UKRAINE PROVISION OF TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO SYRIA

S E C R E T KYIV 000315 NOFORN SIPDIS DEPT FOR ISN/CATR- LOU GANEM AND EUR/PRA E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2019 TAGS: MARR MCAP MOPS PARM PINR PREL PTER ETTC UP SUBJECT: UKRAINE PROVISION OF TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO SYRIA REF: STATE 7813 Classified By: Political Counselor Colin Cleary. Reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (S) Embassy delivered reftel demarche to MFA Arms Control and Military Technical Cooperation Directorate Export Control Missile Technology Control Regime and Wassenaar Arrangement officer Artem Vorobyov on February 13, and left talking points as a non-paper. Per instructions, we noted Ukraine's policy of not transferring lethal items or technology to Syria, and stressed the need for Ukraine to uphold its international commitments and contribute to regional security. Vorobyov made no immediate comment, however asked about U.S. views of Russian arms policies toward Syria. ¶2. (S) Comment: Vorobyov's question about Russian military sales to Syria was made in an offhand manner, but underlines Kyiv's keen sense of competition with Russia for arms sales market share. TAYLOR