UKRAINE: U.S. REACTION TO CFE NON-PAPER DELIVERED

C O N F I D E N T I A L KYIV 002185

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT ALSO FOR EUR/UMB, EUR/RPM, AND EUR/PRA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2017
TAGS: PARM PREL KCFE OSCE NATO RS UP
SUBJECT: UKRAINE: U.S. REACTION TO CFE NON-PAPER DELIVERED

REF: A. STATE 122450

B. KYIV 2114

C. STATE 116196

D. MOSCOW 4118

Classified By: Political Counselor Kent Logsdon for reasons 1.4(b,d)


1. (U) We delivered U.S. comments contained ref A on the
Ukrainian Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) non-paper (ref
B) to MFA Arms Control Director Volodymyr Belashov August 31.
Belashov thanked us for the speedy U.S. response and
welcomed the information that the U.S. had briefed Georgia
and Moldova, in addition to Ukraine and NATO allies. He said
he had provided copies of the Ukrainian non-paper to the
Slovak (NATO contact embassy in Kyiv) and German Embassies,
to the Turks and, on an information basis, to the European
Union. He did not plan to share the Ukrainian position with
the Russians, Moldovans, Georgians, or Belarusans until
consultations with the U.S. and NATO allies were completed.
Belashov also advised us that planned Ukrainian bilateral
consultations with Russia on CFE would not take place any
earlier than September 17-18, due to Deputy Foreign Minister
Andriy Veselovsky's unavailability until then; MFA was
determining a second set of proposed dates, which would
probably be in the first week of October.


2. (C) Belashov shared his speculation that Russia might have
already made a decision to withdraw totally from the CFE
Treaty and that suspension of Russian CFE obligations might
simply be a first step toward this eventuality, but noted
that Ukraine had no definite information regarding Russian
intentions. During the bilateral consultations, divining the
Russians' eventual plans would be Veselovsky's first order of
business since the Ukrainians would want to know how
seriously they should engage with the Russians. Belashov
readily agreed to hold off on any discussion regarding
possible actions that might be taken after Russia suspends
its fulfillment of CFE provisions after December 12 and
appeared to be mulling over our other points. He urged us to
share the results of further U.S.-Russian consultations and
promised to provide a read-out of the Ukraine-Russia
consultations.


3. (U) Visit Embassy Kyiv's classified website:
www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/kiev.
Taylor