CWC: MEETINGS ON IRAQ'S ACCESSION TO THE CWC ON

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000129

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: PARM PREL CWC IZ
SUBJECT: CWC: MEETINGS ON IRAQ'S ACCESSION TO THE CWC ON
THE MARGINS OF EC-55 (FEBRUARY 17-20, 2009)

REF: A. THE HAGUE 000104

B. STATE 11851

C. THE HAGUE 000071

(U) This is CWC-10-09.

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


1. (SBU) On the margins of the 55th Executive
Council (EC) session of the Organization for the
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW),Delreps met
with representatives of Iraq, the United Kingdom,
and the Technical Secretariat. Although the tone
of EC-55 toward Iraq was congratulatory, Iraqi
officials in The Hague seem to have come away from
the Council session with a clear understanding of
the complexity of Council business and the
difficulties Iraq is likely to encounter following
submission of its initial declaration. The
Technical Secretariat (TS) is now taking a more
active role in explaining Iraq's Chemical Weapons
Convention obligations, particularly regarding
chemical weapons declarations, inspections, and
destruction. However, senior TS leadership still
seems reluctant to engage more fully with Iraq,
lest the OPCW be seen as giving Iraq preferential
treatment.

--------------
MEETING WITH THE UK
--------------


2. (SBU) On February 16, Delreps met with the UK
delegation to discuss the status of Iraq's
accession and the U.S. and UK declarations of
rounds recovered in Iraq that will follow Iraq's
own declaration. Both delegations briefly
discussed total numbers of rounds recovered to
date, and strategies for presenting this
information to the OPCW. U.S. Delreps also gave an
update on interactions with the Iraqi Embassy in
The Hague and information received from U.S.
Embassy Baghdad.

--------------
MEETINGS WITH IRAQI DIPLOMATS
--------------


3. (SBU) Delreps Clagett, Ferguson, Robinson, and
Rodjom met with Iraqi Ambassador Siamand Banaa on
February 17 to follow up on earlier discussions
where detailed information on upcoming issues
related to Iraq's accession and future EC
interactions was provided (REF A). Ambassador Banaa
had no questions on the material provided
previously, and indicated that he had not had time
to review it thoroughly. He did, however, note
that he expected the number of recovered rounds to
be much higher. He provided no insight as to when
Iraq's declaration would be submitted, but
recognized that its on-schedule submission (by
March 14, 2009) would require an appropriate
response at EC-56 (April 21-24, 2009) supported by
Iraqi experts. Delreps agreed to support the need
for participation from Baghdad, and to provide
suggestions to him as to appropriate attendees.


4. (SBU) Banaa requested that the U.S. ask Embassy
Baghdad to make the case with the Iraqi Government
for augmenting the Ambassador's staff to assist
with increasing OPCW activities. He also offered
his opinion on several issues, including Iraq's
continuing need for training support; Iraq's intent

to become active in OPCW affairs; his expectation
that more chemical weapons will be recovered in the
future based on his knowledge of the directives of
the previous regime; and his personal support for
prosecution of the companies that supplied items to
support the CW program of the former regime.


5. (SBU) In a follow up meeting with Iraqi First
S ecretary Abbas Fadhil Al-Khafaji, Delreps
Ferguson, Miller, and Robinson provided a copy of
the most recent draft declaration received from
Embassy Baghdad, and reviewed its classified and
unclassified contents. They also discussed issues
associated with future OPCW inspections, including
the safety and security of inspectors. Abbas said
that Ambassador Banaa had not given him the papers
the U.S. had provided on February 12. Delreps also
provided a table summarizing the immediate tasks
ahead. Abbas thanked the U.S. for the information
and advice, and acknowledged that there are likely
to be a number of questions about Iraq's
declaration. He therefore agreed that the presence
of experts from Baghdad at EC-56 will be critical.
Del will follow up with Abbas regarding the
information provided, and to discuss Iraq's
preparation for the EC-56 destruction informals
presentation.

--------------
MEETING WITH OPCW VERIFICATION DIVISION
--------------


6. (SBU) On February 17, Delreps Clagett, Ferguson,
Robinson, and Rodjom met with Technical Secretariat
representatives Dr. Horst Reeps (Director,
Verification Division) and Dominique Anelli
(Head, Chemical Demilitarization Branch) to discuss
Iraq's progress in preparing and submitting its
initial declaration; and participation of Iraqi
experts in EC-56. Also present were Dr. Jim McGilly
and Clive Rowland from the UK. Delreps provided
a summary of recent interactions with Embassy
Baghdad, and indicated that the U.S. had just
received a copy of what U.S. experts thought was
likely to be the final version of the Iraqi
declaration. NOTE: Del subsequently determined that
the document received had been prepared in the
December 2008 to February 2009 time frame, making
it likely that this is the version destined for
submission. END NOTE.


7. (SBU) Reeps made clear that the TS has taken the
steps necessary to prepare for conducting initial
inspections if they are not precluded by inspector
safety and security issues. He indicated that if
the GOI did not clearly state its inability to
ensure inspector safety, it would be left to the
Director General to make that determination.
Reeps indicated that the TS would remain officially
in "reaction mode" in terms of Iraqi assistance
until the declaration is submitted. He added that
DG Pfirter intends to avoid treating Iraq
differently than any other new member state.


8. (SBU) Reeps also made several requests for the
U.S. and UK to support Iraq in preparation for EC-
56:

- that the USG or UK provide more current
photographic documentation of the condition of the
declared CW facilities (particularly the interior
Qdeclared CW facilities (particularly the interior
of storage bunkers),in order to: aid in Iraq's
EC-56 presentation; document the security
situation; provide information for inspection
planning; and possibly to provide a future

supplement or even alternative to inspections

- that the USG consider providing pre-briefings to
TS inspectors on Iraqi conditions, e.g., no-go-
locations, and

- that the USG press the GOI to provide the
preparation and expert participants needed to
present Iraq's initial declaration at the EC-56
destruction informals, and to answer any associated
questions. TS reps suggested that Iraqi
participants arrive in The Hague sufficiently in
advance of EC-56 to ensure their adequate
preparation and coordination with the TS and USG.
Delreps offered to encourage officials in Baghdad
to arrive the week prior to EC-56.


9. (SBU) Delreps reminded Reeps that USG operations
in Iraq are now governed by the new Status of
Forces Agreement (SOFA) and bi-lateral Security
Agreement between Iraq and the USG that took effect
January 1, 2009. Although the U.S. is amenable to
providing appropriate support, future actions will
be guided by GOI requests and coordination.


10. (SBU) U.S. and UK reps also informed the TS of
their respective current totals of Iraqi chemical
weapons rounds recovered and destroyed. At the TS
request, U.S. reps gave a brief overview of the
information that will be contained in the U.S.
supplemental declaration, and what other
information the U.S. has retained as back-up
verification data. Reeps was noncommittal as to
whether or not this type of information would be
considered sufficient for verification purposes.


11. (SBU) DEL COMMENT: Del recommends further
discussions with the Secretariat on this topic,
prior to U.S. submission of its supplemental
declaration. If other delegations have questions
about whether the U.S. acted in accordance with the
Chemical Weapons Convention, it will be important
for the TS to be able to confirm that it is
satisfied the rounds were destroyed in accordance
with CWC requirements. END COMMENT.


12. (U) Beik sends
GALLAGHER