Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STATE97474
2009-09-19 00:48:00
SECRET
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

SFO-VI GUIDANCE-001: INSTRUCTIONS FOR U.S.

Tags:  KACT KTIA PARM START JCIC US RS 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0006
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #7474 2650724
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 190048Z SEP 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 9199-9201
INFO RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE 3917-919
S E C R E T STATE 097474 

SIPDIS, GENEVA FOR JCIC

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (CORRECTED SUBJECT)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2019
TAGS: KACT KTIA PARM START JCIC US RS
SUBJECT: SFO-VI GUIDANCE-001: INSTRUCTIONS FOR U.S.
DELEGATION TO U.S./RUSSIA NEGOTIATIONS ON START FOLLOW-ON
TREATY, GENEVA SWITZERLAND, BEGINNING ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2009

REF: A. STATE 078776 (SFO-GVA-III-003)

B. STATE 96638 (SFO-DIP-09-007)

C. STATE 95967 (DRAFT NEW START TREATY IP
ANNEXES)(1 OF 8)

D. STATE 93978 (DRAFT NEW START TREATY IP
ANNEXES)(2 OF 8)

E. STATE 95987 (DRAFT NEW START TREATY IP
ANNEXES)(3 OF 8)

F. STATE 95991 (DRAFT NEW START TREATY IP
ANNEXES)(4 OF 8)

G. STATE 96003 (DRAFT NEW START TREATY IP
ANNEXES)(5 OF 8)

H. STATE 96008 (DRAFT NEW START TREATY IP
ANNEXES)(6 OF 8)

I. STATE 96009 (DRAFT NEW START TREATY IP
ANNEXES)(7 OF 8)

J. STATE 96010 (DRAFT NEW START TREATY IP
ANNEXES)(8 OF 8)

K. STATE 95881 (DRAFT NEW START TREATY TELEMETRY
PROTOCOL)(1 OF 2)

L. STATE 93938 (DRAFT NEW START TREATY TELEMETRY
PROTOCOL)(2 OF2)

M. GENEVA 00745 (SFO-GVA-IV-011)

N. MOSCOW 02388

O. GENEVA 00616 (SFO-GVA-III-001)

P. GENEVA 00617 (SFO-GVA-III-002)

Q. STATE 94665 (SFO-GVA-IV-005)

R. STATE 94677 (SFO-GVA-IV-008)

S. GENEVA 00744 (SFO-GVA-IV-013)

Classified By: Rose Gottemoeller, Assistant Secretary, VCI.
Reasons: 1.4(b) and (d).

S E C R E T STATE 097474

SIPDIS, GENEVA FOR JCIC

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (CORRECTED SUBJECT)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2019
TAGS: KACT KTIA PARM START JCIC US RS
SUBJECT: SFO-VI GUIDANCE-001: INSTRUCTIONS FOR U.S.
DELEGATION TO U.S./RUSSIA NEGOTIATIONS ON START FOLLOW-ON
TREATY, GENEVA SWITZERLAND, BEGINNING ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2009

REF: A. STATE 078776 (SFO-GVA-III-003)

B. STATE 96638 (SFO-DIP-09-007)

C. STATE 95967 (DRAFT NEW START TREATY IP
ANNEXES)(1 OF 8)

D. STATE 93978 (DRAFT NEW START TREATY IP
ANNEXES)(2 OF 8)

E. STATE 95987 (DRAFT NEW START TREATY IP
ANNEXES)(3 OF 8)

F. STATE 95991 (DRAFT NEW START TREATY IP
ANNEXES)(4 OF 8)

G. STATE 96003 (DRAFT NEW START TREATY IP
ANNEXES)(5 OF 8)

H. STATE 96008 (DRAFT NEW START TREATY IP
ANNEXES)(6 OF 8)

I. STATE 96009 (DRAFT NEW START TREATY IP
ANNEXES)(7 OF 8)

J. STATE 96010 (DRAFT NEW START TREATY IP
ANNEXES)(8 OF 8)

K. STATE 95881 (DRAFT NEW START TREATY TELEMETRY
PROTOCOL)(1 OF 2)

L. STATE 93938 (DRAFT NEW START TREATY TELEMETRY
PROTOCOL)(2 OF2)

M. GENEVA 00745 (SFO-GVA-IV-011)

N. MOSCOW 02388

O. GENEVA 00616 (SFO-GVA-III-001)

P. GENEVA 00617 (SFO-GVA-III-002)

Q. STATE 94665 (SFO-GVA-IV-005)

R. STATE 94677 (SFO-GVA-IV-008)

S. GENEVA 00744 (SFO-GVA-IV-013)

Classified By: Rose Gottemoeller, Assistant Secretary, VCI.
Reasons: 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (U) Assistant Secretary for Verification, Compliance,
and Implementation Rose Gottemoeller will head the U.S.
delegation to the sixth round of START Follow-on treaty
negotiations with Russia beginning in Geneva, Switzerland
on September 21, 2009.

--------------
SCHEDULE AND ORGANIZATION
--------------


2. (S) BACKGROUND: The U.S. and Russian delegations have
agreed to meet in Geneva beginning on September 21, 2009
to continue work on a START Follow-on treaty, and have
agreed to establish working groups modeled on those used
during the START negotiations (Ref A). The U.S.
delegation has proposed a continuous negotiation in Geneva

from September 21 through November 20; however, the
Russian Head of Delegation, Russian MFA Director of
Security and Disarmament Affairs Anatoliy Antonov, has
expressed a preference for alternating between two-week
negotiating sessions in Geneva and two weeks in capitals
so each side can prepare for the next negotiating round,
as well as conduct other professional duties.


