CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (CWC): WRAP-UP FOR THE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 THE HAGUE 003281

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

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 WALTER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM PREL CWC
SUBJECT: CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (CWC): WRAP-UP FOR THE
39TH SESSION OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

REF: STATE 265497

This is CWC-150-04.

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EC RESULTS
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1. (U) The December 14 Executive Council session produced
the following results.


2. (U) Under agenda item 5:

-- On 5.1, at the request of the U.S. and Russia, the EC
agreed to defer the verification plan for Aberdeen to the
next EC.

-- On item 5.2, regarding the verification plan for an Indian
destruction facility, the Indian delegation noted that the
facility agreement for this CWDF has not yet been completed
and circulated by the Technical Secretariat. The U.S. stated
that it was necessary to view the facility agreement in order
to make a proper decision on the verification plan. The EC
deferred consideration of the matter to the next EC. In a
subsequent discussion, the representative of the Indian
national authority informed the U.S. that India hopes to have
the CWDF on-line in mid-to-late March, after the next EC
session (March 15-18). The Indian rep said that the Indian
delegation would like to work closely with the U.S. on the
facility agreement to ensure that there are no problems and
that both documents can be approved at the March EC.


3. (U) Under agenda item 6:

-- On 6.1, the EC noted the Director General's report on CW
production facilities where conversion is still in progress.

-- On 6.2, Russia provided a short report on the status of
conversion at the VX facility at Novocheboksarsk and the fill
facility at Volgograd. The U.S. raised the point that it is
important for Russia or the TS to provide information about
the status of conversion activities at five facilities: the
two discussed by Russia, as well as the VX production/filling
facility at Novocheboksarsk; the sarin production, soman
production, sarin/soman filling facility at Volgograd; and
Dzerzhinsk.

-- On 6.3, the EC approved the combined plan for conversion
and verification at Rabta 1 and 2.


4. (U) Under agenda item 7:

-- On 7.1, at the request of the U.S. and Russia, the EC
deferred consideration of the facility agreement on Aberdeen
to the next EC.

-- On 7.2 to 7.6, the EC approved numerous Libyan facility
agreements. The minor changes provided reftel were given to
the Libyan delegation and the TS, and the TS is considering
the most efficient manner of incorporating the U.S. points.

-- On 7.7, the EC noted the agreed changes to the facility
agreement at Umatilla.


5. (U) Under agenda item 8:

-- On 8.1, the EC noted the DG's income and expenditure
reports for September and October 2004. The UK and
Netherlands made statements from the floor regarding the
importance of prompt payment of both assessed contributions
and Article IV/V payments, although neither delegation named
any particular State Party.

-- On 8.2, the EC noted the resignation of Yu Dunhai (PRC)
from the Advisory Body on Administrative and Financial
Matters, and approved the appointment of Zhang Shen (PRC).


6. (U) Under any other business (agenda item 9),the EC
adopted report language provided by the U.S. on late
submissions of industry declarations, urging States Parties
to meet their obligations in a timely manner.

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RABTA PHARMACEUTICALS
--------------


7. (U) At the Dec. 14 WEOG meeting, Dutch Amb. Vogelaar
raised the conversion of the Rabta facility in Libya.
Vogelaar said that the Dutch support the conversion
wholeheartedly, but noted there had been substantial weight
given to the fact that there is a "humanitarian objective" to
the conversion. Vogelaar went on to emphasize that the Dutch
government would like to have report language which notes
that SPs should be "informed on the implementation of the
humanitarian component of the conversion, i.e., the
production of low cost drugs against AIDS/HIV and other
diseases," and calling upon Libya "to provide periodic
reports on progress of the drugs project through the
appropriate channels, in due course."


8. (SBU) After comments from several delegations, the
result was agreement by Vogelaar for discussions on this
matter before the March EC. Subsequently, Vogelaar explained
to Amb. Javits that there were Dutch concerns about whether
the production of low-cost pharmaceuticals could take place
due to questions about licensing. Following up on that
point, the UK later discussed the matter with the Italian
delegation, which indicated its understanding that licensing
arrangements had been handled by the Italian firm that is
involved with conversion of the Rabta facility. However, due
to concerns about proprietary information, the Italian
delegation could not say anything at the WEOG. There was
agreement between the Del, the UK and Italy to brief Vogelaar
as soon as Italy was free to share that information.

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DONORS MEETING
--------------


9. (U) The December 14 donors meeting was relatively
uneventful. The Dutch MFA has provided a draft report of the
meeting, which has been transmitted to AC/CB. Leonid
Petrovich Lyangasov, head of section of the newly established
Russian Federal Agency for Industry, informed the group that
organizational restructuring is still under way and that
there is still an interagency review of revised destruction
plans. He reported that the start-up of Kambarka is set for
late 2005. With regard to the Maradykovskiy facility, there
will be utilization of new technology which would allow for
destruction of CW while it is inside the munition. With
regard to financing, Lyangasov reported that the Russian
budget is in its final stage of consideration and it
currently looks as though all requested funding for CW
destruction will be approved. When pressed for a time,
Lyangasov thought it would be the first quarter of 2005.


10. (U) On other matters, there was discussion of recent
meetings, including the National Forum Dialogue in Moscow.
While all participants recognized the value of such
gatherings, the U.S. emphasized the importance of focusing
the discussion on resolution of practical implementation
issues and avoiding complaints about failure of donors to
spend funds inside Russia. Canada seconded the U.S. points.
Other participants then provided a status report of program
activities and funding, which are contained in the draft
report.


11. (U) Ito sends.
SOBEL