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