Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BERLIN1019
2007-05-18 17:08:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Berlin
Cable title:  

THIRD G-8 NONPROLIFERATION DIRECTORS' GROUP (NPDG)

Tags:  PARM MNUC PREL ETTC GM JA RS CACM UK FR IT 
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P 181708Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8325
INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 8265
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 1806
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 1043
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 8802
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 0528
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1470
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 0271
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
UNCLAS BERLIN 001019 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR ISN, EUR, WHA, CAN, EAP/J
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM MNUC PREL ETTC GM JA RS CACM UK FR IT
SUBJECT: THIRD G-8 NONPROLIFERATION DIRECTORS' GROUP (NPDG)
MEETING IN BERLIN, MAY 14, 2007

REF: A. BERLIN 834

B. BERLIN 791

C. BERLIN 376

UNCLAS BERLIN 001019

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR ISN, EUR, WHA, CAN, EAP/J
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM MNUC PREL ETTC GM JA RS CACM UK FR IT
SUBJECT: THIRD G-8 NONPROLIFERATION DIRECTORS' GROUP (NPDG)
MEETING IN BERLIN, MAY 14, 2007

REF: A. BERLIN 834

B. BERLIN 791

C. BERLIN 376


1. (SBU) Summary: The third G-8 Nonproliferation Directors'
Group (NPDG) meeting under the German G-8 Presidency took
place May 14 in Berlin. The delegates reviewed a
German-produced draft statement on nonproliferation for the
June G-8 Summit in Heiligendamm but were unable to reach
consensus on the wording of the text. The delegates
essentially did agree on language concerning Iran's and North
Korea's nuclear programs and on India's efforts to strengthen
its nonproliferation regime. The delegates agreed to a
number of changes in the draft text, many of which were
requested by the U.S.; but consensus was not reached on key
U.S. priorities, specifically the U.S. proposal to extend and
expand the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons
and Materials of Mass Destruction (GP),and language
maintaining the G-8 moratorium on the transfer of enrichment
and reprocessing (ENR) technology. The delegates did not
reach consensus on the EU's desire to be included in the
Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism. Because
consensus was not reached on these and other issues at the
meeting, the German Chair offered to revise the German draft
with bracketed language as necessary and re-circulate it.
(Note: the follow-on draft was circulated May 15. End note.)
The German Chair suggested that the G-8 Sherpas or possibly
even ministers would have to forge consensus language on the
key outstanding issues. End summary.


2. (SBU) German Chair Ruediger Luedeking, MFA Deputy
Commissioner for Arms Control and Disarmament, began the
meeting by asking for input on the draft Heiligendamm
Statement on Nonproliferation. After delegates voiced
complaints or made suggestions concerning the first few
paragraphs, the U.S. delegate, DAS Andrew Semmel, stated the
U.S. proposal to extend the GP for an additional 10 years

beyond 2012, to commit an additional USD $20 billion for the
10-year extension, to expand the GP geographically to
countries other than Russia and Ukraine, and to expand the
scope of projects to address new and emerging WMD and missile
threats globally. British Delegate Paul Arkwright said the
UK supports "some elements" of the U.S. proposal and urged
that the G-8 Summit Declaration on Nonproliferation
acknowledge that the threats posed by materials of mass
destruction will continue beyond the GP's final year of 2012
and that the G-8 will address the threats beyond that date.
Russian Delegate Anatoliy Antonov repeated Russia's argument
that the G-8 should not consider GP extension and expansion
until all the current commitments to destroy Russia's
chemical weapons stocks, to finish dismantling Russia's
decommissioned nuclear submarines, and to secure radiological
materials in Russia are fulfilled. Antonov reiterated
Russia's complaint that only a small percentage of the
pledged funds have actually been spent on GP projects in
Russia and said that more needs to be done to make the
process more efficient. Because the other delegates failed
to support all elements of the U.S. language on the GP's
extension and expansion and because the G-8 Sherpas and the
GPWG had not reached consensus on the U.S. proposal, the
German chair said he would not include the language in the
new draft of the Nonproliferation Statement that he was
producing. (Note: The text of the U.S.-proposed language on
the Global Partnership was included in Luedeking's cover
letter circulated with the text of the revised statement May

