CWC: IRAQ'S ACCESSION TO THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 000040 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: DECL: 01/15/2019 TAGS: PARM PREL CWC SUBJECT: CWC: IRAQ'S ACCESSION TO THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION REF: T Classified By: Janet E. Beik for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) This is CWC-01-09 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (U) Action requested ) see para 6. ¶2. (SBU) After the news of Iraq's delivery to the United Nations of its accession documents to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC),U.S. Delegates to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) met with OPCW Acting Director General, UK Delegate to the OPCW, and the Iraqi Ambassador to discuss next steps in the accession process. -------------- - MEETING WITH OPCW DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL JOHN FREEMAN -------------- - ¶3. (C) On January 15, Delreps Beik and Robinson met with Acting Director General John Freeman and UK Delegate Karen Wolstenholme to discuss the OPCW's responses to possible press inquiries on Iraqi accession. Freeman shared a copy of the OPCW press lines (forwarded separately to ISN-CB),and reassured Delreps that the OPCW would, of course, restrict its responses to matters specifically associated with the Chemical Weapons Convention. U.S. and UK reps raised the possibility of press questions on the existence of WMD in Iraq and the role of the U.S. and UK in Iraq's accession and initial declaration, and the importance of consistent answers both internal and external to the OPCW. -------------- MEETING WITH IRAQI AMBASSADOR -------------- ¶4. (SBU) On January 15, Delreps met with Iraq's Ambassador to the Netherlands, Amb. Siamand Banaa. Delreps offered congratulations on Iraq's accession, as well as the expertise of the U.S. delegation if Iraq had specific questions regarding OPCW matters. Amb. Banaa noted that he was understaffed already, and did not expect to gain any additional officers to handle OPCW affairs. He introduced Mr. Abbas Fadhil Al-Khafaji, the Embassy political officer who will cover the OPCW portfolio. Banaa had no information on the possible timing of Iraq's submission of its initial declaration. He noted that he had received several congratulatory phone calls from the British and Dutch Ambassadors, but no other inquiries. Mr. Liu, head of the OPCW's External Relations Division, had also paid a call to give the Ambassador a CD that details the next steps for a new State Party. -------------- NEXT STEPS -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Del has requested a meeting next week, together with the UK, with relevant members of the Secretariat (Director of Verification Horst Reeps, Head of Media and Public Affairs Michael Luhan, a representative of Office of the Legal Adviser, and others). Del plans to use the opportunity to ascertain whether the TS has insight into the timing of Iraq's initial declaration, and to revisit topics previously discussed with the TS, to include: recommendations for Iraq's introduction of its declaration during the destruction informals; responses to speculation about Iraq's status as a "possessor state;" and current TS thinking on verification of the initial declaration. ¶6. (U) ACTION REQUEST: Please advise if there are other topics Del should raise with the Secretariat. ¶7. (U) On matters related to Iraq's membership in the Chemical Weapons Convention, points of contact at the U.S. Delegation to the OPCW are Abigail Robinson (RobinsonAG@state.sgov.gov) and Janet Beik (BeikJE@state.sgov.gov). Cables for the U.S. delegation should be sent to AmEmbassy The Hague and slugged for CWC Del. ¶8. (U) BEIK SENDS. CULBERTSON