CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (CWC): HOST COUNTRY

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 098906

SIPDIS
THE HAGUE FOR CWC DEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/16/2018
TAGS: GR KTIA PARM PREL CWC
SUBJECT: CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (CWC): HOST COUNTRY
AGREEMENT (HCA) WITH GREECE (SBU)

REF: THE HAGUE 000425

Classified By: ISN/CB Office Director Robert Mikulak,
reasons: 1.4 (B) and (D).


1. (U) Action request in paragraph 8.

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OBJECTIVES
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2. (C-Rel Greece) Department requests Embassy to pursue the
following objectives:

-- Work with the Government of Greece to negotiate a Host
Country Agreement (HCA) on the conduct of Chemical Weapons
Convention (CWC) challenge inspections before a challenge
inspection occurs.

-- Set up a meeting between U.S. and Greek officials during
the CWC Conference of the States Parties in The Hague
scheduled to take place 2-5 December 2008.

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REPORTING DEADLINE
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3. (U) Embassy should report results of discussions with
Greek Officials by cable to ISN/CB Eugene Klimson by October
17, 2008.

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Background
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4. (C-REL Greece) The United States began negotiating an HCA
with Greece on the conduct of CWC challenge inspections in

1997. The United States sent a revised draft to Greece in

2005. Since 2007, the United States has been trying to
revive negotiations with Greece.


5. (C-Rel Greece) During the CWC Review Conference that took
place in April 2008, U.S. and Greek officials met to discuss
the current CWC HCA draft agreement (REFTEL). Greek
representative Prof. Ionnis Seimenis explained that he had no
instructions on a position at that time, but would take up
the matter over the next three months and would be ready to
discuss the draft HCA at the next CWC Executive Council.
Seimenis also noted that he would need to educate the Greek
Government on challenge inspection issues. U.S. officials
provided a copy of HCA training materials to assist Prof.
Seimenis when briefing Greek officials and a copy of the
current draft HCA text for his reference.


6. (C-Rel Greece) Due to budget shortfalls, the United
States needed to delay meeting with Greece on HCAs until the
2008 Conference of the States Parties. The United States
would like to meet with Greek officials during the upcoming
2008 CWC Conference of the States Parties.


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POINT OF CONTACT
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7. (U) Please contact ISN/CB Eugene Klimson at (202)
647-5156 or via email for any further background needed to
meet our objectives.


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ACTION REQUEST
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8. (U) Drawing upon the background and suggested talking
points in paragraph 9, Embassy Athens is requested to deliver
talking points to the appropriate Greek official(s).

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TALKING POINTS
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9. (C-Rel Greece) Begin talking points:

- The United States appreciates Greece,s continued
cooperation in negotiating and working towards conclusion of
a Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) Host Country agreement.

- During our meeting at the Chemical Weapons Convention
Review Conference in April 2008, a U.S. delegation member met
with your representative, Prof. Ionnis Seimenis, to discuss
our draft Host Country Agreement for Chemical Weapons
Challenge Inspections.

- During that meeting, Prof. Seimenis noted there was no
formal Greek position on the U.S. draft proposal, but he said
he would continue to work the matter and would welcome a
meeting at a later date.

- U.S. experts will be in The Hague to attend the Chemical
Weapons Convention Conference of the States Parties in
December 2008.

- We encourage your government to finish its review so that
we could hold substantive discussions at that time.

End talking points.
RICE