PSI: DEMARCHE DELIVERED

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 007771 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/01/2016 TAGS: MNUC PARM PGOV PHSA PREL KNNP PK SUBJECT: PSI: DEMARCHE DELIVERED REF: STATE 050811 Classified By: Derived from DSCG 05-01, b. ¶1. (U) See action request at para 5. ¶2. (C) Polcouns delivered reftel demarche in a meeting with MFA Director General for Disarmament Qazi Khalilullah and Director for Disarmament Kamran Aktar, urging that Pakistan endorse PSI Interdiction Principles as a precursor to participation in the June Senior Level Political meeting on PSI hosted by Poland. Khalilullah underscored that Pakistan shared the nonproliferation objectives but had questions about the Statement of Interdiction Principles, particularly as they related to interdiction on the high seas. The principles were "a bit vague" he said, and "did not appear consistent with the law of the sea." He hoped for engagement with the U.S. ¶3. (C) With respect to the June meeting in Poland, Khalilullah asked whether Pakistan could be invited as an observer. Pakistanis had participated as observers in PSI exercises, including exercises in Singapore in August 2005 and Darwin, Australia in April 2006. Polcouns explained that endorsement of the interdiction principles was a precondition of participation in the June meeting, noting that Pakistan's request to participate as an observer in the 2004 meeting in Krakow had been denied. Polcouns observed that a request to participate as an observer would be interpreted in Washington as a refusal to endorse the Interdiction Principles. Khalilullah undertook to reexamine Pakistan's stance. ¶4. (C) In a follow-up meeting on April 28 with Polcouns, Additional Secretary Tariq Osman Hyder confirmed that Pakistan was not yet prepared to endorse the PSI statement of interdiction principles, but hoped for an opportunity to participate as an observer in the June meeting. He noted that Pakistan was "in line with PSI" goals, and was prepared to act within Pakistan's own "maritime area." With respect to interdiction on the high seas, Pakistan was prepared to engage and discuss the issue. ¶5. (C) Embassy requests Department guidance on whether Pakistan could participate as an observer in the June meeting. Embassy also stands ready to pass to the Pakistanis any guidance Department might provide that would clarify PSI obligations relating to interdiction on the high seas and the consonance of these obligations with the law of the sea. BODDE