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

S E C R E T GENEVA 000243 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: 2020/02/28 TAGS: PARM KACT MARR PREL RS US SUBJECT: SFO-GVA-VIII: (U) DEFINITIONS WORKING GROUP MEETING, FEBRUARY 19, 2010 CLASSIFIED BY: Rose E. Gottemoeller, Assistant Secretary, Department of State, VCI; REASON: 1.4(B),(D) ¶1. (U) This is SFO-GVA-VIII-068. ¶2. (U) Meeting Date: February 19, 2010 Time: 3:30 P.M. - 4:30 P.M. Place: Russian Mission, Geneva -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶3. (S) At the Definitions Working Group meeting chaired by Mr. Siemon and Adm (Ret) Kuznetsov, the U.S. side provided U.S.-proposed definitions of "solid-fueled ICBM or solid-fueled SLBM," "solid rocket motor," "solid rocket motor case," "non-deployed launcher of ICBMs" and "non-deployed launcher of SLBMs." In addition, Siemon provided U.S. official translations for the Russian proposal to change the term "submarine base," and a Russian proposal to replace the term "flight test" with the term "launch." The U.S. side handed over to the Russian side a U.S. proposal concerning Heavy Bomber terms. Siemon also provided modified definitions for the terms "non-deployed launcher of ICBMs" and "non-deployed launcher of SLBMs," based on the U.S. position that soft site launchers would not be counted as non-deployed launchers. End summary. ¶4. (U) SUBJECT SUMMARY: Terms and Definitions Discussed. -------------- TERMS AND DEFINITIONS DISCUSSED -------------- ¶5. (S) Siemon provided the Russian side with the U.S.-proposed definitions "solid-fueled ICBM or solid-fueled SLBM," "solid rocket motor," and "rocket motor case." He stated that the definitions had been discussed at the previous meeting and he provided the translations for the Russian side to consider. Kuznetsov stated he would take the definitions back for study. Siemon also provided the Russian side with the U.S. official translations for the proposal of the Russian side on changing the term "submarine base," and the proposal of the Russian side on replacing the term "flight test" with the term "launch." Siemon noted that the Russian side had added text to include submarines that had been previously equipped with launchers of SLBMs but after conversion were no longer capable of launching a SLBM and had also deleted the formulation "unless otherwise provided for in this Treaty." He asked if Kuznetsov could explain the changes. ¶6. (S) Kuznetsov responded that the sides had discussed an agreed statement on the exhibition and inspection of SSBNs converted to SSGNs and he believed the Russian-proposed changes reflected the obligation in the agreed statement for the inspected Party to show the presence of SSGNs on the coastlines and waters diagram of a submarine base during an inspection. Siemon agreed with Kuznetsov's remarks regarding the agreed statement, but did not believe the added text was required in the definition. Kuznetsov asked Mr. Dean if the Russian-proposed text was necessary to insure the right to inspect both the SSBNs and the SSGNs. Dean assured Kuznetsov that the agreed statement spoke for itself and the additional Russian text was not required. ¶7. (S) Regarding the term "launch," Siemon understood the Russian position on the need for the term in the treaty. However, there was a difference in the U.S. and Russian concept of the meaning of "flight test" and "launch." In some cases the terms were used interchangeably. The U.S. side used the term "launch" to define the initiation of a flight of a ballistic missile, making it awkward to refer to the whole flight of the missile as "launch." Kuznetsov acknowledged the U.S. position but did not want to change any of the treaty text that was already agreed. Siemon believed the issue required consideration in the Telemetry Working Group. ¶8. (S) Siemon inquired about the Russian reaction to a U.S. proposal to delete the formulation "with a range of less than 600 kilometers" within the definitions for "heavy bomber equipped for nuclear armaments," "heavy bomber not equipped for nuclear armaments, and "nuclear armaments for heavy bombers." He asked Kuznetsov if there was any movement on this from the Russian side. Kuznetsov said he understood the U.S. position; however, neither the Russian delegation nor Moscow was ready to discuss the issue. ¶9. (S) Siemon provided the Russian side with the U.S. proposal concerning heavy bomber terms. The proposal included modified definitions for a "deployed heavy bomber," "non-deployed heavy bomber" and "test heavy bomber." Siemon began the discussion with the term "test heavy bomber" and indicated this definition provided the basis for discussion on the other definitions. Kuznetsov asked if the U.S. side would delete the phrase "equipped for nuclear armaments" in the 800 aggregate limit provision on deployed and non-deployed ICBMs, SLBMs and heavy bombers in Article II. Siemon indicated that in a meeting earlier that day, Assistant Secretary Gottemoeller had said to Ambassador Antonov that the U.S. side would drop the phrase "equipped for nuclear armaments" in the language describing the 800 limit in Article II, subparagraph 1(c), if the Russian side accepted the phrase in these definitions. Kuznetsov noted that the offer followed previous discussions on non-deployed heavy bombers. He remarked that the Russian-proposed text for these terms that he had planned to provide was no longer needed since it paralleled the U.S.-proposed definitions. He would provide the U.S. proposal to his lawyers to determine if the text was acceptable. ¶10. (S) Siemon noted that the U.S. side did not intend to count soft-site launchers at test ranges and space launch facilities as non-deployed under the aggregate limit. This position and the fact that the sides had agreed on the definition of "soft-site launcher" required the definitions of "non-deployed launcher of ICBMs" and "non-deployed launcher of SLBMs" be modified. Siemon provided Kuznetsov with U.S.-proposed text for the two definitions. Kuznetsov asked if the United States intended not to include soft-site launchers at these locations whether or not the Russian side accepted the proposal. Siemon replied that the United States did not intend to declare soft-site launchers as non-deployed launchers. ¶11. (S) Kuznetsov stated that he personally thought the definitions were fine and no one on the Russian delegation would object but he still wanted to take them back for review. He indicated that the Russian side had never intended to include soft-site launchers in the aggregate limit. ¶12. (S) Siemon believed the seven remaining telemetry definitions and the two missile defense-related definitions could not be decided until the larger issues had been decided. He stated that the U.S. side would also review the concept of size in the definitions of "ICBM base" and "basing area." He believed the U.S. side would have a proposal during the following week. ¶13. (U) Documents provided: - U.S.: -- U.S-proposed definition of the term "solid-fueled ICBM or solid-fueled SLBM," dated February 18, 2010. -- U.S-proposed definition of the term "solid rocket motor," dated February 18, 2010. -- U.S-proposed definition of the term "rocket motor case," dated February 18, 2010. -- U.S-proposed definition of the term "non-deployed launcher of ICBMs," dated February 18, 2010. -- U.S-proposed definition of the term "non-deployed launcher of SLBMs," dated February 18, 2010. -- U.S. Official translation of the Proposal of the Russian E Federation on changing the term "submarine base," dated February 16, 2010. -- U.S. Official translation of the Proposal of the Russian Federation on replacing the term "flight test" with the term "launch," dated February 16, 2010. -- Unofficial Russian translation of the Proposal of the U.S. concerning "Heavy Bomber Terms," dated February 19, 2010. ¶14. (U) Participants: UNITED STATES Mr. Siemon Lt Col Comeau Mr. Connell Mr. Dean Mr. Hanchett (RO) Mr. Taylor Ms. Zdravecky Mr. French (Int) RUSSIA Adm (Ret) Kuznetsov Ms. Fuzhenkova Mr. Kamenskiy Mr. Trifonov Ms. Komshilova (Int) ¶15. (U) Gottemoeller sends. KING