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