Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08STATE84719
2008-08-07 12:24:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Secretary of State
Cable title:
HAGUE CODE OF CONDUCT AGAINST BALLISTIC MISSILE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0002 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHC #4719 2201226 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P R 071224Z AUG 08 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 0000 INFO MISSILE TECHNOLOGY CONTROL REGIME COLLECTIVE RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0000
C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 084719
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/07/2033
TAGS: PARM MTCRE PREL MNUC KSCA ETTC KNNP TSPA
SUBJECT: HAGUE CODE OF CONDUCT AGAINST BALLISTIC MISSILE
PROLIFERATION (HCOC) - PROPOSED FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
(FAQS) (SBU)
REF: STATE 063666
Classified By: ISN/MTR DIRECTOR PAM DURHAM FOR REASONS 1.4 (B),
(C) AND (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 084719
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/07/2033
TAGS: PARM MTCRE PREL MNUC KSCA ETTC KNNP TSPA
SUBJECT: HAGUE CODE OF CONDUCT AGAINST BALLISTIC MISSILE
PROLIFERATION (HCOC) - PROPOSED FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
(FAQS) (SBU)
REF: STATE 063666
Classified By: ISN/MTR DIRECTOR PAM DURHAM FOR REASONS 1.4 (B),
(C) AND (D).
1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph
3.
2. (C) Per Reftel, at the 7th annual Regular Meeting of
the Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile
Proliferation (HCOC) held in Vienna on May 29-30, 2008,
the UK and the U.S. both strongly endorsed the idea of
creating a helpful and informative HCOC website, with
the U.S. suggesting that website include frequently
asked questions (FAQs). As a result of this
intervention and related discussions during the heads
of delegation luncheon, HCOC Chair Ambassador Gyorgyi
Martin Zanathy of Hungary and Austrian MFA/HCOC
Immediate Central Contact representative Andreas Launer
asked the U.S. to take responsibility for drafting a
set of proposed HCOC FAQs for review by all Subscribing
States. The U.S. agreed to do so, and has developed
the interagency-cleared FAQs listed in paragraph 4. We
now want to provide these proposed FAQs to the HCOC ICC
and the HCOC Chair.
3. (C) Action Request: Department requests that post
provide copies of the proposed FAQs in paragraph 4 to
the Austrian MFA, including Mr. Andreas Launer and his
staff, and the HCOC Chair, Ambassador Gyorgyi Martin
Zanathy, Permanent Representative of Hungary to the
United Nations, IAEA, CTBTO, and UNIDO in Vienna.
4. BEGIN TEXT OF FAQs:
(C//REL HCOC) On the margins of the May 29-30 HCOC
Regular Meeting, the HCOC Chair, Ambassador Gyorgyi
Martin Zanathy, and HCOC ICC Mr. Andreas Launer asked
the U.S. delegation to draft a proposed set of
frequently asked questions (FAQs) for use on the HCOC
website. Accordingly, we have prepared the following
FAQs, which we hope will provide a helpful starting
point for your further work on the HCOC website.
HCOC FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)
What is the HCOC?
The HCOC is an acronym for the Hague Code of Conduct
against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC). It is
a widely subscribed multilateral instrument that aims
to delegitimize missile proliferation. The HCOC
consists of a set of general principles, modest
commitments, and limited confidence building measures.
When was the HCOC founded?
The HCOC was formally brought into effect on November
25, 2002, at a launching conference hosted by the
Netherlands in The Hague.
What are its main objectives?
The HCOC aims to contribute to the process of
strengthening existing national and international
security arrangements and disarmament and non-
proliferation objectives and mechanisms. Participants
recognize a need to prevent and curb the proliferation
of ballistic missile systems capable of delivering
weapons of mass destruction, as well as the importance
of strengthening, and gaining wider adherence to,
multilateral disarmament and nonproliferation
mechanisms. To meet these objectives, participants try
to exercise maximum possible restraint in the
development, testing, and deployment of ballistic
missiles capable of carrying weapons of mass
destruction.
Is the HCOC endorsed by the United Nations (UN)?
The UN General Assembly adopted on December 3, 2004, a
resolution (A/Res/59/91) welcoming the adoption of the
HCOC and calling on states that have not adhered to it
to do so. On December 8, 2005, 158 nations in the UN
General Assembly voted in favor of General Assembly
Resolution 60/62 supporting the HCOC.
What is the relevance of the HCOC to the Missile
Technology Control Regime (MTCR)?
