Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 054671 UNVIE FOR E.SANDBERG E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2033 TAGS: MTCRE PARM MNUC KSCA TSPA ETTC SUBJECT: Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC): Guidance For The May 29- 30, 2008 Annual Meeting (C) REF: A) UNVIE VIENNA 243 B) 06 State 116243 C) STATE 42285 D) 03 STATE 177636 (U) Classified by IO A/S James B. Warlick, Acting. Reason: 1.4 (B),(D). ¶1. (C) The following guidance is provided to the U.S. delegation participating in the HCOC Annual Meeting, in Vienna, on May 29-30, 2008. ¶2. (C) BEGIN GUIDANCE: In discussing HCOC Annual Meeting agenda items, the delegation should seek HCOC outcomes that are consistent with U.S. foreign policy objectives, including nonproliferation and national security policy considerations. In particular, the delegation should be prepared to engage in a discussion of the following issues: ¶A. (SBU) Activities of the Chair -------------- Consistent with established practice, the delegation should support a role for the HCOC Chair that includes leading outreach activities and other contacts mandated by HCOC decisions. The delegation also may support a mandate for the Chair to engage with appropriate international bodies, multilateral regimes and arrangements, and regional organizations to promote the HCOC and underscore the need for broad support for international missile nonproliferation efforts. ¶B. (U) Selection of the 2007-2008 HCOC Chair -------------- - The delegation should cooperate with other HCOC Subscribing States in achieving consensus on the HCOC Chair for 2008-2009. ¶C. (C) Activities of the Immediate Central Contact (ICC) -------------- -------------- -------------- (1) As necessary, the delegation should note that the U.S. sees no need at this time to broaden the ICC's functions or to establish a formal secretariat for that it has no formal secretariat or implementing organization, and thus does not create a financial burden on most Subscribing States (2) Sharing Information Among Subscribing States: The delegation should indicate that the ICC's process for disseminating information about new subscribers and Annual Declarations (ADs) generally works well and should be continued. In this context, the delegation should support ICC efforts to update the national points of contacts list. The delegation may also note that the current process for sharing PreLaunch Notifications (PLNs) works well and need not be changed. As necessary, the delegation should discourage creation of a more formal information- sharing system, stressing the U.S. preference since the launching of the HCOC November 2002 to use the multilateralized U.S.-Russian PLN system as the means of exchanging PLNS under the HCOC once that system is operational. (3) Electronic Repository for HCOC Documents: If the ICC or another HCOC country advocates establishing an electronic repository for AD, PLNs, and other relevant HCOC documents to provide an additional tool for Subscribing States to have electronic access to HCOC documents, the delegation should not object to such a system as long as it does not result in a financial or administrative burden on the U.S. However, delegation also should not encourage a substantial investment in such a system as the U.S. preference continues to be to use the multilateralized U.S.-Russian PLN system as the means of exchanging PLNS under the HCOC once that system is operational. (4) Intersessional Meetings: As appropriate, the delegation should express skepticism about the need for additional formal HCOC meetings, including meetings to prepare for the HCOC annual meeting or to develop a UN resolution on the HCOC. Rather, Subscribing States should focus on encouraging additional countries to subscribe to the HCOC and to submitting timely ADs. ¶D. (C) General Discussion of Missile Issues -------------- In keeping with the agreement reached at the November 2004 HCOC Annual Meeting, the delegation should continue to encourage and support Subscribing States using Opening Statements at HCOC Annual Meetings to discuss the nature of the missile proliferation threat, its significance for HCOC Subscribing States, and ways Subscribing States can address that threat. However, the delegation should not support a separate agenda item for a "general discussion of missile issues," and should attempt to discourage extended discussion of issues such as missile defense in this forum. ¶E. (C) Annual Declarations (ADs) -------------- The delegation should support "HCOC inreach" to remind Subscribing States of the importance of submitting their ADs - including nil reports - by the annual reporting deadline (March 31). As necessary and appropriate, delegation may report on the results of recent U.S. "inreach" efforts. ¶F. (C) Prelaunch Notifications (PLNS) -------------- The delegation should remind Subscribing States of the United States' long-standing position on PLNs. The U.S. plans to make HCOC PLNs based upon U.S. proposals in its continuing discussions with the Russian Federation on a PLN system to be established in connection with the U.S.-Russia Joint Data Exchange Center. The U.S. continues to hope that the bilateral arrangement can be implemented soon, which would in turn facilitate the provision of PLNs under the HCOC. The U.S. wants to provide HCOC the HCOC. The delegation also may remind other HCOC states that a key feature of the HCOC, since its inception, is PLNs using the mechanism envisioned in the U.S.-Russia arrangement, and continues to work with Russia to address the issues which have been holding up implementation of the PLNs MOU. On other issues related to PLNs, delegation should provide responses consistent with REF D. ¶G. (C) Cascade Approach to PLNS -------------- The delegation should report that the U.S. position on Canada's proposal on a "cascade criteria" for PLNs to help determine which country should submit a PLN has not changed. The U.S. views Canada's proposal as a useful tool for Subscribing States to draw on but does not think there is a need for a common approach to deciding which country should submit a PLN. ¶H. (C) Proposed Amendments to the HCOC -------------- The delegation should advise HCOC Subscribing States that the U.S. sees no need at this time to amend the HCOC. As necessary, the delegation also should make clear that the U.S. position on Russia's three amendments ("improvements") to the HCOC has not changed. The U.S. believes amendments to the HCOC should be made based on their merits and because they would enhance the HCOC's missile nonproliferation efforts - which the three Russian amendments do not. The U.S. further believes it inappropriate to amend the HCOC for the sole purpose of attracting more members. Countries should subscribe to the HCOC because they support its basic missile nonproliferation principles and objectives, not because joining will provide them political legitimacy or economic benefits. Moreover, while the HCOC should be a flexible and dynamic instrument, it is not yet fully functioning (e.g., not all HCOC countries yet submit ADs). Accordingly, it is premature to consider changing the basic elements. Finally, the delegation should make clear that the U.S. would not support amendments to the HCOC that would create confusion or undermine existing international standards. In addition, the U.S. would oppose efforts to amend the HCOC such that it becomes involved in arms controls issues (e.g., verification regimes) for which it is ill-suited. ¶I. (C) Outreach Activities -------------- The delegation should report on the results of U.S. efforts since the 2007 annual meeting to urge additional countries to subscribe to the HCOC. ¶J. (C) UNGA Resolution -------------- The delegation should work with other HCOC countries to develop and agree on the text of a 2008 UNGA resolution on the HCOC. Additionally, the delegation should make clear that, if the HCOC decides to pursue an UNGA resolution in 2008, the U.S. would expect the HCOC to follow the procedures for tabling and amending an UNGA resolution on HCOC that were agreed on at the June 2004 HCOC meeting. (The number of co-sponsors for the resolution must be equal to a majority of the UNGA. If this is achieved, the resolution will be tabled. Any changes to the agreed draft resolution will require the approval of all HCOC Subscribers.) ¶K. (U) Next Meeting -------------- The delegation should work with other HCOC countries to achieve consensus on the dates for the next HCOC annual meeting. END GUIDANCE. ¶3. (U) Please slug any reporting on this or other HCOC issues for ISN/MTR. A word version of this cable will be posted at www.state.sgov.gov/demarche. RICE NNNN End Cable Text