Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08WARSAW1446
2008-12-23 09:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Warsaw
Cable title:
FOURTH SOFA PLENARY CONCLUDES AMID STEADY PROGRESS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHWR #1446 3580914 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 230914Z DEC 08 FM AMEMBASSY WARSAW TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7527 INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEAMDA/MDA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L WARSAW 001446
SIPDIS
EUR/CE FOR MORRIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2018
TAGS: PREL MARR PL
SUBJECT: FOURTH SOFA PLENARY CONCLUDES AMID STEADY PROGRESS
Classified By: Acting DCM A. Minh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L WARSAW 001446
SIPDIS
EUR/CE FOR MORRIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2018
TAGS: PREL MARR PL
SUBJECT: FOURTH SOFA PLENARY CONCLUDES AMID STEADY PROGRESS
Classified By: Acting DCM A. Minh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (SBU) U.S. and Polish delegations convened in Warsaw
December 16-18 for the fourth plenary round of negotiations
on the supplemental bilateral SOFA. Deputy Defense
Minister Stanyslaw 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 first day negotiators reexamined "shall
respect" versus "shall reply" language with regard to U.S.
obligations under Polish law, as well as to basic
definitions. The remainder of the plenary saw slow but
steady progress establishing bracketed text on logistics,
uniforms, firearms, communications, transportation,
contractors, telecommunications, security, and protection
of classified information.
3. (SBU) At the conclusion, the parties had established
bracketed text for all articles. The U.S. side was tasked
with providing a single document text with brackets,
bringing together all disparate elements, to the Polish
side by the week of January 12-16. Both sides agreed the
next plenary should meet in Washington February 2-3.
Working Groups on criminal jurisdiction, claims, finance,
and transportation will meet again in Warsaw the final two
weeks
of January.
4. (C) COMMENT. Responding on the second day to U.S.
dissatisfaction with the slow pace of negotiations, DFM
Kremer said that he also was frustrated. He added that
"political decisions" required to conclude the SOFA would
be made only when the U.S. had progressed on its
commitments to Patriot deployment and military
modernization. Kremer expressed surprise when told that
ratification of the SOFA Supplemental would have to precede
Patriot deployment. It was after this exchange that
negotiations transitioned to the deliberate but steady
progress
that marked the rest of the plenary session. END COMMENT.
ASHE
ASHE
SIPDIS
EUR/CE FOR MORRIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2018
TAGS: PREL MARR PL
SUBJECT: FOURTH SOFA PLENARY CONCLUDES AMID STEADY PROGRESS
Classified By: Acting DCM A. Minh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (SBU) U.S. and Polish delegations convened in Warsaw
December 16-18 for the fourth plenary round of negotiations
on the supplemental bilateral SOFA. Deputy Defense
Minister Stanyslaw 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 first day negotiators reexamined "shall
respect" versus "shall reply" language with regard to U.S.
obligations under Polish law, as well as to basic
definitions. The remainder of the plenary saw slow but
steady progress establishing bracketed text on logistics,
uniforms, firearms, communications, transportation,
contractors, telecommunications, security, and protection
of classified information.
3. (SBU) At the conclusion, the parties had established
bracketed text for all articles. The U.S. side was tasked
with providing a single document text with brackets,
bringing together all disparate elements, to the Polish
side by the week of January 12-16. Both sides agreed the
next plenary should meet in Washington February 2-3.
Working Groups on criminal jurisdiction, claims, finance,
and transportation will meet again in Warsaw the final two
weeks
of January.
4. (C) COMMENT. Responding on the second day to U.S.
dissatisfaction with the slow pace of negotiations, DFM
Kremer said that he also was frustrated. He added that
"political decisions" required to conclude the SOFA would
be made only when the U.S. had progressed on its
commitments to Patriot deployment and military
modernization. Kremer expressed surprise when told that
ratification of the SOFA Supplemental would have to precede
Patriot deployment. It was after this exchange that
negotiations transitioned to the deliberate but steady
progress
that marked the rest of the plenary session. END COMMENT.
ASHE
ASHE