MISSILE TECHNOLOGY CONTROL REGIME: 06 JULY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 004977

SIPDIS

FOR NP/CBM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10 YEARS
TAGS: ETTC FR KS KSCA MNUC PARM PREL TSPA MTCRE
SUBJECT: MISSILE TECHNOLOGY CONTROL REGIME: 06 JULY
MEETING OF MTCR POINTS OF CONTACT IN PARIS

REF: SECSTATE 121901

Classified By: EST Counselor Robert W. Dry for Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: On 6 July 2005, Embassy EST officer
attended a meeting of the Missile Technology Control Regime
(MTCR) Points of Contacts (POCS) held at the Korean Embassy
in Paris. This meeting focused on preparations for the
September MTCR Plenary in Madrid.


2. (C) Summary, Continued: The meeting commenced with an
update from the Korean MTCR representative in Paris, Hye-ran
Yoo, on the most recent outreach activities conducted by the
Korean MTCR Chair, then moved to discussions on both
logistical and substantive matters concerning the proposed
Plenary agenda. In regard to logistical issues, the Spanish
Ambassador in Paris made a specific proposal, at the behest
of the Korean Chair, to move the Chair's statement from 14
September to the morning of 12 September in order to allow
for the Chair to make his remarks prior to leaving Madrid for
meetings at the United Nations in New York. Partners were
given until 15 July to comment formally on the proposed
changes to the agenda. Embassy EST officer made
interventions on basis of reftel points and requested
clarification on the proposed changes to the agenda and more
generally on the substance and timing of the Plenary
meetings, especially concerning the Information Exchange (IE)
portion. French POC also made an appeal to partners for
volunteers to assume the MTCR Chairmanship following
completion of Spain's upcoming tenure as Chair. End Summary.

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MTCR OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
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3. (C) The Korean POC briefed the partners on the recent
outreach visits made by the Korean Chair to Pakistan on 31
May, and the visit by his deputy, Song Young Wan, to the
United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 7-8 June. The Korean POC
remarked that the MTCR Chair had a mixed impression of his
visit to Pakistan. Pakistani officials had expressed to the
Chair their concerns that Pakistani national security issues
were not sufficiently taken into account by the MTCR, and
asked the Chair for more consideration of the country's
unique security threats. According to the Korean POC, the
Chair characterized his overall engagement with Pakistani
officials, however, as relatively positive. The Korean POC
also provided a readout of the 7-8 June visit by the Chair's
deputy to the UAE. The Korean POC described the visit as
successful and encouraging, and said that deputy Chair Song
had been impressed by the UAE officials' commitment to the
MTCR mission, especially as it pertained to the issue of
transshipments through Dubai. The Korean POC noted the
Chair's strong recommendation, however, that the incoming
Spanish Chair continue to closely engage UAE officials during
his tenure.


4. (C) French POC Bertolotti, who had accompanied the
Chair's deputy to the UAE, also commented regarding his
impressions of the UAE visit. Bertolotti stressed the
competency and motivation in terms of support to MTCR goals
displayed by the UAE port authorities, police and customs
officials in Dubai. Bertolotti further noted the UAE had
recently constituted a Counter-Proliferation Task Force
made-up of port authorities, customs, and police, and other
national security agencies, signifying another example of the
seriousness in which the UAE government views the
proliferation problem. Bertolotti added that while the UAE
did not have specific export control legislation in place,
the police and security services had authority to counter
proliferation activities in the UAE.

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PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE PLENARY SCHEDULE
--------------


5. (C) The Spanish Ambassador in Paris commented regarding
the upcoming Plenary in Madrid. He asked MTCR partners to
consider a request made to him by the Korean Chair to move
the Chair's comments and the heads of delegation opening
statements from 14 September to 12 September in order to
accommodate the need for the outgoing Chair to make his
formal remarks before traveling to New York for U.N.
meetings. After several requests for clarification of the
proposed changes, MTCR partners agreed in principle to the
proposal, but decided to allow for consultations with their
respective capitals, with formal answers to be sent to the
French POC by 15 July.

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FRENCH POC AND PARTNER COMMENTS ON INFORMATION
EXCHANGE/TECHNICAL EXPERTS MEETING/ENFORCEMENT EXPERTS
-------------- --------------


6. (C) Following the discussion on the Plenary agenda, the
French POC provided an outline for the Information Exchange
to take place in Madrid. Bertolotti requested that partners
circulate their IE papers, with executive summaries for each,
well in advance of the Plenary. Bertolotti also informed
partners that the IE Chairman planned to give a presentation
prior to the commencement of Plenary agenda item 4 entitled
'Regional Missile Non-Proliferation.' The French POC noted
that France planned to circulate a paper on DPRK
proliferation activities, with a focus on shipping. The
Japanese POC then remarked that Japan will submit a report on
"Missile Developments in Northeast Asia." The Spanish POC
noted that his country was preparing a paper on Syrian
proliferation activities. The German POC asked partners to
submit reactions/comments to the German paper on the role of
ITT in proliferation activities, previously submitted as MTCR
POC document 45. In regard to the Technical Experts Meeting
(TEM),French POC informed partners that the TEM Chairman
would send TEM proposals to him by 15 July. Bertolotti also
outlined the agenda for the meeting of the Enforcement
Experts (EE) during the Plenary. The major themes of the EE
portion of the Plenary would be as follows: national
experiences and priorities, enforcement issues relating to
non-tangible technologies, enforcement of transfers and
transshipments, and a special focus on China's export control
enforcement, both its strengths and shortcomings.

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UPDATE ON ELECTRONIC POINT OF CONTACT (EPOC)
--------------


7. (C) As a final item, French POC updated partners on the
results to date of the test phase of the MTCR Electronic
Point of Contact system (EPOC). Bertolotti noted that test
users had expressed satisfaction with the EPOC thus far. He
then asked partners from the test group if they felt
sufficiently comfortable with the system that they would now
be prepared to move to the "no-paper" test phase. Test users
agreed to move to a no-paper system. French POC remarked
that he would like to extend the test group by four
additional countries, and asked partners to inform him in the
coming days if they would like to join the EPOC test phase.
French POC noted that the goal was to have full MTCR partner
participation in the EPOC prior to the Reinforced POC meeting
in 2006.

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RUSSIAN NO-SHOW
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8. (C) As the Russian POC was absent at the 06 July POC
meeting, no Russian views were presented.
STAPLETON