Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10BERLIN135
2010-01-29 17:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Berlin
Cable title:
SUBJECT: GERMAN OBJECTION TO USG FILING ON CCW
how-toVZCZCXRO1714 PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR DE RUEHRL #0135 0291707 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 291707Z JAN 10 FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6427 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHXX/GENEVA IO MISSIONS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0922 RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 000135
SIPDIS
STATE FOR ISN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2020
TAGS: PREL PARM MARR EUN GM
SUBJECT: SUBJECT: GERMAN OBJECTION TO USG FILING ON CCW
PROTOCOL III
Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR GEORGE GLASS. REASONS: 1.4
(B) AND (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 000135
SIPDIS
STATE FOR ISN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2020
TAGS: PREL PARM MARR EUN GM
SUBJECT: SUBJECT: GERMAN OBJECTION TO USG FILING ON CCW
PROTOCOL III
Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR GEORGE GLASS. REASONS: 1.4
(B) AND (D).
1. (C) German MFA Arms Control Chief Peter Gottwald called
PolCouns January 29 to make the USG aware of an "objection"
that Germany and other European countries were filing
relating to the January 2009 USG deposit of instruments of
ratification of Protocol III (on use of incendiary weapons)
of the 1980 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW).
Gottwald recounted that the USG had apparently filed with
the instrument a caveat to the effect that the USG wanted to
respect the intent of the protocol, but could imagine where
use of incendiary weapons were the lesser of two evils, and
for such cases the USG reserved the right to use them.
2. (C) Gottwald recounted that though the protocol was old,
the U.S. only last year deposited its instrument of
ratification for this protocol. Because of the written
reservation in the instrument, Germany and other countries
were intending to "object" to the USG reservation. Gottwald
mentioned that France, UK, Spain, Sweden, Netherlands and
Belgium, plus others (NFI),all announced their intentions at
a January 28 EU meeting to file objections in New York to the
USG reservation. Gottwald noted that countries had until
February 4 to file any reactions to the original USG
instrument.
3. (C) Gottwald said that the German objection would not
preclude the protocol from coming into force between the U.S.
and Germany. He shared his belief that the language of the
reservation stemmed from the era of President Bush. He said
that the European objections would not necessarily change the
course of the ratification/implementation of the protocol,
but he suggested (hoped?) that Washington might look at this
reservation language with an eye to possible revision.
4. (C) Gottwald emphasized that he was informing us of this
coming German objection so that the U.S. was not surprised by
it when the German language arrived at the UN depository in
New York. We promised to convey the information and share
any response.
Murphy
SIPDIS
STATE FOR ISN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2020
TAGS: PREL PARM MARR EUN GM
SUBJECT: SUBJECT: GERMAN OBJECTION TO USG FILING ON CCW
PROTOCOL III
Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR GEORGE GLASS. REASONS: 1.4
(B) AND (D).
1. (C) German MFA Arms Control Chief Peter Gottwald called
PolCouns January 29 to make the USG aware of an "objection"
that Germany and other European countries were filing
relating to the January 2009 USG deposit of instruments of
ratification of Protocol III (on use of incendiary weapons)
of the 1980 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW).
Gottwald recounted that the USG had apparently filed with
the instrument a caveat to the effect that the USG wanted to
respect the intent of the protocol, but could imagine where
use of incendiary weapons were the lesser of two evils, and
for such cases the USG reserved the right to use them.
2. (C) Gottwald recounted that though the protocol was old,
the U.S. only last year deposited its instrument of
ratification for this protocol. Because of the written
reservation in the instrument, Germany and other countries
were intending to "object" to the USG reservation. Gottwald
mentioned that France, UK, Spain, Sweden, Netherlands and
Belgium, plus others (NFI),all announced their intentions at
a January 28 EU meeting to file objections in New York to the
USG reservation. Gottwald noted that countries had until
February 4 to file any reactions to the original USG
instrument.
3. (C) Gottwald said that the German objection would not
preclude the protocol from coming into force between the U.S.
and Germany. He shared his belief that the language of the
reservation stemmed from the era of President Bush. He said
that the European objections would not necessarily change the
course of the ratification/implementation of the protocol,
but he suggested (hoped?) that Washington might look at this
reservation language with an eye to possible revision.
4. (C) Gottwald emphasized that he was informing us of this
coming German objection so that the U.S. was not surprised by
it when the German language arrived at the UN depository in
New York. We promised to convey the information and share
any response.
Murphy