PROPOSAL FOR FURTHER SENIOR LEVEL DISCUSSIONS ON

S E C R E T STATE 057279 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2019 TAGS: MARR PREL PARM KTIA RS SUBJECT: PROPOSAL FOR FURTHER SENIOR LEVEL DISCUSSIONS ON BALLISTIC MISSILE THREATS, MISSILE DEFENSE COOPERATION, AND U.S. AGREEMENT ON THE U.S.-RUSSIA JOINT DATA EXCHANGE CENTER Classified By: Classified By: ISN Acting A/S Eliot C.S. Kang, Reason E.O. 12958 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. This is an action request. See paragraph 3. ¶2. (S) SUMMARY. A U.S. interagency delegation led by Ambassador Stephen Mull met with a Russian interagency delegation headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov on ballistic missile defense and U.S.-Russia Joint Data Exchange Center (JDEC) issues on May 28, 2009 in Moscow. (Full reporting on this meeting to be provided septel.) As a follow-up to this meeting Washington would like to send a delegation to Russia June 15-17, 2009, led by Ambassador Stephen Mull, accompanied by experts, to conduct an initial meeting for a joint U.S.-Russia threat assessment of the Iranian ballistic missile program, to develop concrete plans for U.S.-Russian ballistic missile defense (BMD) cooperation, and resolve the remaining outstanding issues (i.e., taxation, liability, "rare exceptions," and site selection) required to implement the JDEC and the Pre-Launch Notification System (PLNS),which Washington is offering as a key deliverable for the July Presidential Summit. 3.(SBU) ACTION REQUEST: Embassy Moscow is requested to convey the non-paper in paragraph 4 to Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and/or other appropriate MFA officials, as well as Col. Yevgeniy Il'in, Main Directorate of International Military Cooperation, Ministry of Defense. Post is requested to provide confirmation of delivery and to report back to Washington any initial reactions. ¶4. (S/REL RUSSIA) BEGIN TEXT OF NON-PAPER: U.S. Non-Paper for Further Senior Level Discussions with Russia on June 15-17, 2009 June 3, 2009 -- The United States appreciated the constructive talks that were held with Russia on May 28 regarding a joint U.S.-Russia threat assessment of the Iranian ballistic missile program, possible U.S.-Russia ballistic missile defense (BMD) cooperation, and resolution of the remaining outstanding issues required to implement the Joint Data Exchange Center (JDEC) and Pre-Launch Notification System (PLNS) agreements. -- As a follow-up to those discussions, the United States proposes sending another interagency delegation to Moscow prior to the July Presidential Summit for follow-up meetings to be hosted by the Russian MFA during June 15-17, 2009. The ¶U. S. Delegation would again be led by Ambassador Stephen Mull. This U.S. interagency delegation of senior policy officials and their technical experts would - as agreed at the May 28, 2009 meeting - kick-off a Joint Assessment of the threat from the Iranian ballistic missile program. At this meeting, we look forward to Russia,s presentation on the Iranian ballistic missile threat. -- At the June 15-17 meeting the United States also proposes to further discuss concrete approaches for U.S.-Russia BMD cooperation as well as the resolution of the remaining issues required to implement the JDEC and PLNS agreements. -- In connection with JDEC implementation, the United States is prepared to send Department of Defense site security experts to Moscow as part of the U.S. Delegation if, on the margins of the senior level talks, their Russian counterparts are prepared to offer visits to specific JDEC sites with a view towards obtaining practical agreement on a site and its security requirements. -- Additionally, the United States will shortly transmit a non-paper responding to your request for our proposal in writing on "rare exceptions." We will also provide our reactions to your thoughts discussed at the May 28 meeting on liability and taxation provisions in the JDEC agreement. We hope to receive your reactions prior to our June 15-17 meeting. END TEXT OF NON-PAPER. CLINTON