SECOND SOFA PLENARY CONCLUDES AMID POSITIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L WARSAW 001183 SIPDIS EUR/CE FOR MORRIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/08/2018 TAGS: PREL MARR PL SUBJECT: SECOND SOFA PLENARY CONCLUDES AMID POSITIVE ATMOSPHERE Classified By: Political Counselor F. Daniel Sainz for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) U.S. and Polish delegations convened in Warsaw October 6-8 for the second plenary round of negotiations on the supplemental bilateral SOFA. Deputy Defense Minister Stanislaw Komorowski and Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Kremer led the Polish delegation. PM Senior Advisor Ambassador Jackson McDonald headed the U.S. team consisting of State and DOD representatives (PM, L/PM, JCS, MDA, EUCOM, and U.S. Embassy Warsaw). ¶2. (SBU) The negotiations took place in a cordial, professional, and constructive atmosphere. The parties agreed on most of the language of the preamble and spent considerable time on definitions. They reviewed about two-thirds of the U.S. and Polish drafts, concentrating in particular on use of airspace, seaports, and airports; military exercises; entry and exit of U.S. personnel; criminal jurisdiction; discipline of U.S. forces; wearing of uniforms; use of firearms; and financial matters. ¶3. (SBU) Given the differences on many provisions, the sides agreed to convene working groups on criminal jurisdiction, labor, the environment, and claims the week of October 20-24 in Warsaw, subject to availability of experts. The next plenary session will be held November 3-5 in Washington, with a subsequent session proposed for either November 19-20 or December 3-5 in Warsaw. ¶4. (C) COMMENT. After refusing to engage in SOFA negotiations for 15 months, the Poles now appear eager to proceed. Given the lost time and the wide differences between the U.S. and Polish positions on many provisions of the SOFA, it appears that these negotiations may be rather protracted. END COMMENT. ASHE