MISSILE DEFENSE: POLAND EAGER TO RENEW TALKS ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 WARSAW 000554

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/NCE, EUR/PRA AND VCI/MDSP
SECDEF FOR ISP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2016
TAGS: MARR PREL PL
SUBJECT: MISSILE DEFENSE: POLAND EAGER TO RENEW TALKS ON
APRIL 4 AND ENERGIZE TECHNICAL CONSULTATIONS

REF: (A) STATE 45132 (B) STATE 44145 (C) STATE 17453

Classified By: DCM Kenneth M Hillas, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY. MFA Americas Director Henryk Szlajfer told
DCM March 23 that the GOP is eager to renew formal
discussions on hosting U.S. ballistic missile defense (BMD)
assets and welcomes the visit of ASD Flory's delegation for
that purpose. MFA U/S Waszczykowski and MOD U/S Koziej are
prepared to co-host an interagency meeting with the Flory
delegation on April 4 to reiterate Poland's willingness to
host BMD ground based interceptor (GBI) and/or radar
installations and to move forward on technical discussions.
The GOP looks forward to a substantive briefing from ASD
Flory on the scale and nature of such BMD facilities and the
overall support required from Poland. The GOP fully supports
the U.S. providing discreet advance briefings to Russian
officials and NATO Allies in Brussels, as long as the
briefings are coordinated closely with appropriate Polish
officials. END SUMMARY.

April 4 BMD Talks: Substance over Procedure
--------------

2. (C) PolMil Chief delivered Ref B demarche on BMD March 21
to Szlajfer and Acting MFA Security Policy Director Wojciech
Flera, who undertook to consult with U/S Waszczykowski (who
oversees both departments). Szlajfer called in DCM on March
23 to provide a detailed response. Szlajfer stressed at the
outset that the Poles were eager to move forward on Missile
Defense, and looked forward to substantive rather than
procedural discussions with ASD Flory. They want to move
beyond a discussion of Polish intentions and willingness and
focus more on U.S. plans. They would particularly like to
learn what a BMD facility in Poland would entail, in terms of
scale, resources and support required from the GOP.


3. (U) Szlajfer reminded DCM that a December 2004 cabinet
decision had created the GOP's interagency working group on
MD, co-chaired by the Minister of Defense and Foreign Affairs
but with MFA "first among equals." U/S Waszczykowski and U/S
Koziej will convene this group to meet with the Flory
delegation.


4. (U) Szlajfer also asked that ASD Flory's meeting be
scheduled on April 4, so as not to conflict with separate
meetings April 5 with Under Secretary of State for Arms
Control and International Policy Robert Joseph to discuss
Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) and Iran policy
issues (Ref A). Szlajfer explained that both Waszczykowski
and Koziej, as well as he himself and Security Policy
Director Robert Kupiecki would have to participate in
meetings with U/S Joseph on April 5.

NATO/Russia: Coordination Crucial
--------------

5. (C) Szlajfer said the GOP had no objection to the U.S.
discreetly briefing Russian officials and NATO Allies in
Brussels in advance of the Flory visit. However, he asked
that these briefings be coordinated in advance with the GOP.
He asked that we inform the GOP of the timing and general
nature of the briefing in Moscow, "so that there are no
surprises and we don't read about it first in the
newspapers." For the same reason he asked that the content
and timing of the briefing to Allies be coordinated directly
with the Polish Mission to NATO.

GSOMIA Yes, Publicity No
--------------

6. (C) Szlajfer noted that, in order to proceed much further
on technical cooperation and follow-up site surveys, the GOP
would require conclusion and signature of the updated
bilateral General Secrecy of Military Information Agreement
(GSOMIA) currently under negotiation (Ref C).


7. (C) He also asked that ASD Flory's visit not be
publicized. Although there has been much speculation in the
media and a number of apparent leaks of information, the GOP
would prefer that both governments refrain from public
statements on MD. The GOP expects fully to conduct an debate
in parliament if and when the USG makes a formal offer to
place BMD sites in Poland, but until then it would like to
remove the issue from public discussion.

COMMENT: An Eager, if Somewhat Frustrated Partner
-------------- --------------

8. (C) GOP officials understand the internal USG mechanics
that have caused a hiatus in our MD dialogue since the last
plenary session of the Joint Missile Defense working Group in
December 2004, and they are eager to move forward now. There
is a consensus at the highest levels of government that
hosting a BMD site is in the national interest, and our
interlocutors feel they have expressed this sufficiently to
us in private.
ASHE