UKRAINE: PROLIFERATION SECURITY INITIATIVE AND

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KYIV 000183 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT ALSO FOR EUR/UMB, EUR/NCE, EUR/PRA, ISN/CPI, L/OES (ROACH) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PARM KNNP PHSA KTIA EWWT PL UP SUBJECT: UKRAINE: PROLIFERATION SECURITY INITIATIVE AND SHIP-BOARDING AGREEMENT UPDATE REF: A. 06 KIEV 363 ¶B. 06 STATE 11182 ¶C. 05 KIEV 4998 (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Please handle accordingly. Not for Internet. ¶1. (U) This is an action request. See para 9. ¶2. (SBU) Summary: After a year-long hiatus (refs A and B were transmitted in January 2006),a Ukrainian MFA official said Ukrainian comments on a draft PSI ship-boarding agreement might be provided by the end of January, after which the Ukrainians would request a second round of negotiations. The Ministry of Transport and Communications has assumed the over-all responsibility for PSI within the Ukrainian government. Ukrainian officials said they were awaiting Polish responses on a concept/scenario for the jointly sponsored Ukraine-Poland Eastern Shield PSI exercise, which is scheduled to take place in September 2007. They also invited U.S. comments on the concept (emailed to EUR/UMB, EUR/PRA and ISN/CPI) and inquired into the possibility of U.S. financial support for the exercise. End summary. ¶3. (U) We met January 22 to discuss the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) with MFA Arms Control and Military Technical Cooperation Department officials Oleksandr Bondarenko and Marina Strogaya and, from the Anti-Terrorism Center, Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) officials Oleksandr Marchuk, Serhiy Bobrovytsky, and Oleksandr Novikov. Bondarenko first briefed us on the status of internal Ukrainian government discussions regarding the Ukrainian position on a draft "United States-Ukraine Agreement concerning cooperation to suppress the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems, and related material by sea," hereafter referred to as the PSI ship-boarding agreement. He then briefed us on discussions with Polish officials on the Ukraine-Poland joint PSI exercise, "Eastern Shield," after which Marchuk provided amplifying and supporting comments. Ship-Boarding Agreement -------------- ¶4. (U) Saying that he had just met with the State Border Guards Service of Ukraine (SBGS),Bondarenko reported that the Ministry of Transportation and Communication (MTC)had assumed overall responsibility within the Ukrainian government for PSI coordination from the SBGS. Bondarenko said the draft ship-boarding agreement was undergoing its final review, including whether the agreement was consistent with existing Ukrainian obligations under UN and other international agreements regarding maritime interdiction of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and WMD material. He predicted that the Ukrainian government response could be ready as early as the end of January. Once the Ukrainian response had been forwarded to the U.S. side, the Ukrainians would request a second round of negotiations. ¶5. (SBU) In response to our question, Bondarenko said the Ukrainians had accepted our argument that "Cabinet of Ministers" should not be substituted for "Government of Ukraine" in the draft text. In an indication of what other issues MTC might be reviewing, Bondarenko said the Ukrainians were examining the responsibility of parties and necessary actions if nothing should be found after a ship were boarded. He also noted the SBGS had analyzed ship transit through the Ukrainian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). It had determined that, in the last seven years, only 31 U.S-flagged ships had entered Ukrainian waters -- 30 private yachts and just one cargo ship (which had brought cargo in support of the U.S. military's role in the bilateral "Sea Breeze" military exercise in the summer of 2006). There were 209 Ukrainian-flagged ships that plied international waters. Eastern Shield -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Bondarenko said a Ukrainian delegation had met December 19 with Polish counterparts in Warsaw. The Ukrainians had provided a concept regarding the joint Ukrainian-Polish PSI exercise, Eastern Shield, and invited Polish comments. Bondarenko noted that the concept was the same as one he had e-mailed to Embassy Kyiv in mid-December. On February 6, Ukraine and Poland would jointly sponsor a PSI seminar to which representatives of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Moldova (note: with the exception of Armenia, these are all the other members of GUAM besides Ukraine) and during which the plan for Eastern Shield would be presented. ¶7. (SBU) The ATC's Marchuk complained about a lack of Polish response to the Ukrainian exercise concept. While the Polish position was important, since Poland was the other sponsor of the exercise, Polish officials appeared to have a more restricted approach than the Ukrainians. Marchuk stressed that the Ukrainian side wanted a scenario that would be as realistic as possible so the exercise could uncover the practical difficulties of coordinating during a PSI situation. The Ukrainians hoped to discuss the concept further with Polish officials on the margins of the February 6 seminar and during a working group meeting on February 7. Marchuk invited U.S. participation on both days. ¶8. (SBU) Bondarenko and Marchuk said there had been early indications that the U.S. might be able to support Eastern Shield financially. They asked for confirmation of U.S. financial support and what the funding would provide. They also asked for U.S. comments on the Ukrainian concept. (We have e-mailed the concept to EUR/UMB, EUR/PRA, and ISN/CPI. In an initial read of the document, we see that "organizers of the training" are listed as "Ukraine, Poland, U.S." and, among the goals, "definition of the further path of cooperation among the security organs of Ukraine, Poland, the U.S. and other PSI country-participants." The U.S. is not otherwise specifically identified in the document.) ¶9. (SBU) Request that Department confirm whether a Washington official will participate in the February 6-7 meetings; and whether the USG will be able to provide financial support to the exercise and for what expenses. We also ask that Department provide comments to the exercise concept that was translated and forwarded to the relevant offices. ¶10. (U) Visit Embassy Kyiv's classified website: www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/kiev. Taylor