JOINT DEMARCHE TO RUSSIA -- COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 075607 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM PREL AORC KPAO PTER UNSC RU SUBJECT: JOINT DEMARCHE TO RUSSIA -- COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW PARTICIPATION REF: A. STATE 17394 ¶B. USUN 546 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED -- PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY ¶1. (U) This is an action cable for USUN. Other posts as info. See paras 3 and 4 below. ¶2. (U) Summary/Action Request: The UN Security Council Resolution 1540 Committee is in the process of issuing invitations to Member States and relevant international organizations (IGOs) to the September 30 - October 2 1540 Committee Comprehensive Review. The Committee intends to invite all IGOs which it agreed in December 2007 to include. In spite of this agreement, Russia,s UN delegation has been resisting efforts by USUN and friendly delegations to invite the G8 Global Partnership, Australia Group, and Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie. With the exception of the Australia Group, which Russia has not been able to join, Russia does not appear to have any substantive concerns with the other IGOs that it is blocking. Washington understands that Russia would prefer that the 1540 Committee re-review the qualifications of each IGO on the December 2007 list before issuing invitations to the Comprehensive Review. Washington believes that current Russian efforts to essentially walk back the December 2007 list, which Russia had agreed to at the time, are unhelpful and will set a bad precedent for the 1540 Committee,s work. USUN and Washington have discussed our concerns with Russian officials, and agreed to continue negotiations at higher levels in capitals. (Note: We will approach jointly with France, Austria, Australia, UK, Italy, and Mexico to deliver a joint demarche in Moscow. End note.). The purpose of the demarche would be to reiterate the Security Council,s desire for the broadest participation. It would also underline to Russia that rather than establishing criteria for each IGO,s participation in the Comprehensive Review, we have consistently applied a view, including in development of the December 2007 IGO list, that &all are welcome8 to support the broad obligations of UN Security Council Resolution 1540 (UNSCR 1540). (Note: The full IGO list will be provided SEPTEL. End note.). Once USUN has reached agreement with France, Austria, Australia, UK, Italy and Mexico (like-minded delegations) on a joint demarche, the text will be transmitted to Moscow for joint delivery. End summary. -------------- �00A;BACKGROUND POINTS FOR LIKE-MINDED MISSIONS -------------- ¶3. USUN should draw from the above points and the REFTEL list to seek agreement with France, Austria, Australia, UK, Italy, and Mexico on delivery of a joint demarche to Russia on the UNSCR 1540 Comprehensive Review. USUN should work from the proposed text in para 4. Both Austria and the United States recommended several additional groups, which did not receive objection, and they are all marked with an asterisk on the IGO list with which USUN is already familiar. Begin points. -- Washington seeks French, Austrian, Australian, British, Italian, and Mexican support for a joint demarche non-paper to Russia on the UNSCR 1540 Comprehensive Review. -- The United States appreciates U.S.-Russia cooperation on nonproliferation and efforts to prevent the spread of WMD to non-state actors through implementation of UNSCR 1540, as reinforced by joint statements by Presidents Obama and STATE 00075607 002 OF 003 Medvedev on both April 1 and July 6. -- The proposed joint demarche non-paper would convey a strong message of support for the participation of the remaining three intergovernmental organizations in the 1540 Comprehensive Review. -- The Committee has engaged with regional and intergovernmental organizations worldwide throughout the past five years on a variety of issues relating to their implementation of resolution 1540. -- On December 17, 2007, the Committee agreed to an original list that included the Australia group as well as Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie. -- More broadly, the addition of the G8 Global Partnership is consistent with our ongoing G8 summit agreements. -- It would be an unhelpful precedent to revisit previous consensus agreements. -- Last, we have very simple premise ) we seek to be inclusive and all are welcome to contribute in an open and transparent process; this will serve the Committee well in the future. Establishing criteria to determine which regional or intergovernmental organizations are eligible to participate will ultimately lead to a less transparent and less inclusive process. -------------- TEXT OF PROPOSED DEMARCHE TO RUSSIA -------------- ¶4. Begin proposed text: The results of outreach and initiatives since the adoption of UNSCR 1540 have demonstrated international commitment to the non-proliferation goals of resolution 1540, and we are committed to developing the broadest ideas for the Comprehensive Review. We aim to build capacity and encourage further implementation of resolution 1540 ) while recognizing a "one size fits all" approach is not suitable for the various requirements unique to each state. We appreciate Russia,s commitment to working &together to strengthen the ability of other nations to carry out their weapons of mass destruction non-proliferation obligations under UNSCR 1540,8 as President Medvedev states in a joint statement with President Obama on July 6. We hope we can develop a review process that will better equip the Committee to pursue practical, concrete measures to enhance Member States' ability to implement the resolution, while recognizing that the pace of implementation will require a longer strategic timeline than originally envisioned following adoption of UNSCR 1540 in 2004. An effective review, approximately five years into the life of the resolution should recognize that both the UN Security Council and the many regional, intergovernmental, and nongovernmental organizations working to promote implementation of resolution 1540 need a longer timeframe in which to promote implementation of resolution 1540. It has always been our intention to conduct an open review in an effort to be transparent. The Committee has engaged with regional and intergovernmental organizations worldwide throughout the past five years on a variety of issues relating to their implementation of UNSCR 1540. On December 17, 2007, the Committee agreed to an original list that included the Australia Group as well as Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie. We do not want to create a precedent of revisiting previous consensus agreements. More broadly, the addition of the G8 Global Partnership is STATE 00075607 003 OF 003 consistent with our ongoing G8 summit agreements. Last, we have a simple premise ) we seek to be inclusive and all are welcome to contribute in an open and transparent process; this will serve the Committee well in the future. Establishing criteria to determine which regional or intergovernmental organizations are eligible to participate will ultimately lead to a less transparent and less inclusive process. We ask Russia to welcome all the organizations previously agreed, the new additions, and also support further additions if suggested. End draft demarche text. -------------- DEPARTMENT POINT OF CONTACT -------------- ¶5. Further questions or information on UNSCR 1540 can be directed to Tom Wuchte, U.S. 1540 Coordinator. Department appreciates Post's assistance. CLINTON