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