Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09THEHAGUE312
2009-05-22 17:12:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy The Hague
Cable title:  

CWC: MISSING THE 2012 CONVENTION DEADLINE:

Tags:  PARM PREL CWC 
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DE RUEHTC #0312/01 1421712
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O 221712Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2853
INFO RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
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RHMFISS/DTRA ALEX WASHINGTON DC//OSAC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 000312 

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 (BROWN AND DENYER)
NSC FOR LUTES
WINPAC FOR WALTER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2019
TAGS: PARM PREL CWC
SUBJECT: CWC: MISSING THE 2012 CONVENTION DEADLINE:
DEMARCHE ON U.S. CHEMICAL WEAPONS DESTRUCTION FACILITIES
AHEAD OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL VISIT

REF: STATE 051992

Classified By: Janet E. Beik, Deputy U.S. Representative to the OPCW,
for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)

This is CWC-29-09.

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 000312

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 (BROWN AND DENYER)
NSC FOR LUTES
WINPAC FOR WALTER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2019
TAGS: PARM PREL CWC
SUBJECT: CWC: MISSING THE 2012 CONVENTION DEADLINE:
DEMARCHE ON U.S. CHEMICAL WEAPONS DESTRUCTION FACILITIES
AHEAD OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL VISIT

REF: STATE 051992

Classified By: Janet E. Beik, Deputy U.S. Representative to the OPCW,
for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)

This is CWC-29-09.

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


1. (SBU) On May 22, Delreps Beik and Robinson delivered
reftel demarche on projected U.S. destruction dates beyond
the 2012 extended Convention deadline to the Director General
of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
(OPCW),Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter, and the new Chairman of
the Executive Council, Ambassador Jorge Lomonaco Tonda
(Mexico). Both questioned why the U.S. will be conveying
detailed projected dates beyond 2012 to the Executive Council
at this time, with the Director General particularly
concerned about its implications for the Convention and
potential reactions from other countries.

--------------
MEETING WITH THE DIRECTOR GENERAL
--------------


2. (SBU) Delreps opened by informing the Director General and
Chief of Cabinet Richard Ekwall that the U.S. has just made a
partial payment of its assessed 2009 contribution (c. 4
Million Euro). Pfirter expressed appreciation, and noted how
important it would be to pay the remaining amount as quickly
as possible.


3. (SBU) Drawing upon points in reftel, Delreps informed
Pfirter of the current schedule for the U.S. chemical weapons
destruction facilities in Pueblo, Colorado and Blue Grass,
Kentucky. Delreps emphasized U.S. commitment to complete
destruction, and to full transparency, and noted that the
U.S. continues to explore ways to accelerate its destruction
program.


4. (C) Pfirter thanked Delreps for providing the new schedule
information, and expressed "enormous regret" at the fact that
the U.S. was unable to complete destruction sooner. He
indicated that he knew of the report to Congress, and noted
that program officials at the UK chemical weapons
demilitarization conference being held this week were already
sharing U.S. chemical demilitarization program dates beyond

2012 as official information. Pfirter stated that he
recognized the efforts being made by the United States, and
believes it will be important to highlight the fact that 90%
of the stockpile will be destroyed in 2012. He also
recommended that the U.S. emphasize more clearly the fact
that ensuring safety of workers and the environment is an
obligation under the Chemical Weapons Convention. He
expressed hope that representatives on the Executive Council
visit would gain an understanding of the complexity of the
construction and systemization at Pueblo, and make reference
to this in the report of the visit.


5. (C) Pfirter stated that it will be both important and
challenging to manage this issue over the next three years,
in order to avoid overly politicizing the subject and
hindering constructive work in other areas of the
Organization. He acknowledged that this could easily
influence even the presentations of the DG candidates during
EC-57, as many delegations will now have even more reason to
ask candidates how they intend to handle destruction
deadlines in 2012. Pfirter offered his personal opinion that
Qdeadlines in 2012. Pfirter offered his personal opinion that
it will not serve the Convention or the Organization to view
this as a failure when the U.S. clearly continues to act in
the spirit of the Convention, and given the fact that there
are likely to be others faced with destruction of chemical
weapons after 2012. However, he also acknowledged that the
situation will require careful legal management, as there is
no provision in the Convention for further extension of the


deadline. Pfirter emphasized that the absence of a U.S.
Ambassador to the OPCW will send mixed signals about U.S.
commitment to the CWC and to CW destruction.


6. (SBU) In closing, Delreps provided invitations to Pfirter
and Ekwall for the May 31 reception in Washington, as well as
the personal letter from Assistant to the Secretary of
Defense Fred Celec to the Director General. Pfirter noted
that he will be in Washington the week of June 15 and would
like to meet with senior U.S. officials while there.

--------------
MEETING WITH EC CHAIR LOMONACO
--------------


7. (C) Drawing upon points in Reftel, Delreps informed Amb.
Lomonaco of the current schedule for the U.S. chemical
weapons destruction facilities in Pueblo, Colorado and Blue
Grass, Kentucky. Lomonaco expressed appreciation for the
advance notice, and assured Delreps he would keep this
information in confidence. He also noted that this did not
come as a surprise, as the U.S. has been transparent for
several years about its inability to meet 2012. He did,
however, state that the U.S. has obviously known about this
schedule for some time, and asked whether it was a decision
of the new administration to choose this particular point in
time for full transparency on the remaining schedule.
Delreps indicated that the timing was based on the recent
submission of the information to Congress, on which briefings
to the visiting EC representatives will be based.


8. (C) Lomonaco raised the question of whether/how the search
for a new Director General would be affected by this, and
also expressed his concern that the politics of the DG search
could impact all other substantive decisions in the Council
(or vice versa). He indicated that he will need to get a
sense of the current political climate before determining
whether a separate meeting to discuss the EC Visit report
would be appropriate prior to EC-57.


9. (SBU) Turning to other Council issues, Lomonaco expressed
his hope that EC-57 could efficiently adopt the 2008
Verification Implementation Report (VIR) and other documents
on the agenda. Consultations on the VIR will be held at the
end of June. He added that he will make an appeal to WEOG
next week to support him in making it difficult for
troublesome delegations to defer documents without a clear
reason. Lomonaco also noted that the new South African
Ambassador intends to be active in OPCW affairs, and
confirmed that the Costa Rican Ambassador is willing to
facilitate this year,s budget consultations.

--------------
DEL COMMENT
--------------


10. (C) The Director General asked whether the U.S. was
informing him "formally or informally" of inability to meet
the treaty deadline (i.e. non-compliance with the treaty).
He was clearly concerned about the reactions of other
delegations and the broader legal implications for the
Chemical Weapons Convention and other international treaties.
Lomonaco contrasted U.S. and Russian differences in
disclosing information on inability to meet the deadline, but
he also recognized the impact the announcement of U.S. dates
Qhe also recognized the impact the announcement of U.S. dates
beyond 2012 will have on the Executive Council's conduct of
business. As the DG noted, this issue will likely have
significant repercussions for the Organization and will
require the attention and careful management of senior U.S.
and Technical Secretariat officials in the months ahead.


11. (U) BEIK SENDS.


GALLAGHER