DEMARCHE FOR RUSSIAN CO-CHAIR OF GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO

UNCLAS MOSCOW 001364 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR ISN/WMDT - M. WATT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KGIC PARM PREL PTER RS SUBJECT: DEMARCHE FOR RUSSIAN CO-CHAIR OF GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO COMBAT NUCLEAR TERRORISM DELIVERED REF: STATE 53043 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On May 27, EST Off delivered reftel demarche on strengthening the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) to Russia's MFA Department of Security and Disarmament Affairs First Secretary Olga Kuznetsova. Kuznetsova said she was aware of some of the proposed enhancements, but several were new to her. Although the MFA was ready to discuss any and all of the issues covered, Kuznetsova advised that it would be inappropriate to brief these ideas to the senior leadership at The Hague (June 15-17) until they had already been examined, discussed, and agreed to by "the experts." END SUMMARY. TOPIC-BY-TOPIC COMMENTS -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Kuznetsova offered the following specific comments: -- (SBU) Changes to the Implementation and Assessment Group (IAG): Kuznetsova agreed with the concept that the IAG should have a larger role and that it would be good to expand the IAG "in a flexible manner" to allow all who wanted to join to do so. She opined that the Exercise Planning Group (EPG) already uses this model. -- (SBU) Creating a Secretariat: Kuznetsova was surprised by this issue and said it had not been mentioned previously. She queried how the United States and Russian Federation would retain oversight?" While not hostile to the idea, she indicated this would require additional discussions to frame it in a way that could be clearly presented to the larger GICNT membership. -- (SBU) Clarifying the role of the EPG: Her only comment was that this was a new item and that it would have to be carefully thought through. -- (SBU) Rotation of the Co-Chairs: Again, she said this was a new item and one that would require careful consideration. She allowed that this had been mentioned in passing at a previous GICNT session, but it had never been discussed. When the retention of an "advisory role" for the U.S. and RF was mentioned, she asked whether this would "cause a problem as to who was the real policymaker?" -- (SBU) Expanding the Global Initiative Information Portal (GIIP): Kuznetsova was in complete agreement regarding both the expansion of the GIIP and its use as a central collaboration mechanism. -- (SBU) Greater participation in the GICNT: She said there was no disagreement on adding entities such as the INTERPOL and EUROPOL as observers. She indicated that the addition of the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime would have to be reviewed, as it had not been previously discussed, but did not see why it could not be added as well. She said building a broader relationship that included the concept of academia and civil society organizations was fine, but that the number and type of these organizations would require discussion and study. -- (SBU) Capacity building mechanism: Kuznetsova stated that formalizing the methodology for members to request assistance, expertise, etc., "made sense" to her, but that it would require "further exploration by the experts" before any formal opinion could be rendered. ¶4. (SBU) Kuznetsova concluded by saying "there is no driving need to have a decision at The Hague in June." She stated it would be best to allow the experts to meet, possibly using the GIIP as a forum, to work out the final recommendations for the decision-makers to discuss. Comment -------------- ¶5. (SBU) One thing that was clear throughout the conversation - Russia values the GICNT, sees it as a success, but wants to be very careful about changing how it works. Kuznetsova expressed concern that unless care is taken to ensure the smallest/poorest members don't feel marginalized because their lack of resources precludes them from assuming some of the new roles, a two-tiered GICNT could emerge. BEYRLE