Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08CANBERRA90
2008-02-04 04:09:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Canberra
Cable title:
CLUSTER MUNITIONS: AUSTRALIA COMMENTS ON OSLO
how-toP 040409Z FEB 08 FM AMEMBASSY CANBERRA TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8914 INFO AMEMBASSY DUBLIN PRIORITY AMEMBASSY HELSINKI PRIORITY AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM PRIORITY AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY AMEMBASSY VIENNA PRIORITY AMEMBASSY WARSAW PRIORITY AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY AMCONSUL MELBOURNE PRIORITY AMCONSUL PERTH PRIORITY AMCONSUL SYDNEY PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L CANBERRA 000090
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR PM/WRA K. BAKER AND EAP/ANP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2018
TAGS: PARM MOPS PREL AS
SUBJECT: CLUSTER MUNITIONS: AUSTRALIA COMMENTS ON OSLO
PROCESS
REF: A. 2007 CANBERRA 1763 (NOTAL)
B. 2007 STATE 167308 (NOTAL)
Classified By: Political Counselor James F.Cole for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L CANBERRA 000090
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR PM/WRA K. BAKER AND EAP/ANP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2018
TAGS: PARM MOPS PREL AS
SUBJECT: CLUSTER MUNITIONS: AUSTRALIA COMMENTS ON OSLO
PROCESS
REF: A. 2007 CANBERRA 1763 (NOTAL)
B. 2007 STATE 167308 (NOTAL)
Classified By: Political Counselor James F.Cole for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)
1. (C/NF) Gerry McGuire, Director, Arms Control and
Counter-Proliferation Branch at DFAT, told Poloff on January
30 he was not sanguine that much progress would be achieved
at the upcoming Oslo meeting in New Zealand. Discussions to
date have not produced any changes in language on Australia's
3 red line items: interoperability, definitions that exclude
sensor-fused weapons, or retention of legacy weapons for
development and training purposes.
2. (C/NF) McGuire indicated that Australia will remain
involved in the Oslo Process at least through the Wellington
meeting, so, if negotiations do not resolve their red line
issues, the GOA can assert it made a best and good faith
effort. Australia's participation at Wellington also is
important because of its close relationship with New Zealand,
he added. Dr. Ada Cheung, Executive Director, Arms Control
and Counter-Proliferation Branch, suggested separately that
Australia will withdraw after Wellington if the core group
successfully changes the declaration language to ban all
cluster munitions. She also advised that New Zealand is
working very hard to keep the process and participants on
track toward an outcome with useful controls. Dr. Cheung
reiterated that the ideological position of many participants
may prevent achieving a functional result.
3. (C/NF) Mr. McGuire observed that failure in the Oslo
Process to develop viable control and use policies for
cluster munitions puts additional pressure on the concurrent
UN Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) meetings to
produce solid results. He noted that the CCW meetings,
however, continue to suffer from Russian stonewalling.
4. (C/NF) McGuire shared with Poloff rumors that some smaller
countries, such as Poland, will likely pull out of the Oslo
Process after Wellington because of their strong
relationships with the U.S. and their need for
interoperability with U.S. forces. Dr. Cheung stated that
those withdrawing would be NATO members.
MCCALLUM
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR PM/WRA K. BAKER AND EAP/ANP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2018
TAGS: PARM MOPS PREL AS
SUBJECT: CLUSTER MUNITIONS: AUSTRALIA COMMENTS ON OSLO
PROCESS
REF: A. 2007 CANBERRA 1763 (NOTAL)
B. 2007 STATE 167308 (NOTAL)
Classified By: Political Counselor James F.Cole for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)
1. (C/NF) Gerry McGuire, Director, Arms Control and
Counter-Proliferation Branch at DFAT, told Poloff on January
30 he was not sanguine that much progress would be achieved
at the upcoming Oslo meeting in New Zealand. Discussions to
date have not produced any changes in language on Australia's
3 red line items: interoperability, definitions that exclude
sensor-fused weapons, or retention of legacy weapons for
development and training purposes.
2. (C/NF) McGuire indicated that Australia will remain
involved in the Oslo Process at least through the Wellington
meeting, so, if negotiations do not resolve their red line
issues, the GOA can assert it made a best and good faith
effort. Australia's participation at Wellington also is
important because of its close relationship with New Zealand,
he added. Dr. Ada Cheung, Executive Director, Arms Control
and Counter-Proliferation Branch, suggested separately that
Australia will withdraw after Wellington if the core group
successfully changes the declaration language to ban all
cluster munitions. She also advised that New Zealand is
working very hard to keep the process and participants on
track toward an outcome with useful controls. Dr. Cheung
reiterated that the ideological position of many participants
may prevent achieving a functional result.
3. (C/NF) Mr. McGuire observed that failure in the Oslo
Process to develop viable control and use policies for
cluster munitions puts additional pressure on the concurrent
UN Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) meetings to
produce solid results. He noted that the CCW meetings,
however, continue to suffer from Russian stonewalling.
4. (C/NF) McGuire shared with Poloff rumors that some smaller
countries, such as Poland, will likely pull out of the Oslo
Process after Wellington because of their strong
relationships with the U.S. and their need for
interoperability with U.S. forces. Dr. Cheung stated that
those withdrawing would be NATO members.
MCCALLUM