VZCZCXRO9848
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHSA #1543 2110645
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 300645Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0602
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9188
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 0322
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS PRETORIA 001543 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/S 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV AORC KNNP MNUC PARM NPT RS SF
SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA: DEMARCHE ON RESULTS OF U.S.-RUSSIA 
PRESIDENTIAL SUMMIT 
 
REF: STATE 71326 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified -- Please protect accordingly. 
 
¶1. (U) Guidance Request.  Please see paragraph four. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Acting Pol Counselor delivered reftel 
demarche to South African Department of International 
Relations and Cooperation (DICO) Russia and U.S. Desk 
Officers and repeated key points in a subsequent meeting with 
the outgoing and incoming DICO Directors for Nuclear 
Nonproliferation and Disarmament.  The South African 
officials were cautiously optimistic that the recent 
U.S.-Russia Summit may also signal a more productive climate 
for multilateral disarmament and nonproliferation 
discussions. DICO regional officials gave us a heads up that 
South African President Jacob Zuma is planning a visit to 
Moscow.  DICO nonproliferation colleagues asked for guidance 
on U.S. verification policy.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On July 20, Acting POL Counselor met with DICO 
Russia Desk Officer Simon Cardy and U.S. Desk Officer Fransie 
Cooper to discuss reftel demarche points. The DICO officials 
said President Jacob Zuma is planning a trip to Moscow in the 
near future (no date given).  Asked for reactions to the 
Summit, Cardy said that for South Africa, President Obama's 
visit to Russia was seen as welcome change in tone from a 
period in U.S.-Russia relations that South Africa considered 
overly confrontational. Cardy welcomed the U.S.- Russia 
agreement to reduce nuclear stockpiles and resume START 
negotiations as a sign that there is commitment on both sides 
to move forward on international security issues. Reaffirming 
South Africa's commitment to multilateral mechanisms, Cardy 
said it was too soon to tell whether the new spirit of 
U.S-Russia cooperation on nonproliferation would have an 
impact on Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) and other 
multilateral talks. 
 
¶4. (SBU) In a July 23 farewell meeting with outgoing DICO 
Deputy Director for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament 
Michiel Combrink and his replacement Johann Kellerman, POL 
again raised reftel points. Combrink and Kellerman welcomed 
progress on U.S.-Russia arms reduction, but they echoed the 
skepticism of their DICO colleagues that such progress would 
necessarily translate into forward movement on multilateral 
mechanisms, including the NPT.  Combrink said he understood 
that there may be a review underway of U.S. policy on 
verification and he asked for an update.  Action request: 
Post would be grateful for guidance to share with South 
African officials on the latest thinking on verification 
policy. 
CONNERS