Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09LONDON433
2009-02-19 11:11:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy London
Cable title:  

HMG AWAITS WORD FROM QSCOW AND BEIJING ON PLANNED

Tags:  KNNP AORC ENRG MNUC PARM PGOV QEL UNGA UK 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLO #0433 0501111
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 191111Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1411
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1136
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2830
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 3395
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1225
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1277
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1364
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0353
C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 000433 

SIPDIS

STATE DEPARTMENT FOR ISN/MNSA,
GENEVA (CD)
UNVIE (IAEA)
USUN (POL)
USNATO (POL)
USEU (POL)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2019
TAGS: KNNP AORC ENRG MNUC PARM PGOV QEL UNGA UK
SUBJECT: HMG AWAITS WORD FROM QSCOW AND BEIJING ON PLANNED
P5 CONFERENCE ONQONFIDENCE BUILDING MEASURES TOWARDS
MULTILATERAL NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT

Classified By: Political Counselor Rick Mills
for reasons 1.4 b and d

C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 000433

SIPDIS

STATE DEPARTMENT FOR ISN/MNSA,
GENEVA (CD)
UNVIE (IAEA)
USUN (POL)
USNATO (POL)
USEU (POL)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2019
TAGS: KNNP AORC ENRG MNUC PARM PGOV QEL UNGA UK
SUBJECT: HMG AWAITS WORD FROM QSCOW AND BEIJING ON PLANNED
P5 CONFERENCE ONQONFIDENCE BUILDING MEASURES TOWARDS
MULTILATERAL NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT

Classified By: Political Counselor Rick Mills
for reasons 1.4 b and d


1. (C) Summary. The UK continues planning to host a two
day conference in September 2009 titled "P5 Conference on
Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) Towards Multilateral
Nuclear Disarmament." According to HMG officials, neither
Russia nor China have endorsed the proposed conference.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) interlocutors have
stated that if the U.S. raises the conference informally with
Russia and China it could help get those countries to support
the conference. End Summary.

P5 Conference Planning: Waiting on Moscow and Beijing
-------------- --------------


2. (C) Poloff met February 10 with Sunil Sood (protect),an
officer with the Nuclear and UN Disarmament Desk of the FCO's
Security Policy Group. Sood told Poloff that the UK continues
its preparations to host a two-day conference in September
2009 titled "P5 Conference on Confidence Building Measures
(CBMs) Towards Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament." The
conference aims to contribute to a successful 2010 Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference (RevCon). Sood
said that HMG has circulated a draft agenda and awaits formal
Chinese and Russian comments. According to Sood, the Chinese
reaction has been "in principle" positive but the Russians
have been "slightly more cautious" regarding the agenda. HMG
may ask the British embassies in Moscow and Beijing to raise
the conference again, since there has "not been much
progress" after HMG first bruited the conference with the
Russians and Chinese.


3. (C) James Mortimer (protect),FCO Nuclear Disarmament
Desk Officer in the Nuclear and Missile Defense Section of
the Security Policy Group, elaborated in a February 17 e-mail
exchange with Poloff that, although the Chinese have agreed
to the idea in principle, they are still "very uncomfortable
with the transparency agenda item" and are "in the process of
inter-departmental talks." Mortimer stated that HMG is
"gently pressing" the Chinese and expressed the suspicion
that "they will try to insert something on 'no first use'."
Mortimer described the Russians as "less enthusiastic,"
noting that "they see the value in the P5 being seen to be
discussing disarmament issues ahead of 2010, but they don't
see that that alone is enough to make the trip worthwhile.
We suspect...that if we can get the Chinese on board they
won't want to remain the only ones outside the tent."


4. (C) Sood asked Poloff February 10 if, given the Russian
and Chinese reactions so far, it would be possible for the
U.S. to raise the P5 conference in discussions with Russia
and China. Poloff promised to convey this request to the
State Department. Mortimer elaborated in a February 18
discussion with Poloff that the Chinese and Russians have
asked HMG how other P5 countries have reacted to the pQposed
conference. He expreQed support for continued "gently
prodding away" atQhe Russians and Chinese, stating that if
the U.S. "informally raised" the conference with Russia and
China it could help get them on board.

Visit London's Classified Website:
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Unit ed_Kingdom

LEBARON