DELIVERY OF GROUND TRANSPORTATION CARGO INVENTORY

UNCLAS STATE 116895 SENSITIVE SIPDIS MOSCOW FOR DTRO-M/ACID GENEVA FOR JCIC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM KACT START JCIC US RS BO SUBJECT: DELIVERY OF GROUND TRANSPORTATION CARGO INVENTORY LISTS TO RUSSIA REF: A. 02 GENEVA 1134 (JCIC-XXIV-055) ¶B. STATE 107364 (ANC/STR 09-853/144A) ¶C. STATE 108431 (RNC/STR 09-291/142) ¶D. STATE 109958 (ANC/STR 09-880/143) ¶E. STATE 114546 (ANC/STR 09-922/144B) ¶F. STATE 114547 (ANC/STR 09-923/144B) ¶G. STATE 115691 (ANC/STR 09-933/143) ¶H. GENEVA 0915 (SFO-GVA-VI-005) ¶1. (SBU) BACKGROUND. On March 20, 2002, the United States, Belarus, and Russia reached agreement in the Joint Compliance and Inspection Commission (JCIC) regarding use of ground transportation and related services, provided by a Russian commercial cargo carrier designated by the Russian Government, to transport U.S. equipment and supplies to/from the U.S. START Continuous Portal Monitoring Facility (VPMF) located near Votkinsk, Russia (Ref A). The U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) is the designated U.S. government agency responsible for implementing the terms of the Ground Transportation Agreement (GTA). Raytheon Technical Services Company (RTSC) is the U.S. commercial logistics contractor designated by DTRA to coordinate the provision of GTA-mandated services with the Russian commercial cargo carrier (Votkinsk Plant State Production Association). The Russian Nuclear Risk Reduction Center (RNRRC) and the Belarusian National Agency for Control and Inspections (NAKI) have been designated by their respective governments as the agencies responsible for implementation of the GTA. ¶2. (SBU) The RNRRC and the NAKI have been notified, via an exchange of U.S. and Russian START notifications (Refs B-G), regarding the U.S. intent to conduct two VPMF Ground Transportation Resupply Missions in the November/December 2009 time frame. The purpose of these two missions is to support the closure of the VPMF in accordance with agreements signed by the United States and Russia on October 20, 2009 (Ref H). As outlined in Refs B-E, the first mission is to occur on November 26-December 10, 2009, with three commercial Russian trucks. On November 26, 2009, the Russian trucks are to arrive at the VPMF where they will be loaded with outbound cargo and depart the VPMF for Darmstadt, Germany (Nathan Hale Army Depot). The trucks are to arrive at Nathan Hale Army Depot on December 3, 2009. On that date, outbound cargo will be offloaded and the empty trucks will depart Nathan Hale Army Depot for the return trip to Russia. The trucks are to arrive in the Votkinsk area on December 10, 2009. ¶3. (SBU) As outlined in Refs C, D, F, and G, the second mission is to occur on November 29-December 15, 2009, with two commercial Russian trucks. On November 29, 2009, the Russian trucks are to arrive at the VPMF where they will be loaded with outbound cargo and depart the VPMF for Nathan Hale Army Depot. The trucks are to arrive at Nathan Hale Army Depot on December 8, 2009. On that date, outbound cargo will be offloaded and the empty trucks will depart Nathan Hale Army Depot for the return trip to Russia. The trucks are to arrive in the Votkinsk area on December 15, 2009. ¶4. (U) Paragraph 9 of the attachment to the GTA letters states that the United States "shall provide the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation with an inventory of the cargo consisting of equipment and supplies to be delivered to the monitored facility at Votkinsk or removed from that facility." Paragraph 9 also states that the United States "shall provide such inventory through its embassy no less than ten days prior to the arrival of the vehicles on the territory of the Republic of Belarus and prior to their arrival on (or departure from) the territory of the Russian Federation." ¶5. (SBU) RTSC, under the direction of DTRA, has prepared cargo inventory lists for the outbound cargo as required by the GTA. RTSC will be forwarding the cargo inventory lists to Embassy Moscow (DTRO-M/ACID) via unclassified E-mail on or about November 13, 2009. Washington is requesting that Embassy Moscow deliver the inventory lists to appropriate host nation government officials. Due to manning issues at Embassy Minsk, the inventory lists will