CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (CWC): WRAP-UP FOR THE

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000924

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR ISN/CB, VCI/CCB, L/ACV, IO/S
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISP
JOINT STAFF FOR DD PMA-A FOR WTC
COMMERCE FOR BIS (GOLDMAN)
NSC FOR LEDDY
WINPAC FOR WALTER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM PREL CWC
SUBJECT: CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (CWC): WRAP-UP FOR THE
WEEK ENDING MAY 11

This is CWC-41-07.

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TENTH ANNIVERSARY
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1. (U) The May 9 events commemorating the tenth anniversary
of entry into force of the Convention went off smoothly, and
Secretary Rice's message of congratulations was delivered to

SIPDIS
DG Pfirter. The dedication by Queen Beatrix of the
Netherlands of a memorial for the victims of chemical weapons
attracted modest press attention. Dutch Foreign Minister
Verhagen, Dutch government officials, and representatives of
the member states, international organizations, and the
chemical industry also attended the ceremony. DG Pfirter's
address to the attendees highlighted both the progress that
has been made in implementing the CWC and the challenges
which still remain. The OPCW web-site contains a press
release listing the various organizations in attendance, as
well as other congratulatory statements sent to the OPCW.


2. (U) Various cultural and other events were held in
connection with the tenth anniversary. The Russian
delegation hosted an ITAR-TASS exhibition in the OPCW which
included photos of work at various Russian destruction
facilities as well as Russian officials involved with CWC
issues. The photos will be on display through EC-49. (Note:
Russian Ambassador Gevorgian included in his remarks a
reference to Russia "having destroyed 20 per cent of its
chemical weapons stockpile.")

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INCLUSION OF "QUALITY CONTROL" MEMBER ON INSPECTIONS
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3. (U) The Technical Secretariat has inquired about the
possibility of including an additional "quality control"
member on inspections, to evaluate how effectively inspectors
are operating in the field. DG Pfirter's intent is to
include a staff member from headquarters on at least one of
each type of inspection (CWDF, CWSF, Schedule 1, etc.) over
the next year, and the TS had indicated its interest in
sending an additional team member to a CWSF in the U.S. In
response to initial questions from Washington, del rep
followed up with Per Runn, Policy Review Branch head. Runn
assured the del rep that the intent is for the additional
member of the team to be vetted just as any other inspector
would be, and that these individuals would also undergo the
appropriate training and health and safety certifications.

Runn also noted that the TS is prepared to cover all costs
for the additional team members.

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CHALLENGE INSPECTIONS
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4. (U) In previous discussions, Dutch Amb. Maarten Lak had
indicated the Netherlands interest in including the Executive
Council in the Challenge Inspection exercise it plans to host
in September 2007. Reactions to this proposal have been
mixed, and del rep met with Per Runn to follow up on
suggestions during the Paris meeting of the Close Allies that
the DG did not support EC participation. Runn confirmed the
del's assumption that DG's concerns were partly based on his
experience over the past several years of any TS efforts to
maintain readiness to conduct a Challenge Inspection being
questioned by key NAM delegations.


5. (U) Runn also indicated that the DG is concerned about the
lack of consensus among SPs on the idea of an EC exercise;
evidently several SPs have already implied that an exercise
would be inappropriate without having resolved the
"unresolved" Prepcom issues. He also expressed concern at
Lak's alternative, which was to convene an ad hoc EC of
interested SPs if consensus on an EC exercise could not be
reached. Runn noted that this would probably increase
suspicions that the TS and "pro-Challenge Inspection" SPs
were colluding, and possibly have unpleasant political
consequences.



6. (U) Runn recommended SPs consider a separate, scripted EC
tabletop exercise be run at a later date, independent of the
Dutch exercise. He pointed out that this type of exercise
could be focused more specifically on the time period during
which the EC would have the greatest role to play (receipt of
the request, evaluation of the inspection team's report),and
perhaps even bring in an actual report from a previous
exercise.


7. (U) Ito sends.
ARNALL