JCIC-XXXIV: (U) UKRAINIAN OPENING PLENARY

S E C R E T GENEVA 000441 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: 06/09/2019 TAGS: KACT PARM START JCIC INF US RS UP BO KZ SUBJECT: JCIC-XXXIV: (U) UKRAINIAN OPENING PLENARY STATEMENT, JUNE 8, 2009 Classified By: Jerry A. Taylor, United States Representative to the Joint Compliance and Inspection Commission. Reasons: 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is JCIC-XXXIV-008. ¶2. (U) At paragraph 3 below is the official translation of the text of the Ukrainian Statement that was delivered at the Opening Plenary Meeting of the Thirty-fourth Session of the START Treaty's Joint Compliance and Inspection Commission (JCIC),held at the Russian Mission on June 8, 2009. ¶3. (S) Begin text: Official Translation JCIC-XXXIV Plenary Meeting June 8, 2009 STATEMENT by the Head of Delegation of Ukraine to the Joint Compliance and Inspection Commission at the Plenary Meeting of JCIC-XXXIV Esteemed Mr. Chairman, Esteemed Heads and Members of the Delegations of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation, and the United States of America, Allow me, on behalf of the Ukrainian Delegation, to greet you as we begin the work of the Thirty-fourth Session of the Joint Compliance and Inspection Commission. At the last session the Delegations of the Parties resolved a number of issues without prejudice to the START Treaty, in particular, the issue of holding the meeting of the Parties provided for in paragraph 2 of Article XVII of the Treaty. The Ukrainian side considers the very fact of discussion of this issue as an opportunity for reaching an agreed decision at any time prior to December 2009 on extending the Treaty or replacing it with a new Agreement. In our view, the question of the Treaty's fate merits separate attention and makes its further discussion necessary. The Ukrainian side believes that the START Treaty has all the necessary legal provisions that make it possible, without prejudice to the Treaty, to reduce strategic offensive arms in the future as well, by adopting appropriate agreed decisions of the Parties and defining new, necessary levels of limitations. We believe that the Treaty provisions are still relevant today and that the existing verification mechanism in the Treaty, which includes systems for inspections, notifications, and data exchange, has confirmed its effectiveness and viability. The Ukrainian side provided its proposal for the agenda of this session to all the Delegations in advance, and we hope for a constructive approach during its discussion. In conclusion, we reaffirm that the Delegation of Ukraine is prepared to discuss all other items on the agenda of this session and express the hope that in the course of our work the necessary solutions will be found so as to resolve at least some of the accumulated problems regarding further implementation of the Treaty, as well as its fate after 2009. If final agreements are reached on the issues raised, the Delegation of Ukraine will be prepared to sign the documents. Thank you. End text. ¶4. (U) Taylor sends. STORELLA