be delivered directly to the NAKI by the U.S. Nuclear Risk Reduction Center via a service message. ¶6. (SBU) Washington has prepared talking points for host nation representatives which reiterate to Russia and Belarus the obligations contained in the GTA to ensure: (1) expeditious processing of the cargo shipments at the Russian and Belarusian national borders; (2) that the cargo shipments are exempt from all customs duties; and (3) that examination of the cargo shipments is limited to an examination by Russian officials at the VPMF. Washington is requesting that Embassy Moscow deliver the talking points to appropriate host nation government officials in conjunction with the delivery of the inventory lists. The talking points will be delivered to the NAKI via the service message mentioned in paragraph 5 above. ¶7. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST FOR EMBASSY MOSCOW (DTRO-M/ACID): Embassy Moscow is requested to deliver the U.S. Cargo Inventory Lists and the information in paragraph 8 below to appropriate host nation government officials not later than November 16, 2009. Embassy Moscow is further requested to confirm, via cable to Washington and unclassified E-mail to DTRA/OSSM (joseph.myer@dtra.mil, eric.mottice@dtra.mil, and john.sullivan@dtra.mil) and DTRA/OSAS (robert.habashi@dtra.mil and mark.beddoes@dtra.mil),the delivery of the cargo inventory lists, the name and office of the official to whom they were delivered, the date of delivery, and any comment or reaction provided at that time. ¶8. (SBU) Begin text: -- On November 6 and November 10, 2009, the Russian Nuclear Risk Reduction Center (RNRRC) and the Belarusian National Agency for Control and Inspections (NAKI) were notified, via U.S. START Treaty notifications ANC/STR 09-922/144B, ANC/STR 09-923/144B, and ANC/STR 09-933/143, regarding the U.S. intent to conduct two Ground Transportation Resupply Missions during the November/December 2009 time frame (November 26-December 10 and November 29-December 15). These two missions have been scheduled to support the closure of the U.S. START Continuous Portal Monitoring Facility (VPMF) located near Votkinsk, Russia. -- All trucks transporting outbound cargo from the VPMF will depart the territory of Russia and Belarus prior to December 5, 2009. For the first mission, three commercial Russian trucks are expected to arrive at the VPMF on or about November 26, 2009. Upon arrival, the trucks will be loaded with outbound cargo and depart the VPMF for Darmstadt, Germany (Nathan Hale Army Depot). The trucks are expected to arrive at Nathan Hale Army Depot on or about December 3, ¶2009. Upon arrival, the outbound cargo will be offloaded and the empty trucks will depart Nathan Hale Army Depot for the return trip to Russia. The empty trucks are expected to arrive in the Votkinsk area on or about December 10, 2009. -- For the second mission, two commercial Russian trucks are expected to arrive at the VPMF on or about November 29, 2009. Upon arrival, the trucks will be loaded with outbound cargo and depart the VPMF for Nathan Hale Army Depot. The trucks are expected to arrive at Nathan Hale Army Depot on or about December 8, 2009. Upon arrival, the outbound cargo will be offloaded and the empty trucks will depart Nathan Hale Army Depot for the return trip to Russia. The empty trucks are expected to arrive in the Votkinsk area on or about December 15, 2009. -- The U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) has prepared, in accordance with paragraph 9 of the attachment to the March 20, 2002, Ground Transportation Agreement (GTA) letters, inventory lists for cargo consisting of equipment and supplies to be removed from the monitored facility at Votkinsk. These inventory lists are being provided to the Russian and Belarusian governments as required by the GTA. -- DTRA appreciates the assistance of the RNRRC, NAKI, and other appropriate Russian and Belarusian Government agencies, in ensuring that the outbound cargo shipments are expeditiously processed at the Russian and Belarusian national borders and exempt from all customs duties (in accordance with paragraph 12 of the attachment to the GTA letters) and are examined solely by Russian officials at the VPMF (in accordance with paragraph 11 of the attachment to the GTA letters). End Text. CLINTON