START FOLLOW-ON NEGOTIATIONS, GENEVA

S E C R E T GENEVA 001124 SIPDIS DEPT FOR T, VCI AND EUR/PRA DOE FOR NNSA/NA-24 CIA FOR WINPAC JCS FOR J5/DDGSA SECDEF FOR OSD(P)/STRATCAP NAVY FOR CNO-N5JA AND DIRSSP AIRFORCE FOR HQ USAF/ASX AND ASXP DTRA FOR OP-OS OP-OSA AND DIRECTOR NSC FOR LOOK DIA FOR LEA E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/09/2019 TAGS: KACT MARR PARM PREL RS US START SUBJECT: START FOLLOW-ON NEGOTIATIONS, GENEVA (SFO-GVA-VII): (U) MEETING OF THE TREATY TEXT AND DEFINITIONS WORKING GROUP DEFINITIONS SUBGROUP, NOVEMBER 25, 2009 Classified By: A/S Rose E. Gottemoeller, United States START Negotiator. Reasons: 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is SFO-GVA-VII-058. ¶2. (U) Meeting Date: November 25, 2009 Time: 3:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Place: U.S. Mission, Geneva -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶3. (S) The Treaty Text and Definitions Working Group (TTDWG) Definitions Subgroup addressed 14 definitions, agreeing on six terms: "Inspection Activities," "Range," "Air Launched Cruise Missile," "Aircraft," "Airplane," and "Heavy Bomber." The Russian side proposed adding a new definition for "Open Skies Airplane." End Summary. ¶4. (S) SUBJECT SUMMARY: Opening Issues; Discussion of Definitions; and Other. -------------- OPENING ISSUES -------------- ¶5. (S) Both the U.S. and Russian sides agreed that they would no longer address definitions in "groups," but instead would address them individually. The U.S. side suggested 14 definitions to be reviewed at this meeting and the Russian side agreed. Before the review began, the Russian side stated that their lawyers suggested that a new term, "Open Skies Airplane," be defined, and they handed over a proposed definition. The Russian side stated that the rationale for the new term was that the Inspection Protocol Working Group had agreed that airplanes arriving in the United States to conduct Open Skies missions would be allowed to transport inspection teams to points of entry (POEs),as a cost savings measure, and therefore the term should be defined. In response to a question from the U.S. side, the Russian side stated they never have and never would use third party airplanes for this purpose. The U.S. side agreed to review the definition and comment at or before the next meeting. ¶6. (S) The Russian-proposed new term, "Open Skies Airplane," means an airplane performing an observation flight in accordance with the Open Skies Treaty of March 24, 1992, which is simultaneously used for transporting an inspection team through a POE to and/or from the territory of the inspected Party. -------------- DISCUSSION OF DEFINITIONS -------------- ¶7. (S) Discussion of the 14 terms the sides agreed to review: -- "Inspection Activities." Both sides agreed to the definition and it will be sent to conforming. The term "inspection activities" means inspections and exhibitions. -- "In-Country Escort." The proposed term means "a group of individuals designated by the inspected Party to accompany and assist inspectors, ((monitors,))1 and aircrew members throughout the in-country period, as provided for in ((the Inspection Protocol.))1 ((Section V of this Annex.))2. This term was affected by the standing disagreement between the delegations about continuous monitoring. However, the Russian Federation stated the definition, with brackets, had already been sent to conforming, and remaining structural brackets would be resolved later. -- "Prototype." The Russian side did not agree with the U.S.-proposed definition, but said they would discuss it internally and provide comments at the next meeting. The U.S.-proposed term means "for ICBMs or SLBMs, an ICBM or SLBM of a new type, no more than 20 of which have been flight-tested, and no launchers of which have been deployed." -- "Existing Type." The U.S.-proposed term means "for ICBMs, SLBMs, or heavy bombers, a type of ICBM, SLBM, or heavy bomber, a type of ICBM, SLBM or heavy bomber, for which at least one ICBM, SLBM, or heavy bomber of that type was deployed on the date of signature of this Treaty." The Russian side did not believe there was a need to define this term because the data lists in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will de facto define all existing types. The U.S. side agreed to discuss the Russian comments internally and provide feedback at the next meeting. -- "Mobile Launcher of ICBMs." The U.S.