Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08GENEVA1012
2008-11-22 12:23:00
SECRET
US Mission Geneva
Cable title:  

JCIC-XXXIII: (U) RUSSIAN CLOSING STATEMENT,

Tags:  KACT PARM START JCIC INF US RS UP BO KZ 
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O 221223Z NOV 08
FM USMISSION GENEVA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7575
CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
DIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
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NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
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INFO AMEMBASSY ASTANA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY KYIV PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY
S E C R E T GENEVA 001012 


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E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/17/2018
TAGS: KACT PARM START JCIC INF US RS UP BO KZ

SUBJECT: JCIC-XXXIII: (U) RUSSIAN CLOSING STATEMENT,
NOVEMBER 21, 2008

Classified By: Jerry A. Taylor, United States Representative
to the Joint Compliance and Inspection Commission.
Reasons: 1.5(b) and (d).

S E C R E T GENEVA 001012


DEPT FOR T, VCI AND EUR/PRA
DOE FOR NNSA/NA-24
CIA FOR WINPAC
JCS FOR J5/DDGSA
SECDEF FOR OSD(P)/STRATCAP
NAVY FOR CNO-N5JA AND DIRSSP
AIRFORCE FOR HQ USAF/ASX AND ASXP
DTRA FOR OP-OS OP-OSA AND DIRECTOR
NSC FOR HAYES
DIA FOR LEA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/17/2018
TAGS: KACT PARM START JCIC INF US RS UP BO KZ

SUBJECT: JCIC-XXXIII: (U) RUSSIAN CLOSING STATEMENT,
NOVEMBER 21, 2008

Classified By: Jerry A. Taylor, United States Representative
to the Joint Compliance and Inspection Commission.
Reasons: 1.5(b) and (d).


1. (U) This is JCIC-XXXIII-028.


2. (U) At Paragraph 3 below is the official translation of
the Russian Statement that was deliverd at the Closing
Plenary Meeting of the Thirty-third Session of the START
Treaty's Joint Compliance and Inspection Commission (JCIC),
held at the U.S. Mission on November 21, 2008.


3. (S) Begin text:

Official Translation

Statement
by the Representative of the Russian Federation

Esteemed Colleagues,

Today we are summing up the results of the Thirty-third
Session of the Joint Compliance and Inspection Commission for
the START Treaty.

In the Russian side's view, the session took place in a
business-like and constructive atmosphere and made possible a
substantive discussion of the problematic issues related to
implementation of the Treaty by the Parties.

I

During this session the Treaty Parties, represented by
the Delegations of Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Russian
Federation, Ukraine, and the U.S., fulfilled the requirement
of paragraph 2 of Article XVII of the Treaty and held a
meeting within the framework of the Commission "to consider
whether this Treaty will be extended." We will report the
results of the meeting to Moscow, bearing in mind that the
final decision regarding the future of the START Treaty will
be made at a later time. We would remind you of the proposal
made by A. Antonov, Director of the Security and Disarmament
Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to
hold informal consultations on this issue. We will await a
response from our partners.

Work was done on preparing drafts of a JCIC Agreement

and letters of exchange governing the procedures for
completion of continuous monitoring at the portal of the
Votkinsk Machine Building Plant. Our Delegation's lawyers
made a major contribution to working out these drafts.

During the intersessional period the Russian side will
prepare its version of the accord and will send it to
Washington and Minsk for consideration, with the expectation
that the whole package of documents would be signed at the
next JCIC session. We believe that its initialing at the
next session of the Commission could be planned for the
spring of 2009 so that after the necessary legal basis has
been finalized, the U.S. side would still have more than half
a year to arrange for the removal of the inspection team's
property from Russian territory and for the departure of the
monitors from Udmurtia no later than December 5, 2009, as
provided for by the Treaty.

II

The group of issues related to reentry vehicle
inspections of Russian and U.S. ICBMs was also considered.

We would like to believe that the detailed discussion
held on a possible option for verifying Minuteman III ICBM
front sections will facilitate progress in resolving this
problem, the most "ancient" one on the negotiating table.

For its part, the Russian side will continue working to
see what can be done to resolve U.S. concerns over
verification procedures for the front section of the SS-27
ICBM.

III

We believe that a number of issues on the Commission's
agenda require further work during the intersessional period
and consideration at the next session. Among these we
include the problem of conversion of 50 Peacekeeper ICBM silo
launchers into Minuteman III ICBM launchers. We are awaiting
a response from the U.S. side.

The problem of conversion of B-1B heavy bombers to a
non-nuclear variant has not been completely settled. We urge
the U.S. side to resolve this issue in such a way that the
Treaty Parties have no doubt that the converted heavy bombers
are not capable of carrying nuclear weapons. We are taking
the document tabled by the U.S. at the end of this round back
with us for study. We will provide a response through
diplomatic channels.

Regrettably, at this session it was not possible to
resolve our concerns over U.S. activities at Courtland.

We also hope that the issue of inspecting B-52 heavy
bombers at Davis-Monthan will be resolved once and for all.
It would seem that at this session a good foundation for this
has been created.

It seems that the discussions held on these complex
issues will help the Parties to find a mutually acceptable
solution. We propose that the sides work hard during the
intersessional period so as not to lose the momentum gained
at this session.

IV

The Ukrainian side placed a new issue on the agenda.
The discussions held identified differences in the Parties'
interpretation of the term "former type." Thorough legal
analysis of the document submitted by Ukraine will be
required and this too will be homework for us.

* * *

In conclusion, allow me to thank all the participants in this
session for their productive cooperation, to wish everyone
who is returning home a good trip, and to express the hope
that our successful joint work will continue.

End text.


4. (U) Taylor sends.
TICHENOR


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End Cable Text