CANADA OFFERS AMENDED LANGUAGE ON CWC CHALLENGE

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 001481 SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN/CB - E KLIMSON E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/21/2018 TAGS: PARM PREL KTIA CWC CA SUBJECT: CANADA OFFERS AMENDED LANGUAGE ON CWC CHALLENGE INSPECTIONS LETTER EXCHANGE REF: A. OTTAWA 1396 ¶B. STATE 112672 Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) As promised in ref a demarche response, on November 21 Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) Deputy Director for Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Louis-Phillipe Sylvestre provided suggested amendments to the draft language for an exchange of notes on procedures governing the conduct of challenge inspections under the Chemical Weapons Convention. He noted that DFAIT lawyers had suggested several changes, but he expressed the hope that they will prove non-controversial. If this is not the case, he proposed that the Canadian delegation could pursue discussions directly with the U.S. delegation in The Hague to resolve any concerns. ¶2. (C) Canadian suggested changes are as follow: -- Amend the addressee block to read: Mr. James Junke, Director Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (Chemical, Biological, Conventional and Remote Sensing) Division, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, 125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, K1A 0G2, Canada -- Section I, paragraph B: insert point of contact for Canada: Canadian National Authority, telephone 01-613-944-0473; fax 01-613-944-3105, email: Canadian-national-authority@international.gc. ca and DFAIT Operations Centre 24/7, telephone 01-613-996-8885, email sos@international.gc.ca -- Section III: merge paragraphs A,B and C into one paragraph to read as follows: Allow the other Participant to send representative to observe and advise the Inspected State Party on any matters pertaining to the national security interest of the other Participant at all stages of the Challenge Inspection, including, but not necessarily limited to: point of entry procedures; perimeter negotiations; inspection of OPCW approved equipment; pre-inspection briefing; conduct of inspection; and, sampling and analysis. -- Section III: amend paragraph F to read as follows: Consult with the other Participant on the employment of managed access procedures to its assets. Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada WILKINS