UKRAINE: SCUD INVENTORY REQUEST DELIVERED

S E C R E T KYIV 000971

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT ALSO FOR ISN, EUR/UMB, EUR/PRA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2017
TAGS: ETTC PARM PREL MTCRE MNUC UP
SUBJECT: UKRAINE: SCUD INVENTORY REQUEST DELIVERED

REF: A. STATE 40971


B. KYIV 125

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


1. (S) We delivered ref A points renewing our request for a
SCUD missile inventory March 30 to MFA Arms Control and
Military Technical Cooperation Department Director Volodymyr
Belashov. Belashov noted the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense
had the responsibility for providing the inventory and was
working through the procedures necessary for its release. He
promised to relay our request to his MOD counterparts.


2. (S) On April 23, the Ambassador raised the issue with
Defense Minister Hrytsenko; on April 24, we followed up
directly with Deputy Defense Minister Volodymyr Tereshchenko.
Tereshchenko said MOD was still working through the
procedures to remove SCUD missiles as a weapon in active use
by the Ukrainian military (note: thereby rendering them
obsolete and available for elimination). In the meantime,
MOD stood ready to hold concrete discussions to put a program
in place for SCUD missile destruction. Tereshchenko said MOD
staff would prepare a letter with a proposal regarding SCUD
destruction and an invitation to hold a bilateral
experts-level meeting.


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