DELIVERY OF JOSEPH-KISLYAK LETTER

S E C R E T MOSCOW 011821 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/20/2016 TAGS: PARM PREL MCAP KNNP LY RS SUBJECT: DELIVERY OF JOSEPH-KISLYAK LETTER REF: STATE 173612 Classified By: Minister-Counselor for Political Affairs Alice G. Wells. Reasons 1.4 (B/D). ¶1. (SBU) We delivered reftel letter to Sergey Petlyakov, Chief Counselor in the Arms and Technology Transfer Policy Division of the Foreign Ministry's Department for Security Affairs and Disarmament (DVBR) on October 19. ¶2. (S) Petlyakov said he would ensure Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Kislyak received the letter. He added that Russian specialists would study the U.S. proposal for a permanent attachment of the warhead to the booster, but he questioned whether or not such a technical fix would truly render the Iskander-E a Category II missile under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). He took on board the information that our two governments had negotiated a similar solution in 1996 when Russia had raised concerns about a U.S. transfer of the ATACMS missile system to Turkey. ¶3. (SBU) We will follow up with Petlyakov's office regarding plans to ensure that the proposed transfer meets MTCR guidelines. ¶4. (U) Minimize considered. BURNS