CWC: U.S.-CHINA NOVEMBER CONSULTATIONS DISCUSSED

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000634 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 (BROWN, DENYER AND CRISTOFARO) NSC FOR LUTES WINPAC FOR WALTER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM PREL OPCW CWC CH JA SUBJECT: CWC: U.S.-CHINA NOVEMBER CONSULTATIONS DISCUSSED ON MARGINS OF EC-58 REF: A. STATE 107316 ¶B. STATE 106330 ¶C. THE HAGUE 632 This is CWC-64-09 ¶1. (SBU) Delreps met separately with members of the Chinese and Japanese delegations in an effort to seek further clarification on the scope of the scheduled visit to Beijing (November 4-7, 2009) for CWC bilateral consultations on implementation and compliance issues (refs A and B). In an effort to clarify the availability of Japanese experts, U.S. Rep Mikulak consulted with Tokyo MFA Office Director Yosei Umetsu, who was heading the Japanese del, on whether they had received an invitation by China to participate in a trilateral visit to the Nanjing chemical weapons storage facility in China. Japanese reps were aware of the planned visit but were unable to send any representation either from Tokyo or from their Beijing embassy during the dates proposed. (Umetsu also indicated that experts would be available if the visit took place in early 2010 and undertook to provide further detail in the near future.) ¶2. (SBU) In a separate meeting with the Chinese delegation, including a MFA representative from Beijing, Delreps reiterated that participation of Japanese experts was an integral part of the Nanjing visit and that since Japanese experts would not be available in early November, the visit would need to be postponed to another time. Delrep further recommended that China consider dropping a November visit to the commercial chemical facility in Shanghai as well, stating that spending additional resources for visiting just one site did not seem appropriate. Delreps made clear that the U.S. is still prepared to hold consultations on implementation and compliance issues but briefly highlighted the benefits of perhaps postponing until after the first of the year to make one trip that would cover our full agenda to include site visits, Japanese participation at Nanjing and our bilateral discussions. ¶3. (SBU) Delreps handed over both non-papers agreeing to the additional agenda items and providing the U.S. delegation list (ref A) as well as handing over U.S. compliance questions outlined for discussion (ref B). Chinese representatives agreed that postponing has its benefits to include ensuring proper planning and a more productive visit to Nanjing where they acknowledged not a lot of activity is occurring now, but noted that this may change early in 2010 as construction of the destruction facility gets underway, and having adequate time to review U.S. compliance questions. Although Chinese rep agreed to postponing the November dialogue, he made it clear that Beijing views the U.S.-China bilateral consultation and overall relationship as very important, citing a number of upcoming meetings with U.S. officials in the area of nonproliferation. ¶4. (U) BEIK SENDS. LEVIN