START FOLLOW-ON NEGOTIATIONS, GENEVA (SFO-GVA-V):

S E C R E T GENEVA 000818 SIPDIS DEPT FOR T, VC 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: 10/01/2019 TAGS: KACT MARR PARM PREL RS US START SUBJECT: START FOLLOW-ON NEGOTIATIONS, GENEVA (SFO-GVA-V): (U) RUSSIAN-PROPOSED TREATY ANNEX, SECTION VI (BILATERAL CONSULTATIVE COMMISSION) (CABLE 6 OF 6) Classified By: A/S Rose E. Gottemoeller, United States START Negotiator. Reasons: 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is SFO-GVA-V-022. ¶2. (U) Paragraph 3 below contains the text of the official translation of Section VI (Bilateral Consultative Commission) of the Russian-proposed Treaty Annex to the Russian-proposed New START Treaty. Because of the length of the complete Annex, which has six sections, each section is being sent as a separate cable. This is the final Section, 6 of 6. ¶3. (S) Begin text of official translation: Section VI BILATERAL CONSULTATIVE COMMISSION These provisions shall govern the operation of the Bilateral Consultative Commission, hereinafter referred to as the Commission, established pursuant to Article XII of this Treaty. ¶1. Each Party shall have the right to be represented in the Commission by the Party's Commissioner to the Commission and Deputy Commissioner, as well as by their alternates, and by members, advisors, and experts. A session of the Commission may be convened without the participation of the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner. In such a case, any other individual provided for in this paragraph may be the head representative of a Party to a session of the Commission. No later than 30 days after entry into force of the Treaty, the Parties shall communicate to each other through diplomatic channels the names of the designated Commissioner of the Party to the Commission and the Deputy Commissioner. ¶2. No fewer than two sessions of the Commission shall be held each year. A session of the Commission shall be convened at the request of either Party. The request shall include: the questions that the Party intends to raise, the date for convening the session, and the place it will be held. In its response, which shall be provided no later than 15 days following receipt of the request, the Party that received the request to hold a session may express its consent to the proposals received or raise additional questions, and propose an alternate location and date for convening the session, which shall be convened no later than 45 days following the initially proposed date. ¶3. The agenda for a session shall consist of the questions that the Parties have included in the communications provided to each other in accordance with paragraph 2 of this Section. Each Party shall have the right to raise in the Commission questions that arise during a session, provided that for consideration of such questions during the current session the consent of the other Party shall be required. The Parties shall have the right during the current session to agree on the starting date, duration, and location of the next session of the Commission and on the questions that the Parties intend to raise at that session. ¶4. In accordance with Article XII of the Treaty, the Parties shall have the right to consider questions concerning fulfillment of the obligations assumed and related situations, which may be considered ambiguous; to agree, if necessary, upon additional procedures for providing notifications, converting and eliminating strategic offensive arms, and conducting inspections and visits; and to work out measures that may be necessary for improving the viability and effectiveness of the Treaty. ¶5. Sessions of the Commission shall be convened in Geneva, Switzerland, unless otherwise agreed. As a rule, a session of the Commission shall last no longer than 15 days unless otherwise agreed. ¶6. The Commissioners of the Parties shall alternately preside over meetings during a session of the Commission, unless otherwise agreed. For the consideration of specific questions raised during a session, the Commission shall have the right to constitute working groups, which may consist of any of the individuals specified in paragraph 1 of this Section. ¶7. The work of the Commission shall be con fidential except as otherwise agreed by the Commission. The Commission may record agreements or the results of its work in an appropriate document. Such documents shall not be con fidential, except as otherwise agreed by the Commission. ¶8. Communications pursuant to this Section, with the exception of paragraph 1 of this Section, shall be provided through the Nuclear Risk Reduction Centers. ¶9. Each Party shall bear the cost of its participation in the work of the Commission. ¶10. The Commissioners of the Parties shall communicate with each other during the intersessional period concerning questions that are related to the competency of the Commission. End text. ¶4. (U) Gottemoeller sends. GRIFFITHS