GICNT: INFORMING PARTNERS THAT UNODC IS OBSERVER

UNCLAS KYIV 001597 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KGIC PARM PREL PTER UP SUBJECT: GICNT: INFORMING PARTNERS THAT UNODC IS OBSERVER REF: SECSTATE 83550 Sensitive but Unclassified, please protect accordingly. ¶1. (SBU) Embassy delivered reftel demarche welcoming the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as an official observer to the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) jointly with Russian Embassy counterpart Dmitry Gurin on September 11. Delivery took place shortly after the Russian Embassy received its long-awaited instructions from Moscow. Head of the Ukrainian MFA's Policy Planning Division Oleh Klynchenko expressed thanks for the joint nature of the demarche, underscoring U.S.-Russian cooperation and common support for the GICNT. ¶2. (SBU) Klynchenko said Ukraine also welcomes the UNODC's observer status, and noted that Ukraine has already engaged the UNODC on several related initiatives. The Government of Ukraine co-organized a conference for GUAM member states on nuclear terrorism in July, 2009, which included three experts from each member country (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and Moldova),as well as experts from the OSCE, IAEA, Germany and France. He noted that the U.S. also sent several representatives. ¶3. (SBU) According to Klynchenko, the UNODC has since approached GUAM to organize a workshop on legal aspects of combating nuclear terrorism, in particular, questions of extradition. Klynchenko said it is his understanding that UNODC is also hoping to work with the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) organization to develop a workshop on piracy issues, possibly to be held in Odessa. PETTIT