1540: NEGOTIATIONS ON MANDATE RENEWAL RESOLUTION

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000257 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL AORC KPAO PTER UNSC KNNP SUBJECT: 1540: NEGOTIATIONS ON MANDATE RENEWAL RESOLUTION BEGIN REF: A. USUN/IO EMAIL (WILCOX-MARIZ)--03/19/08 ¶B. STATE 8246 ¶1. (SBU) BEGIN SUMMARY: Russian and Chinese experts provided initial reactions to the consolidated P-3 comments on Russia's draft resolution to renew the 1540 Committee's mandate (ref A) at a P-5 experts' meeting on March 19. Both emphasized their preference for a simple, technical resolution to roll over the Committee's current mandate and expressed caution that the elected members of the Security Council might not accept the P-3's more ambitious proposals. The Russian and Chinese experts agreed to send the P-3 input to Moscow and Beijing, with an eye toward providing written comments to the P-3 on March 24. P-5 experts will meet again on March 25 to discuss the text. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) Russia's expert, Denis Paletskiy. praised the draft for avoiding "political pitfalls," such as efforts to attempt to alter the obligations set forth in resolution 1540 (2004) but was otherwise cautious, emphasizing that even though Russia shares the same goals as the P-3, Russia has a different approach to the Committee's work. For example, Paletskiy said Russia disagrees that the Committee should no longer focus on compiling reports from non-reporting states. Paletskiy also questioned the proposal to encourage states to submit action plans for implementing resolution 1540 (2004), as appropriate, within one year of the renewal of the Committee's mandate, arguing that it was inconsistent to assert that states should determine for themselves whether it is appropriate to submit such a plan while also setting a concrete deadline for states to submit such plans. Finally, although Paletskiy said Russia "might be ready" to consider extending the 1540 Committee's mandate for longer than two years, he cautioned that not all Security Council members would share the same view. ¶3. (SBU) China's expert, Song Danhui, said China expected a simple technical mandate and thought the P-3 comments might be overly ambitious. USUN, French, and UKUN experts delivered counterarguments consistent with ref B. ¶4. (SBU) COMMENT: The Russian and Chinese reactions were predictable; both delegations consistently have advocated a limited role for the 1540 Committee that focuses on collecting reports from states, rather than engaging more proactively in efforts to promote states' implementation. USUN expects negotiations of the resolution to renew the Committee's mandate to be difficult. END COMMENT. KHALILZAD