CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (CWC): WRAP-UP FOR

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 002627 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN/CB, VCI/CCB, L/ACV, IO/S SECDEF FOR OSD/ISP JOINT STAFF FOR DD PMA-A FOR WTC COMMERCE FOR BIS (GOLDMAN) NSC FOR LEDDY WINPAC FOR WALTER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM PREL CWC SUBJECT: CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (CWC): WRAP-UP FOR WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 15 This is CWC-114-06. -------------- -------------- INDUSTRY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE TECHNICAL SECRETARIAT -------------- -------------- ¶1. (U) On the margins of the 11th Conference of States Parties, Assistant Secretary of Commerce Christopher Padilla met with Horst Reeps (Director, Verification),Ichiro Akiyama (Inspectorate),and Bill Kane (Industry Verification) regarding a number of industry implementation issues. ¶2. (U) A/S Padilla first addressed the request by the TS that the U.S. reconsider allowing sequential industry inspections. This earlier request resulted in a back-and-forth with the TS in regard to the modalities that would be used and the SIPDIS measures the TS has undertaken to resolve the problems that occurred previously during sequential industry inspections in the U.S. A/S Padilla informed the TS that Commerce is ready to support sequential inspections under a very limited scenario, and that Commerce would make a recommendation to the interagency to endorse this concept. His intention is to be able to report back to the TS favorably in the very near future. ¶3. (U) A/S Padilla also addressed the TS's current trial efforts for incorporating sampling and analysis into subsequent Schedule 2 inspections. He briefly reviewed the action items that came out of the most recent U.S.-TS discussions on this issue in September 2006. He emphasized our expectation that the Inspection Team will provide a rationale, in writing, for the samples to be taken, etc. The TS confirmed that the Inspection Team's practices will meet SIPDIS this expectation. 4.(U) Finally, A/S Padilla discussed inspector training. Previous discussions with the TS has indicated that, in order to ensure proper training for their inspectors, the TS could benefit from the use of an industrial facility to supplement their training. He informed them that a facility in the U.S. has been identified for this purpose. He also informed them of a difference of legal interpretation that has arisen that might require some sort of agreement between Commerce and the TS regarding cost-sharing. He discussed some possible �00A; SIPDIS solutions and committed to finding a solution with the U.S. as quickly as possible and informing the TS of the decision. -------------- MEETING WITH JAPANESE DELEGATION -------------- ¶5. (SBU) On December 14, del reps (Robinson and Denyer) met with the Japanese delegation (COL Shunji Yoshino and Ms. Kiwako Tanaka). The U.S. del reps first provided an overview of the Dec. 12 bilateral meetings with the Chinese delegation (ACW focus) and provided a copy of the translated questions received from the Chinese delegation. (A copy of the presentation by Dale Ormond, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, had been provided to their delegation previously.) Del reps explained that China had provided a general overview of planning and progress for the fixed site at Harbaling, as well as an update on accomplishments to date from the ACW office (part of the Chinese MFA). ¶6. (SBU) Del reps discussed the general topics raised during the Q&A session and noted that Ormond had provided caveats to his more specific responses on worker safety, hazard analysis, etc., by stating that assessments of this nature must be performed on a case-by-case basis, adding that what is appropriate in a larger fixed facility like U.S. CWDF's may not be appropriate in other situations. Del reps summarized the bilateral meetings as positive and the questions/discussion as technical versus political. They informed the Japanese delegation that follow-up discussions are certainly possible. ¶7. (SBU) The only specific question from Japanese delegation that could not be answered was whether the Chinese had discussed disposal/destruction of contaminated soil. Documents from the bilateral discussions contain references to contaminated soil being stored along with munitions at Harbaling and possibly at the trust warehouses. However, there is no specific reference to disposal of the soil itself, unless that is envisioned as occurring at the contaminated waste building at Harbaling. Del reps will consult with other participants to get a clarification. ¶8. (SBU) On a different note, del reps asked whether the Japanese delegation was aware of any discussion of working with or seeking technical advice from the U.S., as colleagues seemed to have heard different