START FOLLOW-ON NEGOTIATIONS, GENEVA (SFO-GVA-VII): B-1B and

S E C R E T CD GENEVA 000017 SIPDIS DEPT FOR T, VCI AND EUR/PRA DOE FOR NNSA/NA-24 CIA FOR WINPAC JSCS FOR J5/DDGSA SECDEF FOR OSD(P)/STRATCAP NAVY FOR CNO-N5JA AND DIRSSP AIRFORCE FOR HQ USAF/ASX AND ASXP DTRA FOR OP-OS OP-OSA AND DIRECTOR NSC FOR LOOK DIA FOR LEA E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/02/08 TAGS: PARM KACT MARR PREL RS US SUBJECT: START FOLLOW-ON NEGOTIATIONS, GENEVA (SFO-GVA-VII): B-1B and SSGN Agreed Statements Meeting, December 10, 2009 CLASSIFIED BY: Rose A. Gottemoeller, Assistant Secretary, Department of State, VCI; REASON: 1.4(B),(D) ¶1. (U) This is SFO-GVA-VII-123. ¶2. (U) Meeting Date: December 10, 2009 Time: 3:00 P.M. - 4:00 P.M. Place: United States Mission, Geneva -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶3. (S) Dr. Warner and Col Ilin met to discuss Russian responses to U.S.-proposed Agreed Statements on SSGNs and B-1B heavy bombers. The Russian side agreed in principle to both statements but offered some amendments and additional measures. For SSGNs, the additional measures were that each submarine would remain under the provisions of the treaty, cease to be subject to the treaty's aggregate limits, and would be subject to two inspections, after the initial one-time exhibition, during the life of the treaty. For the B-1Bs, the Russian side proposed that each B-1B conversion use the procedures codified in Part III of the Protocol to the START follow-on treaty in lieu of START procedures, both Ellsworth and Dyess Air Force Bases remain subject to the provisions of the treaty as formerly declared facilities, and the sample size for the annual exhibition would be three B-1Bs. End summary. ¶4. (U) SUBJECT SUMMARY: SSGN Proposals; and B-1B Proposals. -------------- SSGN PROPOSALS -------------- ¶5. (S) Ilin stated that the Russian side had agreed in principle to the SSGN Agreed Statement and accepted the U.S. text with additional proposals. Ilin proposed to label the initial one-time "exhibition" as a "demonstration" in which the Party would demonstrate to inspectors that the SSGN is not capable of launching SLBMs. Ilin further rationalized that since the demonstration would be within the purview of the START Follow-on treaty it would not be right that the SSGNs be completely removed from the treaty as the Untied States proposed. Instead, he stated the SSGNs should not be accountable under the aggregate limits but remain subject to the broader provisions of the treaty. ¶6. (S) As part of the annual exhibitions, after the initial one-time demonstration, Ilin proposed several additional measures. He proposed to conduct the SSGN inspection during a Type 1 inspection. If an SSGN is captured by the pre-inspection movement restrictions, then inspectors shall have the right to also conduct an inspection of the SSGN as well. Warner clarified that the SSGN inspection would be in lieu of the "empty launcher" allocation for the Type 1 inspection. Ilin agreed and asserted that instead of only inspecting one SSGN launcher as proposed by the United States, inspectors shall have the right to inspect three SSGN launchers. ¶7. (S) Warner offered that since the SSGNs are not on the bases very often, the Russian Federation may never get a chance during a Type 1 inspection to conduct an inspection of an SSGN. Ilin replied that perhaps both approaches could be used; a combination of the U.S. exhibition and the Russian Type 1 inspection opportunity. Ilin further avowed that the inspections shall be a maximum of two for each SSGN during the life of the treaty as opposed to the U.S.-proposed one exhibition. Warner mentioned that the United States inadvertently left off the time limit of when the initial one-time exhibition would be completed; he said the United States proposed to complete the initial exhibitions for all four SSGNs no later than 3 years after entry-into-force of the treaty. Finally, Ilin stated that the same procedures agreed to in the Agreed Statement would apply to future exhibitions for newly converted SSBNs. -------------- B-1B PROPOSALS -------------- ¶8. (S) Ilin relayed that the Russian side agreed in principle to the B-1B Agreed Statement. However, he said that the procedures to convert B-1Bs to a heavy bomber equipped for non-nuclear armaments should be the new procedures developed in the Part of the Protocol on Conversion or Elimination and not the old START procedures. Warner remarked that 43 of the 66 B-1Bs planned for conversion have completed the conversion process and the other 23 should be completed by the Fall of 2010. ¶9. (S) Ilin proposed a series of measures once the B-1Bs have all been converted. He stated that both Ellsworth and Dyess Air Force Bases should become "formerly declared facilities." Warner corrected that the appropriate term would be "eliminated facilities." Ilin asserted that the purpose of keeping the facilities accountable is to make them inspectable under Type 2 inspections to confirm there are no heavy bombers equipped for nuclear armaments present. Furthermore, he said that these formerly declared facility inspections would be conducted within the Type 2 quotas to ensure the facilities are not being used for purposes inconsistent with the treaty. ¶10. (S) Warner asked about the number of B-1Bs the Russian side proposed be available for inspection and to inspect during the annual exhibition. Ilin said that the total number of B-1Bs present for the exhibition should be similar to START which was 70 percent, and from those the inspectors will select three to inspect. Additionally, Ilin proposed during the conduct of a Type 1 inspection, if a visiting B-1B should be present, that the B-1B shall be available for inspection. Finally, should new types of heavy bombers be converted to a non-nuclear configuration, such heavy bombers shall be covered by the procedures contained in the Agreed Statement. ¶11. (S) Documents exchanged: None. ¶12. (U) Participants: UNITED STATES Dr. Warner Mr. Buttrick Lt Col Comeau (RO) Mr. Dean Ms. Gross (Int) RUSSIA: Col Ilin Gen Orlov Gen Poznikhir Col Zaitsev Ms. Evarovskaya (Int) ¶13. (U) Gottemoeller sends. LARSON