Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09THEHAGUE104
2009-02-18 10:07:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy The Hague
Cable title:  

CWC: MEETING WITH IRAQI DELEGATION

Tags:  IZ PARM PREL CWC 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHTC #0104/01 0491007
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O 181007Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2531
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0130
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1811
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/DTRA ALEX WASHINGTON DC//OSAC PRIORITY
UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000104 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR ISN/CB, VCI/CCA, L/NPV, IO/MPR,
SECDEF FOR OSD/GSA/CN,CP>
JOINT STAFF FOR DD PMA-A FOR WTC
COMMERCE FOR BIS (ROBERTS AND DENYER)
NSC FOR FLY
WINPAC FOR WALTER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: IZ PARM PREL CWC
SUBJECT: CWC: MEETING WITH IRAQI DELEGATION

REF: A. STATE 11851

B. FERGUSON/FINGARSON ROBINSON E-MAIL 02/09/2009
WITH ATTACHMENTS

This is CWC-07-09.

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000104

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR ISN/CB, VCI/CCA, L/NPV, IO/MPR,
SECDEF FOR OSD/GSA/CN,CP>
JOINT STAFF FOR DD PMA-A FOR WTC
COMMERCE FOR BIS (ROBERTS AND DENYER)
NSC FOR FLY
WINPAC FOR WALTER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: IZ PARM PREL CWC
SUBJECT: CWC: MEETING WITH IRAQI DELEGATION

REF: A. STATE 11851

B. FERGUSON/FINGARSON ROBINSON E-MAIL 02/09/2009
WITH ATTACHMENTS

This is CWC-07-09.


1. (SBU) Delreps met with Iraqi Ambassador Siamand
Banaa and Iraqi delegate Abbas Al-Khafaji on
February 12. Delreps offered congratulations, as
this was the official day the Chemical Weapons
Convention entered into force for Iraq. Delreps
then inquired about Iraqi plans for participation
in the upcoming Executive Council (EC) session
(February 17-20). Banaa said that he would like to
make a statement and confirmed that no delegation
would be coming from Baghdad. He also indicated
his interest in having Iraq be elected to the
Council; delreps briefly described the process of
election through the regional groups. Delreps
recommended Iraq attend the destruction informals
on February 16 and that Baghdad send a delegation
of experts to present and/or respond to any
questions concerning Iraq's declaration at the next
Executive Council session (April 20-24).


2. (SBU) Drawing on guidance (Refs A and B),
Delreps explained the history and current status of
U.S. recoveries of Iraqi chemical weapons and
provided copies of the non-paper, slides on
recovery locations and information, and the draft
U.S. supplemental declaration. Delreps emphasized
that the draft declaration had not yet been shared
with the Technical Secretariat (TS). They
emphasized that, as of February 12, the
responsibility for reporting recoveries belonged to
the Government of Iraq. Banaa agreed that a
meeting with U.S. experts on the margins of the EC-
55 (February 17-20) would be useful.


3. (SBU) Banaa noted that communications between
his embassy and Baghdad were poor, and that it is
still not clear whether his delegation will be
augmented to deal with the increased workload from
OPCW activities. The Iraqi Embassy in The Hague
has, however, had increased contact with the
Technical Secretariat recently. Verification
Director Horst Reeps has apparently spoken to Banaa
and Abbas about the contents and security of the
bunkers at Muthanna, so it is unlikely there
remains any confusion for their delegation as to
whether or not Iraq will be declaring chemical
weapons. Abbas reported that they also had
discussed a possible TS inspection team visit in
the May/June timeframe, depending on the security
situation.


4. (SBU) In a separate conversation with Reeps,
Delrep learned that Iraq has been active in
completing several initial steps as a new member
state, including providing contact information for
their National Authority and approving the list of
TS inspectors. Within the TS's Chemical
Demilitarization Branch, Yaugen Ryzhykau has been
assigned as the lead officer for Iraq. Reeps also
informed Delrep that a number of delegations --
including Iran, Russia, Germany, France, and
Austria -- have contacted him recently to ask about
Iraq and its declaration. Reeps has indicated to
these delegations that Iraq will declare possession
of chemical weapons. He expressed some surprise
that many delegations did not seem to have thought
Qthat many delegations did not seem to have thought
through some of the longer-term implications of
this, to include the need for the EC to establish
destruction deadlines.


5. (U) BEIK SENDS.
GALLAGHER