US embassy cable - 04OTTAWA3440

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 003440 
 
SIPDIS 
 
CONFIDENTIAL NOFORN 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SERIAL:  (U)  IIR 6 815 0020 05. 
 
COUNTRY:  (U) RUSSIA (RS); CANADA (CA). 
 
IPSP:  (U) IFC1311; IFC1316; IFC1321; IFC1326. 
 
TAGS: PARM 
SUBJECT: IIR 6 815 0020 05/RUSSIA INTERESTED IN INCREASED 
COOPERATION ON ARCTIC SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR) (U) 
 
WARNING:  (U) THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY 
EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE.  REPORT IS CLASSIFIED C O N F I D E N 
T I A L/NOFORN. 
 
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                     DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
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DOI:  (U) 20041220. 
 
REQS:  (U) DHCD110015. 
 
SOURCE: (C) //OTS 6 815 0007 05//SENIOR RUSSIAN MILITARY 
OFFICER WHO HAS SERVED AT MULTIPLE DIPLOMATIC POSTS AND HAS 
DIRECT KNOWLEDGE OF GOVERNMENT POLICY POSITIONS.  PRESUMED 
RELIABLE. 
 
SUMMARY: (C/NF) RUSSIA IS INTERESTED IN ENHANCING COOPERATION 
WITH CANADA AND THE U.S. ON SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR) 
OPERATIONS IN THE ARCTIC.  RUSSIA MAY ALSO BE OPEN TO 
INCREASING TRANSPARENCY ON BOMBER AND FIGHTER EXERCISES IN 
THE FAR NORTH. 
 
TEXT:  1. (C/NF) ACCORDING TO SOURCE, RUSSIA IS INTERESTED IN 
ENHANCING COOPERATION ON SAR OPERATIONS IN THE ARCTIC, 
INCLUDING NORTHERN CANADA AND ALASKA.  RUSSIAN MILITARY 
INTENDS TO RAISE THE ISSUE WITH CANADIAN COUNTERPARTS DURING 
JOINT STAFF TALKS IN 2005.  SOURCE BELIEVES RUSSIAN MILITARY 
HAS MADE A POLICY DECISION THAT GREATER TRANSPARENCY AND 
COOPERATION ARE REQUIRED TO EFFECTIVELY CONDUCT SAR 
OPERATIONS IN THE DEMANDING ARCTIC ENVIRONMENT AND TO ENSURE 
THAT THE BEST POSITIONED RESCUE FORCE IS ABLE TO RESPOND. 
 
2. (C/NF)  RO ASKED SOURCE IF RUSSIA WOULD ALSO BE INTERESTED 
IN GREATER TRANSPARENCY IN BOMBER EXERCISES AND AIR DEFENSE 
OPERATIONS IN THE ARCTIC AS WELL.  SOURCE STATED THAT WHILE 
ANY DECISION ON TRANSPARENCY IN BOMBER ACTIVITIES WAS ABOVE 
HIS LEVEL, HE HAD CONSULTED WITH HIS DEFENSE MINISTRY AND 
THERE MAY BE A CHANCE THAT THIS ISSUE COULD BE RAISED AS WELL 
DURING JOINT STAFF TALKS AT THE COLONEL/O-6 LEVEL BETWEEN 
RUSSIA AND CANADA AND/OR RUSSIA AND THE UNITED STATES. 
SOURCE OPINED THAT THE IDEAL SOLUTION WOULD BE TO HAVE 
OCCASIONAL TRIPARTITE STAFF TALKS AMONG U.S., CANADA, AND 
RUSSIA AT THE O-6 LEVEL TO DISCUSS ISSUES CONCERNING MILITARY 
OPERATIONS IN THE ARCTIC; INCLUDING SAR, TRAINING AND 
EXERCISES, AND NORTHWEST PASSAGE SECURITY ISSUES. 
 
COMMENTS: 1. (C/NF) FIELD COMMENTS.  SOURCE HAD BEEN ASKED 
THE QUESTION ON BOMBER EXERCISE TRANSPARENCY ON THREE OTHER 
OCCASIONS IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.  IN THE PAST SOURCE WAS 
VERY CIRCUMSPECT AND NONCOMMITAL ON WHETHER TO EVEN ASK THE 
QUESTION AT HOME.  THIS TIME IT WAS CLEAR SOURCE HAD 
CONSULTED WITH MOSCOW AND THAT THERE WAS AT LEAST SOME 
WILLINGNESS TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE AT THE WORKING LEVEL DURING 
JOINT STAFF TALKS.  IT WAS ALSO CLEAR SOURCE HAD BEEN ASKED 
TO PRESENT A SIMILAR PROPOSAL ON SAR OPERATIONS. 
 
2. (C/NF) RO RAISED THE BOMBER EXERCISE ISSUE BASED UPON PAST 
DISCUSSIONS WITH FORMER CDR NORAD/NORTHCOM GENERAL ED 
((EBERHART)).  ENHANCED TRANSPARENCY AND COOPERATION ARE 
STILL OF INTEREST TO NORAD/NORTHCOM.  RO BELIEVES BEST CHANCE 
FOR SUCCESS WILL BE PROPOSING TO EXTEND 2005 RUSSIA-CANADA 
JOINT STAFF TALKS BY A DAY TO INCLUDE A TRIPARTITE SESSION 
WITH THE U.S. ATTENDED BY REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE JOINT 
STAFF AND HQ NORTH AMERICAN AEROSPACE DEFENSE COMMAND 
(NORAD).  THIS SESSION COULD BE USED TO DISCUSS THE FULL 
SPECTRUM OF MILITARY ISSUES OF MUTUAL INTEREST IN THE ARCTIC. 
RAISING THE ISSUE IN CANADA WOULD BE LESS THREATENING TO THE 
RUSSIANS THAN DOING SO IN THE U.S. OR RUSSIA; JUST AS 
EFFECTIVE FROM A NORAD PERPECTIVE; AND APPROPRIATE SINCE 
CANADA HAS SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE MOST ARCTIC TERRITORY OF 
CONCERN. 
 
3. (U) SOURCE REMAINS AVAILABLE FOR FURTHER EXPLOITATION. 
 
4. (C/NF) THIS REPORTING SUPPORTS PRIORITY 2, PARAGRAPH 3A, 
OF THE DAO OTTAWA OPERATING DIRECTIVE. 
 
5. (U) DIRECT ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING THIS IIR TO DHO-1 AT 
STU III (703) 907-0541, OR GRAY 981-8236. 
 
COLL:  (U) AB; AH; MM. 
INSTR: (U) US NO. 
PREP:  (U) 6-03048. 
ACQ:  (U) CANADA, OTTAWA (20041220). 
DISSEM:  (U) FIELD:  AMEMB OTTAWA. 
WARNING:  (U) REPORT CLASSIFIED 
C O N F I D E N T I A L/NOT RELEASABLE TO FOREIGN NATIONALS. 
 
SIPDIS 
DRV FROM:  DH SCG OCT 2004 
DECL ON:  20141222