The HCOC complements the important, ongoing work of the
MTCR.
How many countries belong to the HCOC?
As of May 30, 2008, 130 countries have subscribed to
the HCOC.
What countries can subscribe to the HCOC? How does a
country subscribe?
Participation in the HCOC is voluntary and open to all
states. A country may subscribe to the HCOC by sending
a diplomatic note stating that it wishes to become an
HCOC Subscribing State to the Austrian Foreign
Ministry, which serves as the Immediate Central Contact
(ICC) for the HCOC.
What are the members' obligations to the HCOC,
financial or otherwise?
The HCOC is a political commitment that is open to all
countries, voluntary subscription. By subscribing to
the HCOC, members voluntarily commit themselves
politically to provide pre-launch notifications (PLNs)
on ballistic missile and space-launch vehicle launches
(SLVs) and test flights. Subscribing states also
commit to submit an annual declaration (AD) of their
country's policies on ballistic missiles and space-
launch vehicles, including annual information on the
number and generic class of ballistic missiles and
space launch vehicles launched during the preceding
year. The HCOC does not require a financial
commitment: there are no assessed contributions or
other monetary costs of subscribing.
Where and when do HCOC meetings take place?
The HCOC's decision-making body, the Regular Meeting,
normally convenes annually for two days in May in
Vienna, Austria.
Who leads the HCOC? Is there a Chairman or Permanent
Point of Contact?
The annual Regular Meeting is chaired on a rotational
basis. The Chair of this meeting becomes the HCOC
Chair for the period extending to the next Regular
Meeting of Subscribing States. Hungary is serving as
HCOC Chair from May 2008 - May 2009. Costa Rica has
been elected to serve as HCOC Chair beginning in May
2009. The HCOC has no secretariat. Distribution of
the HCOC's documents and working papers is carried out
by the Austrian Foreign Ministry, which serves as the
HCOC's point of contact (known as the Immediate Central
Contact or ICC). The ICC also receives and distributes
notices of subscription.
Who has chaired the HCOC in the past?
Six countries have served as HCOC Chair:
2002-2003 The Netherlands
2003-2004 Chile
2004-2005 Chile
2005-2006 The Philippines
2006-2007 Morocco
2007-2008 Bosnia and Herzegovina
2008-2009 Hungary
End text of FAQs
5. (U) Please contact ISN/MTR's John Paul Herrmann with
any questions or follow-up issues related to this case
(202-647-1430 - herrmannjp@state.sgov.gov or
herrmannjp2@state.gov) and slug reporting on this issue
for ISN/MTR.
6. A word version of this document will be posted at
www.state.sgov.gov/demarche.
RICE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/07/2033
TAGS: PARM MTCRE PREL MNUC KSCA ETTC KNNP TSPA
SUBJECT: HAGUE CODE OF CONDUCT AGAINST BALLISTIC MISSILE
PROLIFERATION (HCOC) - PROPOSED FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
(FAQS) (SBU)
REF: STATE 063666
Classified By: ISN/MTR DIRECTOR PAM DURHAM FOR REASONS 1.4 (B),
(C) AND (D).
1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph
3.
2. (C) Per Reftel, at the 7th annual Regular Meeting of
the Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile
Proliferation (HCOC) held in Vienna on May 29-30, 2008,
the UK and the U.S. both strongly endorsed the idea of
creating a helpful and informative HCOC website, with
the U.S. suggesting that website include frequently
asked questions (FAQs). As a result of this
intervention and related discussions during the heads
of delegation luncheon, HCOC Chair Ambassador Gyorgyi
Martin Zanathy of Hungary and Austrian MFA/HCOC
Immediate Central Contact representative Andreas Launer
asked the U.S. to take responsibility for drafting a
set of proposed HCOC FAQs for review by all Subscribing
States. The U.S. agreed to do so, and has developed
the interagency-cleared FAQs listed in paragraph 4. We
now want to provide these proposed FAQs to the HCOC ICC
and the HCOC Chair.
3. (C) Action Request: Department requests that post
provide copies of the proposed FAQs in paragraph 4 to
the Austrian MFA, including Mr. Andreas Launer and his
staff, and the HCOC Chair, Ambassador Gyorgyi Martin
Zanathy, Permanent Representative of Hungary to the
United Nations, IAEA, CTBTO, and UNIDO in Vienna.
