joint FSC-PC 
document, and in light of the Russia,s second initiative, to 
hold an FSC Security Dialogue discussion on the merits of the 
proposed European Security Treaty separate from the other 
OSCE baskets (see below).  End Comment. 
 
Any Other Business 
------------------ 
 
¶7. (SBU) Belgium (Van de Velde) reported on the ratification 
of the anti-Cluster Munitions (Oslo) Agreement, noting it is 
the 26th State to ratify and 30 are required for 
Entry-into-Force.  The U.S. (Neighbour) briefed on the U.S. 
donation to the Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) OSCE project 
in Ukraine.  The Stockpile of Conventional Ammunition 
Coordinator (Petersen) and the SALW Coordinator (Hartnell) 
 
USOSCE 00000018  003 OF 003 
 
 
reported updates, respectively FSC.DEL/4/10 and FSC.DEL/7/10. 
 Georgia requested pS to consider options for assistance for 
its UXO project.  Kazakhstan noted 300K Euros were still 
needed for implementing its "melange" project, including an 
additional 300K Euros for an ammunition test lab.  Moldova 
requested financial assistance for a new ammunition storage 
site, for SALW storage and for SAM disposal.  Serbia reported 
on its SALW project. 
 
Russia presses "the West" to explain itself 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU)  Russia (Ulyanov) requested that the FSC have an 
exchange of views of its proposed Treaty on European Security 
(EST) and how it would relate to comprehensive security in 
the OSCE area.  Ulyanov expressed concern that the impression 
given by "the West" insisting on a comprehensive approach to 
the EST was an attempt to dilute the Russian initiative, and 
a discussion on this topic in the FSC would help Russia "set 
forth its initiative in greater detail," which it intended to 
do in the coming weeks.  Ulyanov said there should be no 
problem taking a "sectoral approach" to discussing the EST as 
a separate "hard security" initiative since this has been the 
approach with other issues like CFE and START, but welcomed 
other pS, views on how and why a comprehensive approach is 
more useful.  He appealed to pS not to create artificial 
opposition, advocating discussion of the topic "in all 
formats" and in a "free-ranging" manner.  Russia asked to 
engage in this discussion at the next FSC plenary. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Comment: The thrust of Ulyanov's appeal is to 
attempt to understand the cross-dimensional security linkages 
as the framework for what Russia perceives as a sui generis 
initiative.  The Greek Chair agreed to put the discussion on 
the agenda for the 601st FSC Plenary.  Unless instructed 
otherwise, USDEL will draw from standing guidance (ref a) to 
steer the discussion in the FSC towards the inclusive, 
multi-dimensional comparative advantage the OSCE has on 
security issues. 
 
¶10. (SBU) The 601st FSC Plenary and Working Groups "B" and 
"A" will be on January 27. 
FULLER