CWC: SPECIAL GUIDANCE FOR THE U.S. DELEGATION

UNCLAS STATE 107329 SENSITIVE THE HAGUE FOR CWC DEL, SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM PREL CWC OPCW CBW SUBJECT: CWC: SPECIAL GUIDANCE FOR THE U.S. DELEGATION TO THE 58th SESSION OF THE OPCW EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (OCTOBER 13-16, 2009) REF: STATE 103181 (CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (CWC): GUIDANCE ON THE OCTOBER 5, 2009 STRAW-POLL VOTE FOR THE NEXT OPCW DIRECTOR-GENERAL). ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The contest for OPCW Director- General is unexpectedly coming to a rapid conclusion. As a result of the fifth straw poll, conducted Thursday, October 15, the Turkish candidate (Ahmet Uzumcu) is the clear leader. Further straw polls will be conducted on Friday, October 16, to determine the winner. Del assesses that it will be Uzumcu. Del requests guidance to support Uzumcu in any further straw polls or votes. Guidance is needed by OOB, Hague time, on Friday, October 16. ¶2. (SBU) The British candidate, current OPCW Deputy Director John Freeman, withdrew before the October 15 straw poll due to his weak showing in the October 14 straw poll. The October 15 straw poll results (first preferences) are as follows: Uzumcu (Turkey) - 21 votes; Dani (Algeria) 11 votes; and Gottwald (Germany)- 9 votes. Twenty-eight votes (two-thirds of the 41 members of the Executive Council) are required for selection. All six of Freeman's votes from the previous day went to Uzumcu, even though a number of them were clearly from European delegations. ¶3. (SBU) Reference guidance indicates that Uzumcu is acceptable to the United States as Director-General, but that Del should give preference to German Director of Disarmament Hans-Peter Gottwald. In the five straw polls conducted up to now, Del has done so. The Executive Council chairman plans to continue the straw polls on Friday, October 16 until a winner is selected. Based on the October 15 results, Gottwald is likely to be eliminated in the next straw poll since he placed third (out of three) in "first preferences." ¶4. (SBU) If authorized to support Uzumcu, Del will seek to orchestrate a dignified consensus outcome. Rather than a series of straw polls that would embarrass Gottwald and Dani, Del would work to get Germany and Algeria to throw their support to Uzumcu, who clearly is acceptable to all delegations. ¶5. (U) Washington concurs with the delegation's recommendation. Del is authorized to support Uzumcu and proceed as outlined above. CLINTON