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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USOSCE 000019 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCFE OSCE PARM PREL
SUBJECT: OPEN SKIES: 2010 OPENING PLENARY - AN EFFICIENT 
CANADA TAKES THE CHAIR 
 
REF: STATE 006955 
 
1.(U) Summary:  The first plenary of the 51st session of the 
Open Skies Consultative Commission was efficient and 
productive under Canadian chairmanship.  Canada provided a 
useful overview of its principle objectives as Chair and 
indicated it would initiate a full agenda for the run-up to 
the Second Open Skies Review Conference in June. 
Additionally, States Parties agreed two draft decisions 
prolonging the work of the Informal Working Group on Sensors 
and harmonizing the OSCC scales of distribution with those of 
the OSCE, and welcomed two new draft decisions for review. 
Request for guidance in para 10 regarding support for 
Canada's initiative to bring Kazakhstan into the Open Skies 
system.  End summary. 
 
------------- 
Canada Charts its Flight Path 
------------- 
 
2.(U) The first plenary meeting of the 51st Session of the 
Open Skies Consultative Commission was held on January 25 
with Canada (Linteau) assuming the chairmanship.  Delegates 
were greeted by Canadian Ambassador to the OSCE Fredericka 
Gregory, who detailed Canada's four key priorities for the 
upcoming session: 1) to support and facilitate the 
preparation of the Second Open Skies Review Conference, 2) 
support and closely cooperate with the informal Open Skies 
working groups, 3) align the OSCC Scale of Distribution with 
that of the OSCE, and 4) actively promote the Open Skies 
Treaty to other delegations within the OSCE to both 
communicate its value in the OSCE toolkit and recruit new 
accessions to the Treaty. 
 
3.(U) Ambassador Gregory called the Open Skies Treaty "a real 
jewel" in the politico-military toolkit but argued the States 
Parties should not rest on their laurels.  Gregory called for 
a review of OS instruments and methods, including how States 
Parties can increase cost effectiveness, and suggested the 
States Parties consider how the regime could become "more 
relevant" to 21st Century security challenges. 
 
------------- 
Taking Care of Business in the OSCC 
------------- 
 
4.(U) The OSCC adopted two draft decisions during the January 
25 meeting.  States Parties agreed on a decision Prolonging 
the Work of the Informal Working Group on Sensors (IWGS) into 
the Year 2010 (OSCC.DD/1/10), which allowed the IWGS to 
continue its momentum toward completing Revision 1 to 
Decision 14 and a draft decision for Digital Image Processing 
during 2010.  States Parties also agreed on a decision 
regarding the OSCC Scales of Distribution for 2010 
(OSCC.DD/2/10/Corr.1), which brought them in line with those 
of the OSCE, per Permanent Council Decision 924.  Per Ref A, 
U.S. del joined consensus on both decisions. 
 
5.(U) On behalf of the chair, the U.S. (Neighbour) introduced 
a draft decision on the Rules of Procedure and Working 
Methods of the Open Skies Consultative Commission and Its 
Informal Working Groups (OSCC.DD/3/10).  The U.S. stated that 
this decision would provide a useful "housekeeping" fix that 
would allow the regime to operate at peak efficiency.  The 
U.S. pointed out the decision incorporated recommendations 
from several States Parties, such as allowing for more than 
one OSCC plenary per month, as suggested by Luxembourg, and 
re-establishing the Informal Working Group on Notifications 
and Formats, per input from Hungary.  The U.S. stated it was 
willing to chair the Informal Working Group on Notifications 
and Formats, as it had in the past, unless another State 
Party wished to volunteer.  Canada (Linteau) placed this item 
on the agenda for adoption by the next OSCC plenary. 
 
6.(U) Canada (Linteau) tabled a draft letter to EUROCONTROL 
concerning procedures for charging fees for air navigation 
services during Open Skies missions.  The Russian Federation 
(Federyakov) noted the draft letter seemed to incorporate all 
Russian concerns but nonetheless requested additional time to 
review.  Ukraine (Taran) also requested for time for his 
 
USOSCE 00000019  002 OF 002 
 
 
capital to study the proposal.  Canada placed this item on 
the agenda for endorsement at the next OSCC session. 
 
------------- 
The U.S. Remains Active 
------------- 
 
7.(U) The United States (Neighbour) delivered a statement on 
U.S. usage of Open Skies airframe and imaging assets to 
assist in Haiti relief efforts.  The U.S. noted its OC-135B 
aircraft used nearly 8,000 feet of film to image 
approximately 75% of Haitian territory.  The processed images 
were sent to the U.S. Department of Defense for review and 
dissemination to interested support and humanitarian 
organizations to assist in planning and implementing relief 
efforts on the ground.  The U.S. hoped this mission 
illustrated the continued value of both the regime and 
related assets. 
 
8.(U) The U.S. also provided an update to the plenary on IWGS 
efforts to date, including U.S. efforts to implement the 
January 25 digital target specifications workshop and 
upcoming IWGS meetings.  No States Parties followed up with 
U.S. del during the formal session or on the margins. 
 
------------- 
RFG:  Support for Canada on Kazakhstan Accession 
------------- 
 
9.(SBU) After the meeting, Canada (Gregory and Linteau) told 
USDel (Neighbour) regarding their objective as Chair on new 
accessions to Open Skies that Kazakhstan made the most sense, 
perhaps joined by Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.  As former 
Soviet republics, each enjoys privileged entree into the Open 
Skies regime; with Kazakhstan holding the OSCE Chairmanship 
in the year of the OS Review Conference, the timing is just 
right.  Separately, Turkey (Begec) told us they would be very 
supportive of efforts to bring in any new Central Asian 
members, including with demarches in Central Asian capitals 
if requested by the OSCC chair (Note: Turkey's firm position 
against accession for Cyprus remains unchanged).  When we 
asked Russia (Federyakov) if any new members made sense to 
them, he replied "Central Asia, why not?" explaining those 
states might wish to accede for political reasons.  USDel 
noted it was uninstructed and undertook to request guidance 
from capital. 
 
10.(SBU) Request for Guidance: Canada is planning to go 
forward with letters to OSCE pS that are not members of Open 
Skies to invite them to consider accession and to work with 
delegations in Vienna.  Canada is likely to particularly 
encourage Kazakhstan since it is CiO, citing political and 
non-hard security (e.g., environmental monitoring) arguments 
as reasons to join.  Since the U.S. is Chair of the RevCon, 
Canada would welcome whatever support we can offer.  USDel is 
prepared to approach the Kazakhstan delegation and others as 
appropriate in support of Canada and to appropriately follow 
up.  Please advise.  End guidance request. 
 
11.(U) The next Open Skies Consultative Commission plenary 
session will be held on February 22 under Canadian 
chairmanship. 
FULLER