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E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2019
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SUBJECT: START FOLLOW-ON NEGOTIATIONS, GENEVA
(SFO-GVA-VII): (U)MEETING OF THE NOTIFICATIONS PROTOCOL
WORKING GROUP, DECEMBER 15, 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-149.


2. (U) Meeting Date: December 15, 2009
Time: 3:00 P.m. to 5:30 P.M.
Place: U.S. Mission, Geneva

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SUMMARY
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3. (S) During a meeting of the Notifications Working Group,
held at the U.S. Mission on December 15, the sides discussed
multiple sections of the Joint Draft Text of Part Four of the
Protocol to the treaty, concerning Notifications.
Specifically, Section I, General Provisions, Section II,
Notifications Concerning the Database, Section IV,
Notifications Concerning Flight Tests of ICBMs and SLBMs, and
Section V, Notifications Concerning Conversion or
Eliminations of Items and Facilities Subject to the Treaty.
Sections I and IV were agreed in full and sent to the
Conforming Group. End Summary.


4. (S) SUBJECT SUMMARY: Progress; and Continued Disagreement

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PROGRESS
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5. (S) The two sides discussed four sections of Part Four of
the Protocol to the treaty, Notifications. Mr. Siemon said
the United States had removed the remaining bracketed
paragraph in Section I, General Provisions, and Col Ryzhkov
responded that the section was now agreed. Siemon also
stated that the U.S.-proposed bracketed text in Section IV,
Notifications Concerning Flight Tests of ICBMs and SLBMs,
could be removed. The U.S side agreed to the 24-hour
advanced notification prior to flight tests, and it agreed to
remove "Telemetric Information" in the title. Siemon noted
the United states reserved the right to re-insert text on
telemetry depending on future guidance, but that for now the
section was agreed.


6. (S) In Section II, Siemon reiterated the U.S. position
regarding the subsections of paragraph 3, the Notification
Concerning Changes to the Database. He told Ryzhkov that the
updates to the U.S.-proposed text clarified the overall
purpose of the notification. Ryzhkov accepted some of the
subsections (Subsections A, B, C, and D),but not two others
(Subsections E and F). Siemon stated he would discuss the
Russian position on Subsections E and F with the U.S.
delegation and provide a response at the next meeting.

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CONTINUED DISAGREEMENT
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7. (S) Ryzhkov inquired why the United States continued to
retain the "Notification of Completion of Conversion or
Elimination and of the beginning of the time period for
inspection activities." LT Sicks responded it was preferable



to limit the use of a database update notification to
instances of changes to treaty data. The current Russian
proposal called for multiple database update notifications to
be sent for a single eliminated item. Ryzhkov told Siemon
that the Russian side would review the U.S. concept. Sicks
also recommended that the notification concerning the Annual
Plan of Conversion or Elimination Activities (Begin comment:
A START FORMAT 68. End comment.) be retained to allow for
better resource planning. Ryzhkov replied that the Russian
side believed a 30-day advanced notification of intent would
suffice. Siemon told Ryzhkov that he would discuss the issue
with the U.S. delegation.


8. (S) Ryzhkov and Siemon discussed the following
U.S.-proposed text on providing advance notifications for
ICBMs and SLBMs exiting a productions facility. The language
would be located in treaty Article X and Part Four of the
Protocol, Notifications. (Begin comment: The text was
turned over that morning to Russian Head of Delegation
Antonov by U,S. Head of Delegation Gottemoeller. End
comment.)

Begin text:

Article X


3. The Parties shall provide notification no later than 48
hours in advance of the exit of ICBMs and SLBMs from
production facilities for solid fuel ICBMs and SLBMs. For the
purpose of this paragraph, such production facilities are,
for the Russian Federation, the Votkinsk production facility,
and for the United States, (to be provided). Such
notifications shall identify whether the ballistic missile is
an ICBM or SLBM, and shall include the unique identifier, the
destination of such ICBMs and SLBMs and the estimated time of
arrival.

Notifications Protocol Section II


4. Notification no later than 48 hours in advance of the
exit of solid fuel ICBMs and SLBMs from production facilities.

End text.


9. (S) Ryzhkov stated the entire text could be covered
within Part Four of the Protocol, and he objected to the use
of unique identifiers (UIDs). Siemon replied that the use of
UIDs, in addition to a 48-hour advanced notice of exit from a
production facility, was an agreed compromise in exchange for
the United States ceasing its insistence on portal monitoring
at Votkinsk. Ryzhkov retorted that the use of UIDs was part
of a Russian package proposal that the U.S. side had not
accepted. Ryzhkov agreed to provide Russian-proposed text
during the next meeting.


10. (S) Siemon recommended moving non-essential information
in Part Four to the future Technical Annex (Tier Three)
document. He indicated only the basic information (i.e.,
notification name, time period, and reason for transmission)
was required in the Tier II text. Ryzhkov replied that the
Russian side would review that approach. Siemon closed by
stating Section VI, Notifications Concerning Inspections and
Exhibitions, and Section VII, Notifications Concerning



Additional Messages and the Bilateral Consultative
Commission, would be discussed during the next meeting.
Notifications regarding telemetry, throw weight, display in
the open, and others could not be discussed without further
guidance from both Washington and Moscow.


11. (U) Documents provided:

- UNITED STATES:

-- Section I, General Provisions, of Part IV to the
Protocol, dated December 15, 2009;

-- Section II, Notifications Concerning the Database,
dated December 15, 2009;

-- Section III, Notifications Concerning Movement of
Strategic Offensive Arms, dated December 15, 2009;

-- Section IV, Notifications Concerning Flight Tests of
ICBMs and SLBMs, dated December 15, 2009; and

-- Section V, Notifications Concerning Conversion or
Elimination, dated December 15, 2009.


12. (U) Participants:

UNITED STATES

Mr. Siemon
Mr. Dwyer
Mr. Highsmith
Ms. Pura
LT Sicks
Ms. Smith (Int)

RUSSIA

Col Ryzhkov
Mr. Smirnov
Mr. Voloskov
Ms. Komshilova (Int)


13. (U) Gottemoeller sends.
GRIFFITHS