ADDITIONAL START FOLLOW ON DELEGATION MEMBERS FOR

UNCLAS STATE 095364 SIPDIS GENEVA FOR JCIC LRICHTER EFLANAGAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: START PARM KITA SUBJECT: ADDITIONAL START FOLLOW ON DELEGATION MEMBERS FOR ACCREDITATION REF: A. STATE 74963 ¶B. STATE 88414 ¶1. BACKGROUND. Negotiations between the United States and the Russian Federation have begun on the development of a treaty to replace the START Treaty which expires on December 5, 2009. President Obama and President Medvedev have said that the new treaty must be ready to replace the START Treaty when it expires. The Presidents signed a Joint Understanding in Moscow at the Summit that contained the basic framework of elements to be included in the Treaty. Negotiations to develop the new treaty began in Geneva in June, 2009, and will continue until the treaty is completed. ¶2. On June 4, 2009, the Permanent Mission of the United States in Geneva received a note verbale from the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAE) which indicated that the DFAE views the delegations of the United States of America and the Russian Federation in the negotiations as a special mission in accordance with Article 2(1)(g) of the Host State Act of June 22, 2007. The note verbale requested that the Permanent Mission of the United States provide names and positions of the permanent members of the delegation so that appropriate legitimation card can be issued. A copy of the note and its translation have been provided to HR personnel at the U.S. Mission. ¶3. ACTION REQUESTED: Refs A and B provided an initial and supplemental list of START Follow On Delegation Members, and requested U.S. Mission Geneva submit the names of those individuals to the Swiss for Accreditation. We appreciate Mission efforts in that regard. Department has identified additional individuals who will be required to participate in the negotiations on a permanent basis. Mission is requested to submit the names of those individuals to the Swiss for accreditation. ¶4. Begin list of additional delegation members: Anita Friedt, Expert, Member of Delegation David Rust, Expert, Member of Delegation Brandon Hanchett, Expert, Member of Delegation Patrick Lobner, Expert, Member of Delegation CLINTON