stories between the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Japanese officials in Washington. The Japanese answer was not very direct, and a reference was made to a non-governmental entity having a direct agreement with Lawrence Livermore. Del reps are not sure how that relates to discussions of a TAA, how much of the vague Japanese response was genuine lack of awareness, or whether there was an unwillingness to provide a straight answer. ¶9. (SBU) Del reps also provided a brief overview of the discussions on the Dec. 11 bilateral meetings concerning industry implementation. Del reps also told them what the Chinese had shared regarding their recent experience with sampling and analysis during a subsequent Schedule 2 inspection. The Japanese were particularly interested in the structure of the Chinese National Authority, Chinese thoughts on using electronic declarations in the future, and the technical details coming out of the sampling and analysis experience. -------------- REVIEW CONFERENCE -------------- ¶10. (U) Ambassador Parker (UK),the Chairman for the Second Review Conference, convened a meeting of the working group on December 11. Approximately 30 delegations attended the meeting. Most of the discussion focused on plans to hold an industry meeting related to the second RevCon and universality. ¶11. (U) The Deputy DG introduced a TS-prepared proposal (faxed to ISN/CB on Dec. 13) for a meeting of SPs and industry representatives to take place between June 4 and 8, ¶2007. Several delegations including Mexico, Cuba, India, and Argentina proposed that the TS fund the travel of industry representatives attending the meeting from developing countries. The DDG said that in the past, industry representatives had always paid their own way and that no money was set aside in the 2007 budget to fund such travel. Parker noted that the TS had funded travel for National Authorities to attend meetings, but not industry representatives. Japan called for early preparation for the meeting and suggested that it should be scheduled close to the time of the Scientific Advisory Board meeting and industry consultations to obtain the maximum benefit for all three groups. Germany supported having the meeting just before or immediately after the SAB meeting. ¶12. (U) France called for full interpretation services to be provided during the industry representatives meeting. The DDG countered that perhaps it would be more cost effective to see what the interpretation needs would be, based on registrations, and then providing interpretation on an ad hoc basis as needed. China and India called for broad based participation ¶13. (U) On universality, del rep introduced and distributed the U.S. non-paper provided in State 195053. New Zealand said that the OEWG may have to reexamine the issue as we get closer to the RevCon, as it was quite likely that several non-SPs will join the CWC between now and the RevCon and this could change the areas that the OPCW needs to focus on at the RevCon. New Zealand also called on SPs that have influence with non-SPs to increase their efforts to encourage non-SPs to ratify. The ROK supported the U.S. non-paper, particularly the view that there were no valid political reasons not to join the CWC. The ROK also said they were particularly concerned about the DPRK. Japan thanked the U.S. for its non-paper. ¶14. (U) The UK called for an increased effort to get non-SPs that have no substantive problems with the CWC, such as the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, Barbados, and Guinea Bissau, to ratify the CWC. Italy, once again, touted the benefits of the Rome universality workshop and suggested that another workshop or conference may be needed. France also suggested holding more regional universality workshops and that UNSC 1540 be used as a lever to encourage non-SPs to join. The Netherlands suggested that industry contacts could be used to encourage non-SPs to join. ¶15. (U) Russia said that universality was important for Moscow, and that it would be troubling if all of the possessor states destroyed their stockpiles by 2012 and non-SP possessor states still remained outside of the CWC. India said that the increasing number of SPs, once again, highlighted the need for increased ICA funding. Interestingly, Cuba said that joining the CWC to attain some of the benefits of membership was fine, but the main point that should be emphasized to non-SPs is the obligations inherent in membership. China said that new and creative ideas were needed to promote universality. ¶16. (U) Before closing the meeting, the Chair said that universality would undoubtedly have to be revisited before the RevCon but that it was important not to merely duplicate the discussions and work being done in the normal universality consultations. He announced that the next OEWG meeting would be in February and the subject would be destruction. ¶17. (U) Ito sends. BLAKEMAN