MISSILE DEFENSE: POLES PROPOSE SEPTEMBER FOR NEXT

C O N F I D E N T I A L WARSAW 001699 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN ASSISTANT SECRETARY JOHN C ROOD, PM/SNA AMBASSADOR MCDONALD OSD FOR DASD BRIAN GREEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2017 TAGS: MARR PREL PL SUBJECT: MISSILE DEFENSE: POLES PROPOSE SEPTEMBER FOR NEXT ROUND OF NEGOTIATIONS Classified By: Polcouns Mary T. Curtin for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) In an August 2 meeting with Charge and poloff, Poland's lead Missile Defense (MD) negotiator, Witold Waszczykowski, indicated that the next round of MD negotiations should occur on September 10, agreeing with his principle advisor, Robert Kupiecki, who said this was a "realistic meeting date." (Note: We understand that Waszczykowski, in a subsequent telephone conversation with A/S Rood indicated that September 5 would also be acceptable. Embassy will follow up with MFA to confirm this. End Note) Waszczykowski attributed the need for delay to "more complicated than expected" interagency clearance procedures. Kupiecki explained that Poland was still working on two documents, the MD basing agreement, due to be finished around August 13 and a national security cooperation agreement, due to be finished around August 27. ¶2. (C) Waszczykowski indicated that Poland still had two outstanding requests of the U.S. One, Poland was interested to know on what basis, i.e., with what economic model, the U.S. could forecast the financial benefits of a military base to the local community. Two, he obliquely pressed for Patriot Missile batteries to defend Polish airspace by recalling that the president's National Security Advisor, Wladyslaw Stasiak, had floated the idea in his meeting with Judith Ainsley of the U.S. NSC. (Comment: In a meeting with Charge Stasiak said Poland would like to discuss modernizing its air defense system, emphasizing that it wanted to discuss the purchase of Patriots with national funds. End Comment) ¶3. (C) Robert Kupiecki subsequently called Charge to ask how and when our "national security authorities," military and civilian (not further defined),could have another meeting within the context of discussing enhanced national security cooperation, presumably meaning a meeting of national security advisors. Post will also seek to clarify this request. HILLAS