Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08CANBERRA90
2008-02-04 04:09:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Canberra
Cable title:  

CLUSTER MUNITIONS: AUSTRALIA COMMENTS ON OSLO

Tags:  PARM MOPS PREL AS 
pdf how-to read a cable
P 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