UKRAINE/MTCR: SECURING SUPPORT FOR MODIFIED U.S.

C O N F I D E N T I A L KYIV 002489 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT ALSO FOR T, ISN/MTR, EUR/PRA, AND EUR/UMB; PARIS FOR EST E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/27/2017 TAGS: MTCRE PARM PREL ETTC KSCA TSPA UP SUBJECT: UKRAINE/MTCR: SECURING SUPPORT FOR MODIFIED U.S. UAV/CRUISE MISSILE PROPOSAL REF: A. STATE 132312 ¶B. STATE 123717 ¶C. STATE 135307 ¶D. STATE 134488 ¶E. STATE 133655 ¶F. STATE 133652 ¶G. STATE 130974 Classified By: Political Counselor Kent Logsdon for reasons 1.4(b,d) ¶1. (C) We relayed ref A points September 27 to MFA Arms Control and Military Technical Cooperation Department Counselor Oleh Belokolos. Belokolos, who was at the Oslo meeting, said he would have the U.S. UAV/cruise missile proposal translated as soon as possible, distribute it to the relevant Ukrainian officials, and gather their input. The issue, however, had policy implications that would require an inter-agency Commission on Arms Control and Military Technical Cooperation to review it. Unfortunately, the Commission, which meets monthly and is chaired by a deputy prime minister, had already met in September. Due to the uncertain political climate, he was not sure when the Commission would meet next, so the Ukrainian delegation might not have an official position by the next MTCR Technical Experts Meeting, beginning November 1 in Athens. (Note: Ukraine will have parliamentary elections September 30, after which the political parties in parliament will negotiate to form a majority coalition and select the next prime minister and cabinet for the new government. We heard September 28, however, that the Commission might be scheduled to meet during the week of October 1, probably still too soon for Belokolos to prepare our proposal for inclusion in the agenda.) ¶2. (U) As we have done with previous papers provided in telegrams on which Embassy Kyiv has been an information addressee, we also provided Belokolos with the papers in refs C-G that were prepared for the Information Exchange to be held in conjunction with the November 5-9 MTCR Plenary in Athens. ¶3. (U) Visit Embassy Kyiv's classified website: www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/kiev. Taylor