15. End note.)


3. (SBU) DAS Semmel observed that several other G-8 partners
were sympathetic to the idea of expanding the GP
geographically and programmatically and that the U.S.
proposal was divisible into its component parts. DAS Semmel
notified the other delegates that he expected Secretary Rice
to issue a ministerial letter on GP expansion during the week
of May 21 and then make the proposal at the May 30 G-8
Ministerial Meeting.


4. (SBU) The delegates discussed the recently completed
Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) Preparatory Committee
meeting in Vienna, observing that Iran hijacked much of the
time by arguing over procedural matters. Nevertheless, the

NPDG delegates wished to stress that the NPT PrepCom meeting
concluded successfully, paving the way for a productive 2010
Review Conference later in the year.


5. (SBU) In the paragraph on ENR transfers, other delegates
did not agree to the U.S. attempt to insert language
effectively retaining the moratorium agreed to in previous
G-8 Summit statements. Canadian Delegate Michael Blackmore
stated that he was under strict instructions not to agree to
a continuation of the moratorium. He suggested that the
longer the moratorium continued, the more it began to look
like a ban and that this is unacceptable in the case of
states that strictly adhere to their nonproliferation
obligations. The German Chair and Japanese Delegate Takashi
Nakane also stated that their governments could no longer
support a continuation of the moratorium.


6. (SBU) Delegates agreed on most of the language to deplore
Iran's failure to meet its obligations under UNSC Resolutions
1696, 1737, and 1747. In addition, delegates essentially
agreed to insert language supporting the Six-Party Talks
concerning North Korea's nuclear program and condemning its
October 2006 detonation of a nuclear device. DAS Semmel
persuaded the delegates to drop Japanese language to condemn
North Korea's record of abductions, arguing that although the
U.S. and the G-8 are sympathetic to Japan's position, such an
issue is out of place in a statement on nonproliferation and
could complicate further the six-party deliberations.


7. (SBU) Luedeking repeated his suggestion that the U.S. and
Russia allow EU institutions to join the Global Initiative to
Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GI),at least as observers. He
inserted bracketed language in his text to request EU
institutions to join. His argument was that the EU is not an
international organization but a supranational organization
over the member states; therefore, to admit it into the GI
would not set a precedent for other international
organizations to join. EU Council Delegate Annalisa
Giannella echoed Luedeking's comments, and EU Commission
Delegate Lars-Erik Lundin noted that the Commission signed
the IAEA Additional Protocol on behalf of the EU because some
EU member states lacked the competency to sign it on their
own. The EU delegates suggested that the same principle
should apply for the GI. Japanese Delegate Nakane said if
Russia's and the USG's goal is to increase participation in
the GI, then they should accept EU institutions. Russian
Delegate Antonov responded that Moscow and Washington wanted
each EU member state to agree to the GI Statement of
Principles first before the two would consider allowing EU
institutions to join, and then only as observers. Luedeking
responded that some EU members could not join the GI on their
own because they cannot fulfill the conditions in the absence
of EU membership. DAS Semmel repeated the concept behind the
GI is that sovereign states -- but not international
organizations -- will participate in activities jointly. He
requested the EU Commission finish its paper on GI
participation and said it needed to be submitted to
Washington and Moscow for study before any other action could
be taken.


8. (SBU) The German Chair ended the meeting by suggesting a
mid-November date for the next NPDG meeting. He also said he
would revise the draft and circulate it May 15 for review.
After receiving input from the delegates, he will rewrite the
draft for submission to the G-8 Sherpas. If the NPDG-level
delegates are unable to reach consensus, then the Sherpas may
be able to, Luedeking noted.


9. (U) This cable was coordinated with DAS Semmel subsequent
to the delegation's departure.
TIMKEN JR