Identifier
Created
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10GENEVA113
2010-02-23 17:33:00
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Mission Geneva
Cable title:  

SFO-GVA-VIII: (U) DEFINITIONS WORKING GROUP MEETING,

Tags:  PARM KACT MARR PREL RS US 
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E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/02/23
TAGS: PARM KACT MARR PREL RS US
SUBJECT: SFO-GVA-VIII: (U) DEFINITIONS WORKING GROUP MEETING,
FEBRUARY 11, 2010

REF: 10 GENEVA 53 (SFO-GVA-VIII-024)

CLASSIFIED BY: Rose E. Gottemoeller, Assistant Secretary, Department
of State, VCI; REASON: 1.4(B),(D)

S E C R E T GENEVA 000113

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: 2020/02/23
TAGS: PARM KACT MARR PREL RS US
SUBJECT: SFO-GVA-VIII: (U) DEFINITIONS WORKING GROUP MEETING,
FEBRUARY 11, 2010

REF: 10 GENEVA 53 (SFO-GVA-VIII-024)

CLASSIFIED BY: Rose E. Gottemoeller, Assistant Secretary, Department
of State, VCI; REASON: 1.4(B),(D)


1. (U) This is SFO-GVA-VIII-039.




2. (U) Meeting Date: February 11, 2010

Time: 3:30 P.M. - 5:30 P.M.

Place: U.S. Mission, Geneva



--------------

SUMMARY

--------------




3. (S) At the Definitions Working Group meeting co-chaired by Mr.
Siemon and Adm (Ret) Kuznetsov, the sides continued discussion on
the terms "warhead," "variant" and "new type." The U.S. side
provided the Russian side with the U.S. Official Translation of the
Proposal of the Russian Federation on the term "non-deployed heavy
bomber," dated February 11, 2010, and the U.S-proposed definition
of the term "new type," dated February 11, 2010. The sides agreed
to delete the term "ICBM for mobile launchers of ICBMs." End
summary.




4. (U) SUBJECT SUMMARY: Definitions Discussed.



--------------

DEFINITIONS DISCUSSED

--------------




5. (S) Siemon provided the Russian side with the U.S. Official
Translation of the Proposal of the Russian Federation on the term
"non-deployed heavy bomber," dated February 11, 2010, and the
U.S-proposed definition of the term "new type," dated February 11,

2010.




6. (S) Kuznetsov suggested the working group discuss the terms
"warhead," "variant" and "new type." He believed the terms
"missile defense interceptor" and "telemetric information" needed
to be discussed in other working groups before further work could
be conducted in the Definitions Working Group. Confirming the
intention from the last meeting of the working group (Ref A),the
sides agreed to delete the term "ICBM for mobile launchers of

ICBMs."



7. (S) Kuznetsov stated that resolution of the term "warhead" was
a priority for Russian Head of Delegation Ambassador Antonov so it
was important that the sides agree on a definition. After a
thorough discussion on the fact that a warhead was a unit of
account and nuclear armaments were physical objects, the Russian
side was hopeful that the following U.S.-proposed definition could
be agreed after discussion within the Russian delegation.



Begin text:



The term "warhead" means a unit of account used for counting toward
the aggregate limit specified in Article II 1(b).



End text.




8. (S) Regarding the term "variant," Siemon indicated the term
could be deleted if the Russian side could agree to U.S.-proposed
changes in the definition of "new type." The U.S. side proposed
changing the percentages to the length and diameter subparagraphs
of the current definition. It proposed both subparagraphs include
the formulation "by more than three percent." The U.S-proposed
definition was as follows.



Begin text:

The term "new type" means, for ICBMs or SLBMs, a type of ICBM or
SLBM, the technical characteristics of which differ from those of
an ICBM or SLBM, respectively, of each type declared previously in
at least one of the following respects:

(a) number of stages;

(b) type of propellant of any stage;

(c) length of either the assembled missile without front
section or length of the first stage, by more than three percent;

(d) diameter of the first stage, by more than three percent.



End text.




9. (S) Kuznetsov noted that under START U.S. inspectors would
distinguish between variants using length and diameter measurements
and photos of external features. He was confused how the new
definition would be exercised. Col Kamenskiy provided an example
to help the U.S. side explain the changes. He asked what the U.S.
side would consider a missile that had the same number of stages,
same type of propellant, same length and diameter measurements but
differed externally from any existing type of missile. Would this


missile be a new type? After discussion on the U.S. side, Siemon
stated that Kamenskiy posed a very good question that he would have
to take back for further discussion with the U.S. delegation.




10. (S) Kuznetsov asked if Siemon had time to study the definition
of "non-deployed heavy bomber" he had provided earlier in the day
at the Expanded Ad Hoc Group meeting. The U.S. official
translation of the Russian-proposed definition follows.



Begin text:



The term "non-deployed heavy bomber" means a test heavy bomber and
a heavy bomber located at the repair facility for heavy bombers.



End text.




11. (S) Siemon responded that although the definition seemed
straight forward he had not had time to thoroughly study the
definition. However, he believed the sides had differing views on
whether the heavy bombers located at the Davis-Monthan Air Force
Base conversion or elimination facility would count within the
aggregate limit on deployed and non-deployed ICBM launchers, SLBM
launchers and heavy bombers. Siemon noted the Russian-proposed
definition was linked to a limit of 15 non-deployed heavy bombers
that had not been discussed at the table.




12. (S) In addition to the definition of a warhead, the following
U.S.-proposed definitions were provided to the Russian working
group.



Begin text:



The term "nuclear armaments" means, for heavy bombers, long-range
nuclear ALCMs, nuclear air-to-surface missiles, and nuclear bombs.



The term "heavy bomber equipped for nuclear armaments" means a
heavy bomber equipped for long-range nuclear ALCMs, nuclear
air-to-surface missiles, or nuclear bombs.

The term "heavy bomber equipped for non-nuclear armaments" means a
heavy bomber that is not equipped for long-range nuclear ALCMs,
nuclear air-to-service missiles, or nuclear bombs.

End text.



13. (U) Documents provided:



- United States:



-- U.S. Official Translation of the Proposal of the Russian
Federation on the term "non-deployed heavy bomber," dated February
11, 2010;



-- U.S-proposed definition of the term "new type," dated February
11, 2010;



-- U.S-proposed definition of the term "nuclear armaments," dated
February 11, 2010;



-- U.S-proposed definition of the term "heavy bomber equipped for
nuclear armaments," dated February 11, 2010; and



-- U.S-proposed definition of the term "heavy bomber equipped for
non-nuclear armaments," dated February 11, 2010.




14. (U) Participants:



UNITED STATES



Mr. Siemon

Mr. Connell

Lt Col Comeau

Mr. Dean

Mr. Hanchett (RO)

Mr. Taylor

Mrs. Zdravecky

Ms. Gross (Int)



RUSSIA


Adm (Ret) Kuznetsov

Ms. Fuzhenkova

Col Kamenskiy

Ms. Komshilova (Int)




15. (U) Gottemoeller sends.
GRIFFITHS