4. BEGIN TEXT OF FAQs:
(C//REL HCOC) On the margins of the May 29-30 HCOC
Regular Meeting, the HCOC Chair, Ambassador Gyorgyi
Martin Zanathy, and HCOC ICC Mr. Andreas Launer asked
the U.S. delegation to draft a proposed set of
frequently asked questions (FAQs) for use on the HCOC
website. Accordingly, we have prepared the following
FAQs, which we hope will provide a helpful starting
point for your further work on the HCOC website.
HCOC FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)
What is the HCOC?
The HCOC is an acronym for the Hague Code of Conduct
against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC). It is
a widely subscribed multilateral instrument that aims
to delegitimize missile proliferation. The HCOC
consists of a set of general principles, modest
commitments, and limited confidence building measures.
When was the HCOC founded?
The HCOC was formally brought into effect on November
25, 2002, at a launching conference hosted by the
Netherlands in The Hague.
What are its main objectives?
The HCOC aims to contribute to the process of
strengthening existing national and international
security arrangements and disarmament and non-
proliferation objectives and mechanisms. Participants
recognize a need to prevent and curb the proliferation
of ballistic missile systems capable of delivering
weapons of mass destruction, as well as the importance
of strengthening, and gaining wider adherence to,
multilateral disarmament and nonproliferation
mechanisms. To meet these objectives, participants try
to exercise maximum possible restraint in the
development, testing, and deployment of ballistic
missiles capable of carrying weapons of mass
destruction.
Is the HCOC endorsed by the United Nations (UN)?
The UN General Assembly adopted on December 3, 2004, a
resolution (A/Res/59/91) welcoming the adoption of the
HCOC and calling on states that have not adhered to it
to do so. On December 8, 2005, 158 nations in the UN
General Assembly voted in favor of General Assembly
Resolution 60/62 supporting the HCOC.
What is the relevance of the HCOC to the Missile
Technology Control Regime (MTCR)?
The HCOC complements the important, ongoing work of the
MTCR.
How many countries belong to the HCOC?
As of May 30, 2008, 130 countries have subscribed to
the HCOC.
What countries can subscribe to the HCOC? How does a
country subscribe?
Participation in the HCOC is voluntary and open to all
states. A country may subscribe to the HCOC by sending
a diplomatic note stating that it wishes to become an
HCOC Subscribing State to the Austrian Foreign
Ministry, which serves as the Immediate Central Contact
(ICC) for the HCOC.
What are the members' obligations to the HCOC,
financial or otherwise?
The HCOC is a political commitment that is open to all
countries, voluntary subscription. By subscribing to
the HCOC, members voluntarily commit themselves
politically to provide pre-launch notifications (PLNs)
on ballistic missile and space-launch vehicle launches
(SLVs) and test flights. Subscribing states also
commit to submit an annual declaration (AD) of their
country's policies on ballistic missiles and space-
launch vehicles, including annual information on the
number and generic class of ballistic missiles and
space launch vehicles launched during the preceding
year. The HCOC does not require a financial
commitment: there are no assessed contributions or
other monetary costs of subscribing.
Where and when do HCOC meetings take place?
The HCOC's decision-making body, the Regular Meeting,
normally convenes annually for two days in May in
Vienna, Austria.
Who leads the HCOC? Is there a Chairman or Permanent
Point of Contact?
The annual Regular Meeting is chaired on a rotational
basis. The Chair of this meeting becomes the HCOC
Chair for the period extending to the next Regular
Meeting of Subscribing States. Hungary is serving as
HCOC Chair from May 2008 - May 2009. Costa Rica has
been elected to serve as HCOC Chair beginning in May
2009. The HCOC has no secretariat. Distribution of
the HCOC's documents and working papers is carried out
by the Austrian Foreign Ministry, which serves as the
HCOC's point of contact (known as the Immediate Central
Contact or ICC). The ICC also receives and distributes
notices of subscription.
Who has chaired the HCOC in the past?
Six countries have served as HCOC Chair:
2002-2003 The Netherlands
2003-2004 Chile
2004-2005 Chile
2005-2006 The Philippines
2006-2007 Morocco
2007-2008 Bosnia and Herzegovina
2008-2009 Hungary
End text of FAQs
5. (U) Please contact ISN/MTR's John Paul Herrmann with
any questions or follow-up issues related to this case
(202-647-1430 - herrmannjp@state.sgov.gov or
herrmannjp2@state.gov) and slug reporting on this issue
for ISN/MTR.
6. A word version of this document will be posted at
www.state.sgov.gov/demarche.
RICE