COORDINATING WESTERN SUPPORT FOR FMCT-DEMARCHE

C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000932 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2016 TAGS: MNUC PARM PREL UNGA CDG NO KNNP SUBJECT: COORDINATING WESTERN SUPPORT FOR FMCT-DEMARCHE DELIVERED REF: STATE 120281 Classified By: Acting Pol/Econ Counselor David Henry, Reasons 1.4 (b) a nd (d) ¶1. (C) On July 24 we delivered reftel points to Jan Arve Knutsen, Deputy Director General and Head of the MFA's Section for Disarmament and Nonproliferation. On July 27 we again met with Knutsen and Knut Langeland, Senior Advisor in the MFA's Section for Disarmament and Nonproliferation. Langeland has extensive experience in dealing with the Fissile Missile Cutoff Treaty (FMCT) and the associated draft negotiating mandate at the Conference on Disarmament (CD) in Geneva. He spoke at length about the concept of negotiating without preconditions, and stated that it was "high time" to reach something tangible in the CD (and, specifically, making a legally binding commitment). ¶2. (C) Langeland felt that there was "broad agreement" in the CD's Western Group to start negotiations without preconditions. Concerning the U.S. draft text, Knutsen noted that there is a real question as to who would be part of the treaty today, stating that those not joining the moratorium were the "main culprits" seeking fissile material production. Langeland believed all Western European countries "wanted to get things moving now," and waiting "creates a danger for resolution." To get movement in the right direction, he believes that all parties must show some "flexibility," and linking the FMCT to other issues may create resistance. He summed up the meeting by stating that CD's Western Group members want to deal with the FMCT now, and contend with other issues later. Visit Oslo's Classified website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/oslo/index.cf m WHITNEY