VZCZCXRO6598
RR RUEHSK RUEHSL
DE RUEHVEN #0051 0491051
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181051Z FEB 10
FM USMISSION USOSCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6905
INFO RUCNCFE/CONVENTIONAL ARMED FORCES IN EUROPE
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RHMFISS/CDRUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC
RUESDT/DTRA-OSES DARMSTADT GE
RUEASWA/DTRA ALEX WASHINGTON DC
RHMCSUU/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHMCSUU/SACEUR POLAD SHAPE BE
RHMFIUU/USAREUR POLAD HEIDELBERG GE
UNCLAS USOSCE 000051
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR VCI/CCA, EUR/RPM
NSC FOR FRIEDT, HAYDEN
JCS FOR J5 NORWOOD, COL SMITH
OSD FOR ISA (KEHL, WALLENDER)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCFE OSCE PARM PREL RO
SUBJECT: CFE/JCG: FEBRUARY 16: GROUND HOG DAY AS A DOZEN
ALLIES PILE ON AGAIN
1. (SBU) During the 16 February JCG, we saw our shadow,
again. i.e., Statements were made regarding the refusal of
CFE inspections by the Russian Federation, and multiple
countries supported the complaints. In this case, the United
States (Neighbour) and Turkey (Begec) made statements
reporting the Russian Federation refusal of their respective
recently notified CFE inspections. Inter alia, the U.S.
intervention drew on elements of the Secretary,s 29 January
remarks in Paris on the future of European security.
Referring to Russia,s intervention in the JCG on 9 February,
Neighbour also reiterated the importance of observing all
rights and obligations vis a vis all States Parties,
including providing notifications of intent to inspect and
bringing questions relating to compliance with provisions of
the Treaty to the JCG.
2. (SBU) Romania, Portugal, the Czech Republic, the United
Kingdom, Denmark, Georgia, Bulgaria, Spain, France, Italy,
Germany and Canada followed with interventions to express
full support for statements by the U.S. and Turkey and called
for full implementation of CFE by all States parties. This
time, Russia sat in silence and offered no reply.
3. (SBU) The Greek Chair tabled a Draft Decision on the
Duration of the Present Session (JCG.DD/1/10), proposing to
conclude the present session on 23 July 2010, with the last
JCG plenary on 20 July. The fall session was proposed to
open 30 August 2010 with the first actual JCG meeting on 7
September. Russia (Federyakov) intervened to say he had no
objection, but would require formal instructions from capital
to agree to adoption. (Comment: We had urged the Greek
Chair to propose that the final JCG be on 13 July, i.e., the
day after the last OSCC plenary. Greece said it was willing
to do that, but in informal consultations, the Russians told
Greece that the last JCG should be on 27 July since the last
Permanent Council is to be on 29 July. Russia has informally
told the Chair they will not withhold consensus when this
proposal as tabled comes up for adoption on 9 March.)
4. (U) Due to two cancelled meetings, the next JCG will not
be until 9 March, under the chairmanship of Hungary.
FULLER