UKRAINE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN COESPU

UNCLAS KYIV 000187 SIPDIS DEPT ALSO FOR EUR/UMB, PM/PPA RACHEL FEATHERSTONE AND EUR/PGI ALAIN NORMAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MARR MASS PGOV IT TU PK ID UP SUBJECT: UKRAINE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN COESPU REF: STATE 5646 ¶1. Italian DCM Sergio Martes, Italian military attache Colonel Claudio Ritacca, Embassy Kyiv Office of Defense Cooperation Chief LTC Rob Timm, and poloff delivered reftel demarche January 25 to MFA Arms Control and Military Technical Cooperation Department Director Volodymyr Belashov and Counselor Gennadiy Shalev. Belashov said the Ministry of Defense (MOD) had military police units and the Ministry of Interior (MOI) also had police forces that might qualify for and be interested in the training. He would transmit the information immediately to both ministries with a recommendation that they respond positively to the offer. ¶2. Belashov was uncertain, and Shalev expressed strong dismay, over the abbreviated timeline required for a response. Belashov opined that the Ukrainians would be likely to respond positively, but would not be able to nominate qualified candidates in time for the March courses. He hoped that Ukrainians could be accepted to courses later this year or next year. He welcomed our indications, in response to his inquiry, that travel expenses of Ukrainian participants could be covered. Belashov explained that only the Foreign Ministry had a budget authorized for foreign travel. Other Ukrainian ministries, like MOD or MOI, had to get specific approval from the Cabinet of Ministers for such travel. Foreign funding would eliminate the requirement for such approval and expedite a Ukrainian response. ¶3. Shalev asked a series of questions both during and in the corridor after the meeting to clear up discrepancies between the Italian Embassy English-language backgrounder and details in the Ukrainian language diplomatic note. Shalev said his ministry counterparts would react to information about COESPU with numerous questions, to which he needed to be prepared; we provided details on the number and ranks of prospective attendees to both courses and the course start dates. We noted that, once the Ukrainian government provided its affirmative intent to participate in the training, a mobile assistance team could deploy quickly to provide answers to such specific questions and to coordinate in preparation for Ukraine's COESPU participation. Taylor