Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DARESSALAAM1883
2006-11-30 12:40:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Cable title:  

TANZANIA: CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION LEGISLATION

Tags:  PARM PREL CWC OPCW CBW AF TZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0017
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDR #1883 3341240
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 301240Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5175
INFO RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY 3091
RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA PRIORITY 2447
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA PRIORITY 2889
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY 0403
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L DAR ES SALAAM 001883 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

VCI FOR KWALKIN AND DCLAGETT; ISN/CB FOR ESIDLER; IO/UNP
FOR BHARRIS AND SVANBRANDY; UNSUN FOR EBRUNO; AF/E FOR
BYODER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2011
TAGS: PARM PREL CWC OPCW CBW AF TZ
SUBJECT: TANZANIA: CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION LEGISLATION
MOVING FORWARD

REF: A. A. STATE 134200

B. B. DAR ES SALAAM 01425

C. C. DAR ES SALAAM 01501

Classified By: D. Purnell Delly, Deputy Chief of Mission, for reason
C O N F I D E N T I A L DAR ES SALAAM 001883

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

VCI FOR KWALKIN AND DCLAGETT; ISN/CB FOR ESIDLER; IO/UNP
FOR BHARRIS AND SVANBRANDY; UNSUN FOR EBRUNO; AF/E FOR
BYODER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2011
TAGS: PARM PREL CWC OPCW CBW AF TZ
SUBJECT: TANZANIA: CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION LEGISLATION
MOVING FORWARD

REF: A. A. STATE 134200

B. B. DAR ES SALAAM 01425

C. C. DAR ES SALAAM 01501

Classified By: D. Purnell Delly, Deputy Chief of Mission, for reason 1.
4 (b).


1. (U) This cable contains an Action Request. See para 6.


2. (C) SUMMARY. The Government of Tanzania (GOT) is making
steady progress toward implementing its obligations under the
Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). In late October, the
Ministry of Defense (MOD) finalized draft legislation for
implementation of the CWC and tabled the legislation at an
Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee. The Committee
approved the bill on November 15 and forwarded the bill to
President Kikwete's Cabinet. According to the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs (MFA),the Cabinet will review, and likely
approve, the legislation on November 28. The MFA expects
that the bill will then be tabled in Parliament during the
April 2007 session. The GOT would like to conduct
sensitization seminars to build awareness among Members of
Parliament about the importance of CWC legislation.
Informally, the GOT has asked post what type of assistance
the USG would be able to provide to support such
sensitization efforts (see para 4). END SUMMARY.



CWC Bill Approved by Technical Committee
--------------

3. (C) Irene Mkwawa-Kasyanju, Head of the Legal Department
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized that the GOT
had made progress on legislation for implementation of the
Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). She explained that the
Ministry of Defense (MOD),finalized the draft bill in late
October and tabled the bill at an Inter-Ministerial Technical
Committee on November 15. "The Inter-Ministerial Technical
Committee, which is a meeting with all Permanent Secretaries,
passed the legislation with few concerns or amendments,"
Mkwawa-Kasyanju noted. She stressed that approval by the
Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee was a critical step in
moving the legislation forward to the Cabinet.

Cabinet to Review CWC Bill on November 28
--------------

4. (C) According to Mkwawa-Kasyanju, the President's Cabinet
is scheduled to review the Chemical Weapons Convention bill
on November 28. She predicted that the legislation would be
approved by the Cabinet without any problems and with few
amendments: "The legislation has already successfully passed
at the technical level, so we do not foresee any major
changes or hold-up with obtaining Cabinet approval."

U.S. Assistance for Parliamentary Sensitization?
-------------- --

5. (SBU) While hesitant to predict when the legislation
would move to Parliament for a first reading, Ms.
Mkwawa-Kasyanju said her best guess was the April 2007
session. "Before we move the bill to Parliament," she
explained, "we would like to hold seminars to sensitize the
Parliament." Mkwawa-Kasyanju asked Poloff what U.S.
assistance might be available for sensitization seminars.
She noted that, if the GOT adequately briefed Members of
Parliament on the importance of the CWC, the process would
move more efficiently. Poloff promised to inquire with
Washington about precisely what type of assistance was
available to help countries implement the CWC.

Comment and Action Request:
--------------

6. (C) From October 16-17, Tanzania hosted a regional CWC
conference for National Authorities in Africa. The
conference seems to have motivated Tanzania to push forward
on implementing its obligations under the CWC, especially on
the legislative front. Mkwawa-Kasyanju called the
conference a "success" and said the discussions focused
attention on what Tanzania needed to do next. Action
Request: To build on this positive momentum, Post would
appreciate additional information on what type of technical
assistance can be provided to sensitize Tanzania's Members of
Parliament to the CWC legislation. END COMMENT.
RETZER