-proposed term means "an erector-launcher mechanism for launching ICBMs and the ((self-propelled or trailer chassis))1 ((mobile device))2 on which it is mounted." Agreement could not be reached on the bracketed terms and the sides finally agreed that they would consult with the chairmen of the Conversion or Elimination Working Group and use whatever terminology that group decided. -- "Deployment Area." The "- The U.S. proposed inserting "base for mobile launchers of ICBMs," in place of "deployment area" since the term had been altered in the MOU Working Group. It was defined as "an area, limited in size, within which routine movements of deployed mobile launchers of ICBMs and their associated missiles are conducted." The Russian side asked whether we should eliminate the term "ICBM base" if we kept this term. Both sides said they would study the interrelationship of the two terms and discuss at the next meeting. -- "Transit." Both sides agreed to move the brackets to only subparagraphs (c) and (d) in the U.S.-proposed definition, but not to send to conforming. The term means "the one way movement from one facility or location to another facility or location of: (a) a non-deployed ICBM; (b) a non-deployed SLBM; (((c) a launch canister that remains after the flight test of ICBMs for mobile launchers of ICBMs; or (d) a non-deployed mobile launcher of ICBMs))1. -- "Production Facility." This term was not discussed in detail because in the definition the only difference between the sides was in the wording of a single phrase, "self-propelled chassis or trailer chassis", and it was agreed previously that whatever words the Conversion or Elimination (CorE) Working Group used for that phrase will be adopted by this group. -- "Aircraft" and "Airplane." After much discussion, the Russian side agreed to the U.S.-proposed definition for each term definitions from START and they were sent to the Conforming Group. The term "aircraft" means any manned machine that can derive support in the atmosphere from interaction with the air other than the interaction of the air with the earth's surface. The term "airplane" means a power driven, heavier-than-air aircraft that derives its lift in flight chiefly from aerodynamic reactions on surfaces that remain fixed under given conditions of flight. -- "Range." The Russian side agreed with the U.S. proposal and to send the definition to the Conforming Group. -- "Heavy Bomber." The Russian side asserted that the Backfire bombers had already been modified and no longer met the definition of a heavy bomber. Thus, they did not see the need to include text in the definition that exempts the Backfire bomber. The U.S. side agreed to confer within the delegation and provide feedback prior to the next meeting. -- "Air Launched Cruise Missile." The Russian side agreed with the U.S.-proposed definition and it was sent to the Conforming Group. The term agreed definition was: "an air-to-surface cruise missile of a type, any one of which has been flight tested from an aircraft or deployed on a bomber after December 31, 1986." -- "Long Range Nuclear ALCM." The Russian side agreed to use the term "armed" vice "equipped" in the definition. The term means "a long-range ALCM that is not nuclear armed." The Russian side stated they needed to coordinate within their delegation before providing agreement on this definition. -------------- OTHER -------------- ¶8. (S) Mr. Siemon said he would confer with the U.S. Chair for the CorE Working Group on the terms "solid rocket motor" and "air base" and the Subgroup would address them at the next meeting. Kuznetsov agreed to study and address "long range non-nuclear ALCMS" and "silo launcher of ICBMs" at the next meeting. ¶9. (S) Documents exchanged: - Russia -- Proposal of the Russian Federation on the term "Open Skies Airplane." ¶10. (U) Participants: U.S. Mr. Siemon Lt Col Comeau Mr. Connell Mr. Coussa Dr. Dreicer Mr. Hanchett Mrs. Zdravecky Mr. Hopkins (Int) RUSSIA ADM Kuznetsov Ms. Fuzhenkova Col Kamenskiy Ms. Melikbekian Mr. Pogodin (Int) ¶11. (U) Gottemoeller sends. GRIFFITHS