ALGERIA SEEKS U.S. SUPPORT FOR 2009 DISARMAMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 000386 SIPDIS DEPT FOR ISN/MNSA WMENHOLD E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2019 TAGS: PARM PREL PGOV UNDC AG SUBJECT: ALGERIA SEEKS U.S. SUPPORT FOR 2009 DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE Classified By: Ambassador David D. Pearce; reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) MFA Director General for Political Affairs and International Security (A/S level) Boudjemaa Delmi briefed the Ambassador on April 15 on Algeria's effort to reinvigorate the work of the Geneva Conference on Disarmament (CD),for which Algeria holds the 2008-09 presidency. The Ambassador told Delmi that the previous day FM Medelci had discussed Algeria's CD presidency with Special Envoy Mitchell, who promised to bring the issue to the attention of Secretary Clinton. ¶2. (C) Delmi explained that Algeria was reaching out to members of the CD to gauge delegations' support for a consensus work program, proposed by Algeria in a non-paper circulated March 27 in Geneva. Delmi said he intended to consult G-21 and P5 countries, and had already spoken to the Indian, Pakistani, Iranian and Russian ambassadors in Algiers, as well as to the French Charge. He planned to meet the U.K. and Chinese ambassadors in the coming days. Delmi believed recent declarations on disarmament by President Obama, Secretary Clinton, French President Sarkozy and Russian FM Lavrov have created an opportunity to reinvigorate the Geneva Conference on Disarmament. Favorable conditions now exist to relaunch CD activities and elaborate a work program that addresses the concerns of all states parties, Delmi asserted. The elements Algeria outlined in its proposed work program described four working groups to discuss practical steps toward reducing nuclear arsenals, a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, the prevention of an arms race in outer space, and effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear weapon States against the use or threat of nuclear weapons. ¶3. (C) Delmi told the Ambassador that to succeed, Algeria needs U.S. support. He understood that not all key Obama Administration officials were in place, but hoped the relevant disarmament officials would be confirmed shortly. Delmi said that Algeria's ambassador to the CD, Idriss Jazairy, was in contact with the U.S. Mission in Geneva and would agree to have detailed consultations on Algeria's initiative with counterparts in Washington when convenient. The Ambassador thanked Delmi and conveyed our understanding that Algeria attached great importance to the issue and was a making a serious effort. The Ambassador told Delmi the U.S. remained committed to the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT) and a viable CD. Furthermore, there was time in the 2009 CD session to refine Algeria's proposal to maximize the prospects for consensus. ¶4. (C) COMMENT: The government's CD initiative reflects Algeria's general desire to assert its influence and be perceived as a leader in international fora like the Conference on Disarmament. FM Medelci's attention to the issue during Mitchell's visit and MFA's prompt effort to brief us the following day underscore the importance that Algeria attaches to its stewardship of the CD presidency. Any help that we can give the Algerians to make their CD presidency a success would likely pay dividends in other areas of our bilateral relationship. PEARCE