3. (S) In Ref A, the U.S. proposed a "stocktaking" at the
mid-way point on October 20 to identify which issues may
need to be referred for higher-level review and decision.
In Ref B, the U.S. further proposed that the Heads of
Delegation and a small group of Delegation Members convene
in Moscow on October 11-15, 2009, in advance of and during
the meeting of the U.S. and Russian Foreign Ministers in
Moscow on October 13-14. This would provide an
opportunity to make further progress and to raise to the
Foreign Ministers any issues identified during the
negotiations that require higher level resolution. The
Heads of Delegation and the Delegation Members would then
return to Geneva to resume their work. Under the U.S.
concept, delegation advisors from both sides would remain
in Geneva throughout this period to continue their work.
The goal remains to have the treaty ready for signature on
or about December 1, 2009.

-------------- --------------
U.S. DRAFT TEXTS, RUSSIAN DRAFT TREATY, AND A JDT
-------------- --------------


4. (S) BACKGROUND AND GUIDANCE: The U.S.-proposed draft
texts of the Treaty, the Definitions Annex and the
Inspection Protocol were provided to the Russian side and
discussed during the negotiating session in Geneva August
31-September 3, 2009. The U.S.-proposed draft texts of
the Inspection Protocol Annexes (Refs C-J) and the
Telemetry Protocol and Annexes (Refs K-L) were provided to
the Russian MFA on September 17, 2009. The U.S.-proposed
texts of the Elimination Protocol and the Notifications
Protocol, and a non-paper on the MOU Protocol, will be
sent in separate guidance to the Delegation. Delegation
should introduce and explain the texts of the new
documents to the Russian side, encourage Russian questions
and reactions to the U.S. texts, and seek to identify
areas of agreement and disagreement.


5. (S) During the August 31-September 3, 2009 session in
Geneva, the Russian delegation provided its proposed
treaty text on: establishment of a data base; definitions
annex; prohibitions; national technical means;
confidence-building measures; and the Bilateral
Consultative Commission (Ref M). On September 16, 2009,
Russia delivered to the U.S. embassy in Moscow a Russian
language version of its proposed draft "Treaty Between the
Russian Federation and the United States of America on
Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of
Strategic Offensive Arms" (Ref N). Delegation should
analyze the Russian proposal and seek clarifications and
explanations as needed to fully understand and assess the
Russian proposal.



6. (S) Delegation should seek Russian agreement and
commence work on developing a joint draft text (JDT)
expeditiously to advance the negotiations, achieve
mutually agreeable text where possible, and to identify
the substantive differences that will require further
discussion and negotiation. Delegation should make as its
first priority producing a JDT for the Treaty Text, but
should also advance work on producing JDTs for all the
other associated protocols and annexes to the extent
possible. In this connection, Washington notes that JDTs
for both the Preamble and the Final Provisions of the
Treaty Text have already been developed by the Delegation
and presented to the Russian side. Delegation may
continue to draw from previous guidance and U.S.
nonpapers, and the July Moscow Summit Documents, including
the July 6, 2009 Joint Understanding, to discuss and
explain U.S. views relating to a START follow-on treaty.
Delegation should seek further guidance from Washington as
necessary to advance work on the JDTs and to resolve
differences between the sides' negotiating positions.

-------------- --------------
RUSSIAN PAPERS PROVIDED ON JULY 22-23 and SEPTEMBER 2
-------------- --------------


7. (S) BACKGROUND AND GUIDANCE: During meetings on July
22-23, 2009 (Refs O and P),and on September 2, 2009 (Ref
Q),Russia provided several papers with its positions on
key issues. Delegation is authorized to discuss and seek
agreement on the issues raised in these papers as provided
in previous guidance and in the additional guidance in
paras 8-9 below.

--------------
PROPOSED UNGA RESOLUTION
--------------


8. (S) GUIDANCE: Regarding the Russian-proposed paper "On
a Draft Resolution 'Bilateral Reductions in Strategic
Nuclear Arms and the New Framework for Strategic
Relations'," dated July 23, 2009 (Ref O para 18),and the
Russian draft text provided on September 2, 2009 (Ref. R),
Delegation should reiterate that Washington believes it
would be unwise to table such a resolution while the
negotiations on a replacement for START are still
underway, and that the U.S. preference is to table a joint
resolution in the UNGA Plenary once these negotiations
have been concluded successfully.

--------------
PROPOSED JOINT UNDERSTANDING REGARDING
BELARUS, KAZAKHSTAN, AND UKRAINE
--------------


9. (S) GUIDANCE: Washington is continuing to consider the
Russian paper "On a Draft Joint Statement in Connection
with the Expiration of the Treaty on the Reduction and
Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms," dated July 23,
2009 (Ref A para 21),the text Russia provided on
September 2, 2009 (Ref S),and the discussion of the issue
reported in Ref Q. Delegation is authorized to indicate
that the United States supports the idea of issuing a
joint statement either bilaterally or by the five START
Parties in connection with the START Treaty's expiration.
Delegation should further state that it will be important
to consult the other parties regarding both the content
and the timing of the statement. Delegation is authorized
to work with the Russian delegation on a joint draft text
of this statement ad ref to Washington.

--------------
If Raised: Missile Defense Decision
--------------


10. (S) Background and Guidance: On September 17, 2009,
President Obama announced his decision regarding a U.S.
European-based ballistic missile defense architecture. If
raised by the Russian side, Delegation should note that
explanations of the President's decisions regarding a
European missile defense architecture are being given
through other channels. Delegation should point out that
the President's statement and fact sheets available on the
hite House website further explain the President's
decision.

--------------
Previous Guidance
--------------


11. (S) Unless otherwise modified or superseded, previous
guidance remains in effect.

End guidance.
CLINTON