UKRAINE: BILATERAL COOPERATION ON MAN-PORTABLE AIR

C O N F I D E N T I A L KYIV 001257 SIPDIS DEPT ALSO FOR EUR/UMB AND EUR/PRA E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/26/2018 TAGS: MARR MOPS PREL PARM NATO PINR US UP SUBJECT: UKRAINE: BILATERAL COOPERATION ON MAN-PORTABLE AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM (MANPADS) REF: A. KYIV 782 (NOTAL) ¶B. STATE 37937 ¶C. STATE 30482 Classified By: Ambassador for reasons 1.4(b,d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Special Envoy for MANPADS Threat Reduction, Ambassador Lincoln P. Bloomfield, Jr., visited Kyiv June 17-19. During his visit, Bloomfield explained the special concern with which the U.S. Government regards trade in MANPADS and urged Ukraine to strengthen its cooperation with the U.S. to reduce the MANPADS threat. He delivered this message in meetings with Defense Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov, First Deputy Foreign Minister Volodymyr Khandohiy, National Security and Defense Council First Deputy Secretary Stepan Gavrysh, Presidential Secretariat Deputy Chief of Staff Oleksandr Chaliy, and UKRSPETSEXPORT Director General Sergiy Bondarchuk. His interlocutors, with the exception of Bondarchuk, were cautiously receptive; Yekhanurov and Gavrysh were interested in receiving a written follow-up proposal. Over dinner, Parliamentary Deputy (and former Foreign Minister) Boris Tarasyuk and Deputy Head of the MOD Main Intelligence Directorate Andrii Taran also described the general political environment and Ukrainian historical concerns. End summary. ¶2. (U) Ambassador accompanied Bloomfield to his meetings with Yekhanurov, Gavrysh, and Chaliy. Embassy Kyiv DATT sat in on the Yekhanurov and Bondarchuk meetings. Polmiloff and Political Military Bureau Office of Weapons Reduction and Abatement (PM/WRA) Deputy Director Steve Costner were present at all of Bloomfield's meetings. The Message -------------- ¶3. (C) Bloomfield stressed with his interlocutors that he was making his visit not because Ukraine was a problem, but because Ukraine was a friend to the U.S. The U.S. was principally concerned with areas such as the Horn of Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, but he had been encouraged by Ukraine's desire for a closer partnership with NATO and U.S. high level support for Ukraine at the NATO Bucharest Summit. In the run-up to the NATO Foreign Ministerial in December, Ukraine could send a good message by entering into a dialogue with the U.S. on ways to cooperate to reduce the MANPADS threat. This cooperation could begin with a military-to-military information exchange on the types and numbers of MANPADS that Ukraine held and a consultation on what was required for Ukraine's security. If Ukraine were to determine that some MANPADS were excess, the U.S. would welcome a Ukrainian offer to eliminate the excess and could possibly provide financial assistance to meet Ukraine's other priority needs, in particular the destruction of excess and potentially hazardous large-caliber munitions. ¶4. (C) Bloomfield also urged his interlocutors to consolidate MANPADS stock in one or two storage locations and offered U.S. help in improving stockpile management, accountability, and security. He recommended that Ukraine forswear future production of MANPADS and urged Ukrainian officials to agree to carry out prior consultations with the U.S. regarding any future sales of MANPADS or MANPADS components. Bloomfield noted that Ukrainian officials needed to make decisions rapidly, since his authority would end when the current Administration leaves office. Yekhanurov's Assurances -------------- ¶5. (C) Yekhanurov said that he agreed MANPADS ease of use and portability made them a special concern and welcomed Bloomfield's desire to improve bilateral transparency between the U.S. and Ukraine. Steps to reduce MANPADS stockpiles were a sensitive issue, however, given the lack of agreed demarcation of Ukraine's eastern and northern borders. He also did not want to repeat the missteps made during Ukraine's nuclear disarmament. Recalling January 1, 2006, when Russia halted its natural gas deliveries while he was Prime Minister, Yekhanurov said he had been forcefully reminded of the strategic importance of Ukraine's defense capabilities. The Ukrainian military's main MANPADS were the Strela and Igla missiles. The military had determined that eight units each of Strela and Igla (note: presumably 16 missiles altogether) had exceeded their operational life and so, not being usable, would be eliminated. Yekhanurov assured Bloomfield that Ukraine would provide prior notification to the U.S. of future MANPADS sales to third countries. While Ukraine exercised strict control over its MANPADS sales, it might consider such sales to Georgia and Azerbaijan, which had particular security requirements and a close relationship with Ukraine. Finally, Yekhanurov invited the United States Government officials to visit MANPADS stockpile sites in Ukraine. ¶6. (SBU) In addition to Yekhanurov, First Deputy Defense Minister Valeriy Ivashchenko, MOD Utilization Department Director Anatoliy Sosnovsky, and Ukrainian Armed Forces Logistics Directorate Central Rocket Artillery Armament Division Chief Colonel Artyushenko were also present. Positive Foreign Policy Impact -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Both Khandohiy and Gavrysh were enthusiastic and supportive of Bloomfield's proposals, but both also noted that the Ministry of Defense (MoD) would be the principal decision-maker on the issue. Khandohiy assured Bloomfield "our policy support is there." He had "heard the message" and could say "let's keep working on this." Gavrysh noted that SecDef Gates' strong support for Ukraine had eased his own recent visit to NATO headquarters in Brussels. He noted Ukrainian concern regarding the NATO Partnership for Peace (PfP) Trust Fund project's lack of progress in destroying munitions and said he believed the Cabinet of Ministers would make the appropriate decision in the near future to resume destruction of small arms and light weapons (SA/LW). Gavrysh said he believed that there was a good prospect for additional cooperation on MANPADS and looked forward to working together with U.S. experts. ¶8. (SBU) Chaliy echoed the MFA and NSDC officials' support and promised Presidential Secretariat assistance in coordinating the effort and overcoming any Ukrainian opposition. He urged the U.S. to select a local partner with a proven track record and its own financial resources when executing a program to eliminate MANPADS and suggested that Urkoboronservice would be such a partner. Chaliy commented that internal squabbling could prevent Ukraine from being able to accept offers of assistance, recalling that, in 2000, the Canadian government had withdrawn a $10 million offer of assistance in landmine elimination for just this reason. MANPADS Sales History -------------- ¶9. (C) Bondarchuk stressed that UKRSPETSEXPORT was particularly vigilant with regard to MANPADS sales. In his three years as director general, UKRSPETSEXPORT had declined three requests to sell MANPADS due to the inability to confirm the buyers' intentions, but, when pressed, refused to provide further details regarding his firm's concerns or the countries involved. Deputy Director General Kablov noted that, in fact, UKRSPETSEXPORT's largest MANPADS customer was the U.S. Government; since 2005, UKRSPETSEXPORT's sales of MANPADS to the U.S. were worth $51.5 million (sic). ¶10. (U) Ambassador Bloomfield cleared on this cable. ¶11. (U) Visit Embassy Kyiv's classified website: www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/kiev. TAYLOR