Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08MOSCOW421
2008-02-15 10:55:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Moscow
Cable title:  

MFA ON MULTILATERALIZING INF, NON-MILITARIZATION

Tags:  PREL MARR NATO RS 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHMO #0421 0461055
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 151055Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6621
INFO RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 000421 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2018
TAGS: PREL MARR NATO RS
SUBJECT: MFA ON MULTILATERALIZING INF, NON-MILITARIZATION
OF SPACE, POST-START

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Alice G. Wells. Reasons
C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 000421

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2018
TAGS: PREL MARR NATO RS
SUBJECT: MFA ON MULTILATERALIZING INF, NON-MILITARIZATION
OF SPACE, POST-START

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Alice G. Wells. Reasons 1.
4(b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary. Vladimir Yermakov, MFA Director of Strategic
Capabilities Policy, told us February 13 that FM Lavrov's
proposal at the Conference on Disarmament (CD) on February 12
to "multilateralize" the Treaty on the Elimination of
Medium-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles (INF) was necessary
to prevent the proliferation of intermediate-range missiles.
While China was "reluctant," it had not rejected the idea.
Yermakov said the Russia-China proposal for a treaty on
Non-Militarization of Space was similar to previous,
unsuccessful efforts. He denied that Russia intended to
multilateralize post-START or other treaties, at least not
initially. End summary.

INF
---


2. (C) Yermakov, who is newly arrived from four years at the
Russian Embassy in Washington, told us that Russia believed
that since other countries were developing greater nuclear
and missile capacity, it was important to bring them under a
binding Treaty obligation. Russia's draft text seeking to
"multilateralize" the INF Treaty was only a start, intended
to move the process forward. The question of whether to
cover only ground-launched intermediate-range missiles (as
under the existing INF Treaty),or all intermediate range
missiles was one for further discussion. When asked whether
Russia had solicited views from other countries prior to
tabling the text, he said the GOR had discussed it with
China, which was reluctant, but had not rejected the idea.
China had told Russia it had concerns and wanted to watch how
the process moved forward. India was also reluctant, whereas
Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine were supportive. He said
Russia had not discussed the proposal with Iran.


3. (C) Ivan Safranchuk, Director of the World Security
Institute, told us the GOR's main goal in proposing
multilateralization of the INF Treaty was to stymie U.S.
Missile Defense plans for Eastern Europe. If Russia
succeeded in getting other countries, specifically Iran, to
sign on to a global INF Treaty, there would be no more threat
from Iran, and therefore no reason for MD in Poland and the
Czech Republic. Russia was not really interested in
continuing just a bilateral Treaty with the U.S., he said,
and "would have no alternative" but to withdraw from the INF
Treaty if it failed at broadening it.

Non-Militarization of Space Treaty
--------------


4. (C) Yermakov said the Treaty on Non-Militarization of
Space tabled jointly by Russia and China at the CD was very
similar to the one they proposed in 2002. Russia intended to
keep the discussion in the CD for now. While the proposal
focuses on all offensive weapons, it would be necessary to
define the terms carefully so as to determine whether and
what type of defensive weapons should be covered.

Multilateralizing Post-START?
--------------


5. (C) In his Munich speech, Ivanov said that the post-START
(Yermakov said the reference to SALT I was a poor
translation) regime should be legally binding, so that, "in
due course, it would really become possible to shift to the
control over nuclear weapons and the process of their gradual
reduction on a multilateral basis." When asked whether
Ivanov's comments indicated that Russia was moving towards a
policy of seeking to multilateralize a post-START Treaty and
other arms control treaties, Yermakov said that Russia was
not serious about multilateralizing START now. There was no
point in having multilateral treaties without the U.S., and
it was better to start with a bilateral agreement which,
perhaps, could be expanded later to include other countries,
as Russia was proposing with the INF Treaty.


6. (C) Yermakov reiterated Russian arguments about the need
for a binding, post-START Treaty that "took all the best
elements of the START Treaty," and that provided stability
and predictability about both sides' nuclear arsenals.
Russia did not understand what "operationally deployed
strategic weapons," as used in the Moscow Treaty, meant.
Therefore, it was important to provide a clear picture of all
strategic weapons and delivery vehicles.
BURNS