CLARIFYING IRAQ'S ACCESSION TO CHEMICAL WEAPONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 162259 SIPDIS SIPDIS THE HAGUE FOR CWC DEL E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2032 TAGS: IZ PARM PREL OPCW CWC SUBJECT: CLARIFYING IRAQ'S ACCESSION TO CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION REF: AMMAN 004578 Classified By: NEA DAS Lawrence E. Butler for reasons E.O. 12958 1.4 (b),(d),and (h). -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) On November 26, President Talabani's office issued a press statement indicating that the presidential council endorsed the Council of Representatives vote ratifying accession to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Post is requested to seek clarification of Iraq's actual position in the ratification process, and to ensure that important changes to GoI documents are incorporated, prior to Iraq taking the final step of depositing its instrument of accession, as recommended by international partners at an Amman workshop in late October. END SUMMARY -------------- OBJECTIVES -------------- ¶2. (C/REL IRQ) Post should ask appropriate GoI officials for information on the following subjects: ---When does the GoI plan to submit instruments of accession for the CWC to the UN? ---We need clarification of the press statement issued November 26 by Ambassador Srood Najib on behalf of President Talabani's office concerning Iraq's current status in the accession process. ---What is the status of the draft Iraqi CWC declaration following the Amman conference? -------------- REPORTING DEADLINE -------------- ¶3. (U) Post is requested to report results of this discussion as soon as possible. -------------- BACKGROUND -------------- ¶4. (U) Numerous media outlets reported a statement on November 26 by Ambassador Srood Najib to the effect that Iraq had joined the CWC. Portions of the statement were quoted as follows: "The advantage for Iraq of signing this agreement is that the international community will assist it in getting rid of the environmental problems caused by such weapons in the past." This announcement appears to be premature. ¶5. (C) Per reftel, following the October 29-31 conference in Amman, the GoI delegation returned to Baghdad with a lengthy list of recommended changes to their draft CWC declaration. In the first week of December, we anticipate final coordination from UK experts on our technical corrections as well as on the two most important issues concerning classification and clarifying a point on Iraqi-produced rockets. We recommend two sections be classified: 1) the new annex on the contents of the Al-Muthanna chemical weapons bunkers - of obvious interest to terrorists, and 2) a section containing declaration forms for past receipts of CW-related materials which could reveal historical sources for these materials, and thus provide political fodder for Iran. U.S. and UK experts are anxious that the report not be submitted without these sections being properly classified. An additional change was recommended to clarify whether any Iraqi-produced rockets were armed with chemicals in addition to imported rockets. -------------- POINTS OF CONTACT -------------- ¶6. (U) Please contact ISN/CB Tom Ferguson at 202-647-9650 or via e-mail with any questions or for any further background information. Please also slug responses to ISN/CB and NEA/I-PM. RICE