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.

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INDUSTRY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE TECHNICAL SECRETARIAT
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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

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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

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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

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solutions and committed to finding a solution with the U.S.
as quickly as possible and informing the TS of the decision.

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MEETING WITH JAPANESE DELEGATION
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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.

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REVIEW CONFERENCE
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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