Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07THEHAGUE1962
2007-11-02 17:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy The Hague
Cable title:
PAKISTANI CANDIDATE FOR CRITICAL OPCW CHAIRMANSHIP
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHTC #1962 3061719 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 021719Z NOV 07 FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0646 INFO RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD IMMEDIATE 1022 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001962
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR ISN/CB, SCA/PB
ISLAMABAD FOR AMBASSADOR PATTERSON FROM AMBASSADOR JAVITS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2017
TAGS: PARM PK PREL CWC
SUBJECT: PAKISTANI CANDIDATE FOR CRITICAL OPCW CHAIRMANSHIP
REF: A. A. THE HAGUE 1909
B. B. STATE 148567
C. C. ISLAMABAD 4622
Classified By: Permanent Representative Eric M. Javits, for reasons 1.5
(B) and (D).
This is CWC-86-07.
C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001962
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR ISN/CB, SCA/PB
ISLAMABAD FOR AMBASSADOR PATTERSON FROM AMBASSADOR JAVITS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2017
TAGS: PARM PK PREL CWC
SUBJECT: PAKISTANI CANDIDATE FOR CRITICAL OPCW CHAIRMANSHIP
REF: A. A. THE HAGUE 1909
B. B. STATE 148567
C. C. ISLAMABAD 4622
Classified By: Permanent Representative Eric M. Javits, for reasons 1.5
(B) and (D).
This is CWC-86-07.
1. (U) This is an action message ) see para 4.
2. (C) We received word today informally from Embassy
Islamabad that a key official being demarched on the issue of
Ambassador Sibte Yahva Naqvi,s extension to chair the
OPCW,s Second Review Conference (Refs a, b and c) is Colonel
Shahab Ab Din from the Disarmament Directorate of the MFA.
Colonel Ab Din is currently in The Hague, and the Embassy
suggested that I might want to contact him myself. I have
spoken to Ambassador Naqvi, who informed me that there is no
point in involving Colonel Ab Din because he is incapable of
making the call to the Foreign Secretary under the present
circumstances. The Foreign Ministry has to date only heard
from Ambassador Naqvi and could well be under the impression
that seeking this position is a personal enterprise of Naqvi
with a view to extending his term. Hearing from Ab Din would
not change that impression. (Comment: Naqvi has not put
himself forward for this position. The OPCW Director General
and I agreed to approach him to ascertain whether he would be
available and willing to take it on. End Comment)
3. (C) According to Naqvi, only the Foreign Secretary or the
Additional Foreign Secretary (ASUN),Khalid Aziz Babar, can
decide that Pakistan should chair the RevCon, and only the
President (head of government) can make the further decision
to extend Naqvi,s term from February to the end of April to
make that possible. The Foreign Secretary does not have that
power.
4. (C) Action requested. We request the Department,s
authorization for Ambassador Patterson to phone Khalid Aziz
Babar or the Foreign Secretary directly. The points to
emphasize are that Naqvi,s chairing the OPCW Review
Conference is in the mutual interests of the U.S. and
Pakistan, that Pakistan is well suited to provide the
leadership needed for the Review Conference, and that
Ambassador Naqvi,s extended service would only need to be
three months, from February through April. Ambassador Naqvi
is a most capable diplomat, is popular here in The Hague, and
is the choice of many in and out of the Asian Group at the
OPCW.
5. (C) I know this issue is not at the top of an overloaded
bilateral Pakistan-U.S. agenda, but would very much
appreciate Ambassador Patterson,s time for a phone call to
the Foreign Secretary. It is critical here that Pakistan
take the lead for this honor to obviate the move by Iran to
seek it, a move which would destroy the chances for a
successful Review Conference.
6. JAVITS SENDS.
Gallagher
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR ISN/CB, SCA/PB
ISLAMABAD FOR AMBASSADOR PATTERSON FROM AMBASSADOR JAVITS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2017
TAGS: PARM PK PREL CWC
SUBJECT: PAKISTANI CANDIDATE FOR CRITICAL OPCW CHAIRMANSHIP
REF: A. A. THE HAGUE 1909
B. B. STATE 148567
C. C. ISLAMABAD 4622
Classified By: Permanent Representative Eric M. Javits, for reasons 1.5
(B) and (D).
This is CWC-86-07.
1. (U) This is an action message ) see para 4.
2. (C) We received word today informally from Embassy
Islamabad that a key official being demarched on the issue of
Ambassador Sibte Yahva Naqvi,s extension to chair the
OPCW,s Second Review Conference (Refs a, b and c) is Colonel
Shahab Ab Din from the Disarmament Directorate of the MFA.
Colonel Ab Din is currently in The Hague, and the Embassy
suggested that I might want to contact him myself. I have
spoken to Ambassador Naqvi, who informed me that there is no
point in involving Colonel Ab Din because he is incapable of
making the call to the Foreign Secretary under the present
circumstances. The Foreign Ministry has to date only heard
from Ambassador Naqvi and could well be under the impression
that seeking this position is a personal enterprise of Naqvi
with a view to extending his term. Hearing from Ab Din would
not change that impression. (Comment: Naqvi has not put
himself forward for this position. The OPCW Director General
and I agreed to approach him to ascertain whether he would be
available and willing to take it on. End Comment)
3. (C) According to Naqvi, only the Foreign Secretary or the
Additional Foreign Secretary (ASUN),Khalid Aziz Babar, can
decide that Pakistan should chair the RevCon, and only the
President (head of government) can make the further decision
to extend Naqvi,s term from February to the end of April to
make that possible. The Foreign Secretary does not have that
power.
4. (C) Action requested. We request the Department,s
authorization for Ambassador Patterson to phone Khalid Aziz
Babar or the Foreign Secretary directly. The points to
emphasize are that Naqvi,s chairing the OPCW Review
Conference is in the mutual interests of the U.S. and
Pakistan, that Pakistan is well suited to provide the
leadership needed for the Review Conference, and that
Ambassador Naqvi,s extended service would only need to be
three months, from February through April. Ambassador Naqvi
is a most capable diplomat, is popular here in The Hague, and
is the choice of many in and out of the Asian Group at the
OPCW.
5. (C) I know this issue is not at the top of an overloaded
bilateral Pakistan-U.S. agenda, but would very much
appreciate Ambassador Patterson,s time for a phone call to
the Foreign Secretary. It is critical here that Pakistan
take the lead for this honor to obviate the move by Iran to
seek it, a move which would destroy the chances for a
successful Review Conference.
6. JAVITS SENDS.
Gallagher