PAKISTANI CANDIDATE FOR CRITICAL OPCW CHAIRMANSHIP

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001909

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM PK PREL CWC
SUBJECT: PAKISTANI CANDIDATE FOR CRITICAL OPCW CHAIRMANSHIP

This is CWC-83-07.


1. (U) This is an action message ) see para 8.


2. (SBU) Summary. The Organization for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons (OPCW) will hold a five-year Review
Conference in April 2008, only the second such conference in
its ten-year history. Negotiations are in full swing to
choose a chairman, a critically important player in guiding
the Conference, and potentially the future of the
Organization. Iran is working to take the chair, an outcome
the U.S. would block. The Pakistani ambassador accredited to
OPCW, Sibte Yahva Naqvi, is willing to allow himself to be
put forward for the chair, but faces mandatory retirement in
November. He believes US support for his candidacy with his
Foreign Ministry would enable him to extend his tenure long
enough to chair the Review Conference in April. End Summary.



3. (SBU) BACKGROUND: The second Review Conference (RevCon)
on the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, an
extraordinary conference convened by the treaty,s
implementing organization once every five years, will be held
in April of 2008 in The Hague. Preparations are well under
way. Discussion over who will chair the conference has
recently moved into high gear, and has raised a significant
problem: although procedurally the matter is not ironclad,
there is a strong expectation that the Conference should be
chaired this time around by a representative of the Asian
regional group. The Japanese have advised our delegation
that Iran is putting forward its candidacy within the Asia
Group and that no one else had yet come forward. The Asia
Group rarely discusses anything or contests its regional
candidacies for leadership positions. Japanese delegate
told Del Reps in confidence that his government would not
oppose Iran publicly, nor did he expect any other Asian
delegation to do so.


4. (SBU) Although the U.S. (and others) can and would block
Iran,s taking the RevCon chair, we would prefer that Iran
not be presented as the Asian candidate for a larger battle
over the chairmanship, where consensus would be much more
difficult to achieve. The OPCW has, to date, operated
successfully by consensus. India apparently was the only
other delegation that had initially expressed any interest in
the chair, but their status as a chemical weapons possessor
state makes that problematical.


5. (SBU) Ambassador Javits spoke with the OPCW
Director-General (DG) to discuss alternatives, particularly
other potential candidates from the Asia Group. Most of the
likely candidates are unwilling or will be unavailable.
Both Amb. Javits and the DG believe Pakistani ambassador
Sibte Yahva Naqvi would be personally capable in the chair
and could likely gather consensus support for his candidacy
-- the right ingredients to sidetrack Iran,s ambition.
However, Naqvi is subject to mandatory retirement (for age)
and due to leave in the next few months.


6. (SBU) The Ambassador phoned Naqvi on October 16, who
came over right away to see him and express his interest.
Naqvi is willing to arrange support in the Asian group which
would come from them, not him, so as not to directly oppose
Iran. However, he had to check with his government on
whether he could be extended to serve through the RevCon. He
phoned Amb. Javits the next day to say that his government
has the proposal under consideration. Naqvi explained that
his foreign Minister had agreed to his staying on for a
couple of months in 2008 but that he needs US reinforcement
(a call from our Ambassador in Pakistan to the Foreign
Minister) for extending his term through April.


7. (SBU) The procedural questions on the regional rotation
of the chairmanship for the RevCon would be much easier to
resolve if a consensus candidate emerges for the post. We
believe Naqvi is qualified to be that candidate, especially
as he services as coordinator for the Asian regional group.
Urgent action is needed now to avoid the debacle of a fight
over Iran,s candidacy at the upcoming Conference of States
Parties in early November.

8. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: Delegation requests
Department,s authorization for Embassy Islamabad to approach
the Pakistani Foreign Minister to urge favorable
consideration for Ambassador Naqvi,s request for an
extension through April 2008 in order to serve as chairman of
the OPCW Review Conference. This position would be good for
Pakistan, particularly if Naqvi steers the Conference
productively, as we believe he would. The OPCW has a low
public profile among international organizations, but a well
deserved reputation as one of the most effective.


9. JAVITS SENDS.
Arnall