ISKANDER-E MISSILE FOR LIBYA: RUSSIA HEDGES ON

S E C R E T MOSCOW 000078 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR T, VCI, AND ISN E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2017 TAGS: PARM PREL MCAP KNNP LY UK RS SUBJECT: ISKANDER-E MISSILE FOR LIBYA: RUSSIA HEDGES ON TECHNICAL EXPERTS MEETING (C) REF: STATE 2381 Classified By: Minister-Counselor for Political Affairs Alice G. Wells. Reasons 1.4 (B/D). ¶1. (S) On January 11 we conveyed to the MFA U.S interest (ref) in a technical experts meeting in Moscow before January 29 to discuss issues relating to Libya's possible purchase of the Iskander-E missile. Sergey Petlyakov, Chief of the Arms Technology and Transfer Division of the Foreign Ministry's Department of Disarmament and Security Affairs, told us that it would be difficult to arrange such a meeting before the end of the month. ¶2. (S) In addition to the short time-frame, Petlyakov said it was his understanding that only 3-4 experts at the Konstruktorskoye Byuro Mashinostroyeniya (KBM) had access to the technology required to modify the Iskander-E missile because of the firm's strict compartmentalization policy. KBM management might be reluctant to have its experts engage in such "risky" discussions due to the possibility of inadvertent disclosure of classified data. We noted that we were only asking Russia to provide the same level of transparency that we provided to it when Russia raised similar concerns about the U.S. ATACMS system exported in ¶1996. ¶3. (C) Petlyakov promised to raise our request with DFM Kislyak and other senior officials and get us a reply by next week. ¶4. (U) Minimize considered. RUSSELL