BAD AROLSEN ARCHIVES AND SECOND PROTOCOL PROCEDURE

UNCLAS WARSAW 000113 SIPDIS SIPDIS L/EUR AND EUR/OHI FOR LIZ NAKIAN AND JOHN BECKER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KJRE PREL PGOV PL SUBJECT: BAD AROLSEN ARCHIVES AND SECOND PROTOCOL PROCEDURE ¶1. In a January 23, 2008 meeting with EUR/OHI's Ambassador ¶J. Christian Kennedy, the MFA Legal Department's Krzystof Kocel said that all partner countries involved in the International Tracing Service (ITS) had completed their internal requirements for passage, and that the Second Protocol governing access to the World War II era archives in Bad Arolsen, Germany went into effect as of January 11, 2008. Kocel said further that Poland, in its capacity as current chair of the International Commission of ITS, would arrange for a signing ceremony on February 5 or 6, 2008, on the occasion of the visit to Warsaw of Jakob Kellenberger, the President of the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC),which manages ITS. ¶2. With respect to signing the agreement with the ICRC, Kocel said the two final countries that passed the Second Protocol, France and Luxembourg, specifically authorized the ITS Chairman to sign the Second Protocol with Kellenberger. Kennedy advised Kocel that the United States does not need to take any additional steps with respect to the Second Protocol, and that our understanding was the plain language of the document authorizes the Chairman to act on behalf of all of the ITS member countries. Kocel said that he was asking all of the countries in question to query capitals as to whether any further action was needed, and that he hoped to have an answer by February 1. We believe no further action is required, but invite you to comment as necessary before that deadline. ASHE