AFGHAN FM VISITS MOSCOW, DIPNOTE REGARDING TRANSPORT OF

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 001487 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MASS MOPS PGOV PINS PREL ELTN AF RS SUBJECT: AFGHAN FM VISITS MOSCOW, DIPNOTE REGARDING TRANSPORT OF ISAF EQUIPMENT TO AFGHANISTAN RECEIVED REF: MOSCOW 1302 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Afghan FM Spanta's May 26 visit to Moscow focused on expanding cooperation on economic and counter narcotics issues, without making progress on the Russian proposal to provide military assistance to Afghanistan. On May 21 Moscow DAO received a diplomatic note from the MOD regarding the transport of goods to ISAF forces in Afghanistan (text at para 4). End summary. ¶2. (SBU) MFA Afghan Desk Chief Yuri Kholkhov told us on May 27 that Afghan Foreign Minister Spanta's May 26 visit was a routine follow-up to Lavrov's trip last year to Kabul. The FMs discussed expanding cooperation on Afghan economic development and counter narcotics efforts. FM Spanta reaffirmed interest in continuing to send Afghans to GOR counter narcotics training programs. Russia's proposal to send military aid to the Afghan National Army was discussed, but not in detail. Regarding Spanta's statement to the press that the Afghan DefMin could visit Moscow "soon" to discuss possible arms transfers, Kholkhov said this required further coordination between the Russian and Afghan MODs. Kholkhov told us that the Russian Embassy in Kabul has been instructed to work with the Afghan MOD on the military aid proposal but the MFA has yet to receive any feedback (reftel). He promised to let us know once the MFA heard from its embassy. ¶3. (SBU) On May 21 Moscow DAO received a diplomatic note from the MOD regarding the transport of goods to ISAF forces in Afghanistan. ¶4. (SBU) Begin text of diplomatic note. --The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America to the Russian Federation and has the honor to inform the Government of the United States of America of the procedures for ground transportation of weapons, military equipment, and military property through the territory of the Russian Federation en route to the International Security Assistance Force in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, as approved by Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of March 28, 2008, Number 219. --These procedures have established that, in order to fulfill UN Security Council Resolution 1386 (2001) concerning military transport of weapons, military equipment, and military property en route to the International Security Assistance Force in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan through the territory of the Russian Federation, neither the procedures set forth in Regulations on ground transportation of weapons, military equipment and military property through the territory of the Russian Federation, approved by Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of April 8, 2000, Number 306, nor the classification system of military equipment and military property transported through the territory of the Russian Federation, approved by Order of the Government of the Russian Federation of July 14, 2000, Number 937-r, shall apply, with the exception of goods listed in the annex (which is attached) to Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation, of March 28, 2008, Number 219. --Transport of goods which are not listed in the annex to the above-mentioned Resolution will be treated as commercial goods being transported by normal procedures in accordance with customs laws of the Russian Federation. --The Ministry avails itself of the opportunity to renew to the Embassy assurances of its highest consideration. Moscow, May 21, 2008 --Annex Index of items in accordance with the Nomenclature of Goods for Foreign Trade by the Russian Federation Code from Nomenclature of Goods designation for Foreign Trade and the items are as follows: --3601 00 000 0: Gunpowder --3602 00 000 0: Explosive-ready material, not including gunpowder. --3603 00: Blasting fuses, detonation fuses, primers or blasting caps, fuses, electric detonators. --3604 90 000 0: Flares, Cloud seeding rockets, fog signals and other pyrotechnic devices. MOSCOW 00001487 002 OF 002 --8526: Radar, navigation equipment and direction range finder, used for tactical employment of weapons, military equipment, Command and Control of troops, weapons and military equipment. --8710 00 000 0: Tanks and other self propelled armored transport vehicles with or without armament and their parts. --8802: Aircraft (such as helicopters and airplanes); space craft (including satellites) and sub orbital and orbital space booster rockets. --8906: Ships and others, including military vessels, rescue vessels with the exception of row boats --9013: Telescopic sights to be equipped on weaponry; Periscopes; Telescopes produced as parts of vehicles or other optical devices able to be used with weaponry if not equipped on firearms or not submitted with the firearm on which they should be equipped; laser sights, able to be used with weaponry if they are not equipped on firearms or not submitted with the weapon on which they should be equipped. --9301: Military weaponry besides revolvers pistols and weaponry included in commodity items 9307, artillery weapons. --9302 00 000 0: Revolvers and pistols, except for those that are included in commodity items 9303 and 9304. --9303: Firearms and other analogous devices, which use explosive charges. --9305: Parts and accessories of products in commodity items 9301-9303. --9306: Bombs, grenades, torpedoes, mines, rockets and analogous devices for conducting military activities and their parts; bullets and other ammunition, shells and their parts including shot and wadding for shells, shells for smoothbore weapons and their parts. End diplomatic note. RUSSELL