POLISH NON-PAPER ON MD NEGOTIATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L WARSAW 000388 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR PM, EUR AND ISN SECDEF FOR DASD FATA EUCOM FOR EC-J5 E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2018 TAGS: PREL MCAP MARR PL RS SUBJECT: POLISH NON-PAPER ON MD NEGOTIATIONS Classified By: Ambassador Victor H. Ashe for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Ambassador Ashe met with Polish FM Radek Sikorski on March 27 to receive the GOP's non-paper with respect to the Missile Defense initiative and modernization of Polish defenses. The text of that paper is provided in paragraph 4. FM Sikorski said that the paper would not be delivered in Washington, as anticipated previously. ¶2. (C) FM Sikorski began his brief meeting with Ambassador Ashe with an uncharacteristic apology, for the press leak of the non-paper to Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza. The daily carried the story under a banner headline in its morning edition, before the MFA had passed the text to us. Sikorski told the Ambassador that PM Tusk was "personally annoyed" at the leak, and that an "invasive investigation" had been launched at his instruction to find out who had passed the story to the press. He promised the Ambassador that "heads would roll, irrespective of rank," if the source of the leak is determined conclusively. Ambassador Ashe responded that Secretary Rice was "equally distraught" at the way the story SIPDIS had played out in the press before we had the text in hand. Sikorski ended the meeting saying he was optimistic that a way forward on MD could be found, but that he was concerned that "the Pentagon will not follow the orders of its President." ¶3. (C) Ambassador and FM Sikorski also discussed a joint communique with respect to Belarus, a proposal forwarded to the GOP by the government in Cuba, and U/S Paula Dobriansky's upcoming trip to Warsaw. These topics will be reported septel. Sikorski also mentioned that he would have a press roundtable with Washington-based think tanks this afternoon, including the American Enterprise Institute, Heritage Foundation and "all the usual suspects." ¶4. (C) Text of the Polish non-paper on missile defense follows: Poland understands the American offer of cooperation in the construction of a missile defense system as an expression of the US Government,s commitment to strengthen the strategic partnership between our countries. Our alliance has been repeatedly tested in demanding situations of joint NAO missions and combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Missile defense cooperatioQallows us to look at Polish-US security cooperation in a broader and long-term perspective. The deepening of Polish-US security cooperation should be based on two types of arrangements: Documents concerning the functioning of MD elements in Poland (MD Agreement),the status of American forces on the territory of Poland (SOFA Supplemental) and other aspects of missile defense cooperation. Agreements pertaining to politico-military cooperation between Poland and the US, which will provide for a better collaboration of Polish and US armed forces in expeditionary missions, for a durable enhancement of our security and which will reduce challenges stemming from the establishment of the MD base in Poland. In the course of the talks held so far, including those conducted by the heads of state and government, Poland and the US confirmed their will to open a new chapter in their defense cooperation, recognizing that this would enhance the security of Poland, the US and our Allies. The Parties also agreed that the negotiations concerning the above aspects of cooperation should follow two parallel "negotiation tracks" to conclude the agreements at about the same time. The first track should have the common goal of ensuring conditions essential for the effective operation of the American MD base and US armed forces on our territory, in compliance with the law and interests of the Republic of Poland. In this area we have attained significant progress and are confident to reach agreement on the remaining issues in a short time. Poland expects that: - the US will cover the costs of the construction, operation and possible dismantling of the whole base, - the US will undertake to satisfy any claims arising from the use of the MD system, - Polish right to exercise its jurisdiction over the entire base area will be safeguarded, - the US will guarantee for Poland participation in the process of elaborating the rules of conducting missile defense operations and full access to data from US MD C2 system, - the US will guarantee access to intelligence and reconnaissance data relevant to ensuring anti-terrorist and counter-intelligence protection of the territory of Poland. Poland has undertaken to consider far-reaching monitoring and visiting procedures "on a reciprocal basis" by third states. The framework of such a mechanism was initially discussed by Minister Radoslaw Sikorski and Secretary Condoleezza Rice during the visit of the Polish prime Minister to Washington on March 10, 2008. The second track should focus on the US contribution to the modernization of the Polish Armed Forces. During his meeting with Prime Minister Donald Tusk, President George W. Bush declared "before my watch is over we will have assessed those needs and come up with a modernization plan that,s concrete and tangible." During the same meeting Secretary Rice proposed that the related works be speeded up. In this sphere Poland anticipates tangible instruments increasing our ability to fulfill jointly Alliance,s missions and to enhance Poland,s security. It is therefore essential to elaborate urgently the terms of reference for the working groups proposed during the first round of talks on the modernization of the Polish armed Forces, held in Warsaw on February 29, 2008, their timetable and expected results. It is equally urgent to prepare the guiding principles of a Modernization Study. The groups should begin their work in April 2008. The working sub-groups on: - threat assessment and intelligence cooperation, - air defense - land forces capabilities, - logistics and military equipment maintenance, - command, communications and battlefield reconnaissance (C4ISR), - financing options of modernization of Polish Armed Forces, - technology transfers, licenses and permits should have worked out recommendations defining the principles of the US support for the modernization of the Polish Armed Forces in those areas by the end of June 2008. On the Polish side, the process will be coordinated by the Ministry of National Defense. Detailed rules of operation of the working groups should be agreed during the incoming round of talks on modernization. We hope that during the meeting it will be possible for each Party to nominate its co-chairs for each working group and determine a detailed scope of work for each group. The recommendations of the working groups should be contained in the bilateral legally binding agreement on military modernization. The agreement should specify: - an inventory of equipment and weapons constituting the US support for the Polish armed Forces, - a timetable for the implementation of that support by the US, - mechanisms for financing by the US of the modernization assistance for the Polish Armed Forces. Another key component of this track, which aims to consolidate Polish-US politico-military cooperation, is the continuation of work on enhanced security guarantees, as well as an urgent opening of discussion on contingency planning. In line with the agreement attained so far, these issues should be addressed both in the MD Agreement and in the Agreement on politico-military cooperation. It is our objective that the negotiated documents should affirm the direct involvement of the US in Poland,s security, simultaneously strengthening Article 5 of the Washington Treaty. We are prepared to make a vigorous effort to accelerate progress along both tracks and bring them to a successful conclusion. Poland perceives MD cooperation with the US as a strategic and long-term undertaking. It would be particularly important, that the United States indicate the scale of its engagement in the modernization of the Polish Armed Forces as well as the sources and schedule of the related financing. The emerging framework of this process should, without delay, generate a "fair agreement," of the kind to which President bush referred during his visit to Poland On June 8, 2007. ASHE