CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (CWC): WEEKLY WRAP-UP

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 THE HAGUE 001548

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AC/CB, NP/CBM, VC/CCB, L/ACV, IO/S
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISP
JOINT STAFF FOR DD PMA-A FOR WTC
COMMERCE FOR BIS (GOLDMAN)
NSC FOR JOECK
WINPAC FOR LIEPMAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM PREL CWC
SUBJECT: CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (CWC): WEEKLY WRAP-UP
FOR 18 JUNE 2004


This is CWC-79-04.

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P-5 AMBASSADORS MEETING ON UNIVERSALITY
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1. (U) The Russian Federation hosted a June 15 meeting of
P-5 Ambassadors in The Hague, noting that the idea originated
in Moscow with Universality suggested as the first topic for
discussion. Russia also noted the connection between the CWC
and UNSC Resolution 1540 that increases the importance of CWC
Universality. The UK suggested that attendees carefully
consider whether a P-5 demarche to selected States not Party
to the CWC might bring additional pressure for them to join
the Convention. France noted that it thought the P-5 format
useful and asked whether delegations could expand the
discussion to challenge inspections and Libya conversion
requests. Amb. Javits (U.S. Perm Rep) and the UK Ambassador
replied that our first effort should be Universality.


2. (U) The Ambassadors discussed the Middle East and North
Korea, and agreed that the situation in these areas is
complex. Amb. Javits noted that he had sponsored a lunch for
Arab ambassadors, from both States Party and States not
Party, saying that not much of substance had been
accomplished, but that the atmosphere was very positive.
China noted that it had recently seen a positive change in
Arab feelings regarding the CWC, and that confidence building
efforts such as the U.S. lunch was a key first step.


3. (U) Russia then raised the workshops in Malta and Addis
Ababa, noting that Moscow had lobbied heavily in Cairo and
Damascus to get them to send reps to Malta. All delegations
expressed concern regarding the lack of appropriate TS
efforts in support of the Malta conference. Russian then
relayed Syria's response to Moscow that CW could not be
eliminated from the Middle East because of its direct link to
the Israeli nuclear program. Moscow also reported that at an
Arab League Foreign Ministers meeting, attendees agreed that
they should move away from the CWC until Israel is ready to
join the NPT. China said that if this report were true, it
would significantly increase the challenge to the P-5 of
promoting universality in that particular region.


4. (U) Attendees agreed to send to capitols the UK
suggestion of P-5 demarches to determine if this was
acceptable in principle. If so, then P-5 ambassadors could
begin debate in a future meeting (date to be determined)
regarding which states to be approached.

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INDUSTRY CONSULTATIONS - SUMMARY
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5. (U) The following is a summary of the outcome of the
June 14-18 industry consultations. The full report will be
provided septel:

-- Schedule 1 captive use remains under consideration due to
differences in opinion over whether or not a decision
clarifying the declarability of Schedule 1 'captive use'
production is necessary. On one hand, since there is no
evidence that such production exists, a decision seems
ceremonial. On the other hand, even if there exists no such
production, the knowledge and technology to produce such
chemicals in captive use situations is widely available,
particularly in the case of pharmaceutical manufacturing
(e.g., pethidine).

-- Discussions on low concentrations for Amiton, PFIB and BZ
whittled down the proposed decision text to two open items:
specific concentration percentages and whether States Parties
should apply one percentage to all three chemicals or
disparate percentages for each.

-- With regard to discussions on Schedule 2 Facility
Agreements, proposed EC-37 report language encouraging the TS
to adopt more flexible criteria in determining not to
conclude such agreements appears to have consensus. The
discussions also produced agreed EC-37 report language for
marking of Schedule 1 chemicals in the Handbook on Chemicals
to indicate chemicals which have been declared in amounts
greater than 100 grams by States Parties to the TS since
entry into force.

-- Discussions on other chemical production facilities (OCPF)
site selection made progress in terms of a path forward for
discussions, but made little progress on minimizing
substantive differences regarding accommodation of State
Parties' proposals or enhance transparency and/or
accountability in the allocation of TS nomination points.

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ARTICLE XI
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6. (U) Del rep and Iranian delegate Gholamhossein Dehghani
met on the margins of the Article X consultation on June 14
to discuss the current status of the Article XI
consultations. Dehghani noted the importance of fully
implementing Article XI and regretted the long impasse that
prevented delegations from moving forward on this issue, one
of the four pillars of the CWC. Dehghani also wondered why
no delegations had commented on the Iranian chemical
transfers paper.


7. (U) Del rep replied that two issues might have hindered
comment on the paper: first, not all states have fully
implemented their Article VII obligations, which includes the
issue of chemical transfers and export controls. This needed
to be done by CSP-10. Once all states were in compliance
with their obligations, states may be more confidant that
transferred chemicals and equipment are being used for
peaceful, legitimate enterprises. Second, the Iranian paper
proposed that all transfers of toxic chemicals be declared as
a confidence-building measure. Even if a government favored
such a measure, states with large chemical industries would
find the requirement too burdensome.


8. (U) Dehghani suggested that restricting Iran's proposal
to declarations of transfers of scheduled toxic chemicals
might make it more practical. Delrep noted that delegations
would not support creation of a clearinghouse whose charter
was to match up worldwide chemical transfers; the TS needed
to be a cost-effective, lean, and efficient organization.
Dehghani acknowledged that the Iranian suggestion of having a
Global Cooperation Committee review transfer declarations had
not received any support and asked if Washington perhaps had
come ideas on how to build confidence regarding peaceful uses
of chemicals. Delrep agreed to discuss the concept with
Washington and would get back to Dehghani with ideas at a
later date.

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OCPF SITE SELECTION
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9. (U) Del requested comments on the Swiss/U.S. OCPF site
selection proposal during the June 16 WEOG meeting. New
Zealand supports it unconditionally; Germany and the UK
reported that the issue remains under discussion in capitols,
with it being viewed favorable but requiring some minor
changes. Canada likes the method, and reported that the only
issue that remains under consideration is whether the TS
should provide States Parties with information regarding how
it used its nomination points.


10. (U) Javits sends.
SOBEL