JCIC-XXXIII: (U) RUSSIAN OPENING PLENARY

S E C R E T GENEVA 000963 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 OPENING PLENARY STATEMENT, NOVEMBER 13, 2008 Classified By: Jerry A. Taylor, United States Representative to the Joint Compliance and Inspection Commission. Reasons: 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is JCIC-XXXIII-007. ¶2. (U) At paragraph 3 below is the official translation of the text of the Russian Statement that was delivered at the Opening 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 13, 2008. ¶3. (S) Begin text: Official Translation JCIC-XXXIII Plenary Meeting November 13, 2008 STATEMENT by the Representative of the Russian Federation Esteemed Colleagues, On behalf of the Russian Delegation, allow me to greet the Belarusian, Kazakhstani, U.S., and Ukrainian Delegations at the opening of the Thirty-third Session of the Joint Compliance and Inspection Commission. I want to express the hope that the productive work at previous sessions of the Commission will continue at this round of negotiations and that the sides will be able to move forward in resolving the existing problems. As we agreed in July of this year at JCIC-XXXII, the meeting of the Parties provided for in paragraph 2 of Article XVII of the Treaty will be held within the framework of this session of the Commission. In this connection, regardless of the results of that meeting, a great deal needs to be done during the time remaining before December 5, 2009. I will emphasize that the Russian side did a good deal of homework during the intersessional period (as the U.S. Delegation traditionally urges us to do) and provided a number of documents to the U.S. through diplomatic channels. Specifically, these include detailed rationale for the Russian concerns regarding the problem of conversion of B-1 heavy bombers to carry non-nuclear armaments; an assessment of the activities at Courtland; and the issue of redeclaration of 50 Peacekeeper ICBM silo launchers as Minuteman III ICBM launchers. Regrettably, we did not receive any response to these documents. We look forward to substantive consideration of these issues at this session, and we hope that the U.S. side is interested in their earliest resolution. We note the important work done by the U.S. side during the intersessional period on preparing the drafts of a JCIC Agreement and letters of exchange governing the completion of continuous monitoring activities at Votkinsk. These documents were received through diplomatic channels on October 31, 2008, and are currently being studied in detail by the relevant agencies. We are prepared to continue the dialogue on this subject and we believe that a good foundation has been laid for finalizing the relevant accord. We also hope to receive a response from the U.S. side to the Russian proposals on conducting a one-time demonstration of the front section of the Minuteman III ICBM. Arrangement of such a demonstration would help to achieve the objectives of reentry vehicle inspections for missiles of this type. We are also prepared to discuss the issues tabled by Ukraine. We have provided all the delegations with proposals on the procedure for considering the issues that the Parties have placed on the agenda of this session. We will have to work hard during the relatively short period allotted for our meeting in Geneva. On behalf of the Russian Delegation, I want to wish everyone successful and productive work. End text. ¶4. (U) Taylor sends. TICHENOR NNNN