VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGV #0006/01 0571225
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 261224Z FEB 10
FM USMISSION CD GENEVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0254
INFO GENEVA CD COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEHGV/USMISSION CD GENEVA
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS CD GENEVA 000006 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PARM CDG MNUC
SUBJECT: 2010 CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT - CD PRESIDENT CONSIDERING 
"TWO-TRACK" APPROACH 
 
REF: 10 CD GENEVA 4 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: CD President Ambassador Khvostov (Belarus) 
announced his two-track approach during the February 22 Regional 
Coordinators/P6 meeting, which involves tabling a draft Program of 
Work that combines the Program of Work adopted in 2009 (CD/1864 
with elements of CD/1870) together with appointing coordinators to 
lead informal discussions on the CD's seven agenda items.  The 
United States received positive feedback on its Concept Paper (for 
focused discussions on elements of a Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty 
(FMCT)) from Western states and others but was requested to 
consider how and when to initiate such discussions and how these 
sessions would be perceived by others.  Several WEOG states 
questioned the effectiveness of the CD President's approach as the 
proposed informal discussions appear similar to those held in 2007 
and 2008. During the CD plenary, Brazilian CD Ambassador Macedo 
Soares refuted Pakistan's statement (Ref)  and urged the CD to 
start negotiating FMCT issues. End Summary. 
 
 
February 22 REGIONAL COORDINATOR MEETING 
 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) During the February 22 Regional Coordinators meeting, CD 
President Ambassador Khvostov introduced his plans to implement a 
two-track approach within the CD during his term. This proposal 
would include tabling a working paper based on CD/1864 and CD/1870 
(the adopted 2009 Program of Work and its proposed plan for 
implementation, respectively) as a basis for adopting a Program of 
Work. Ambassador Khvostov also plans, in his capacity as CD 
President,  to schedule informal discussions led by coordinators 
from member states to discuss the CD's seven agenda items.  (Note: 
Under CD rules and precedent, the scheduling of plenary sessions 
and the appointment of coordinators for discussions on particular 
agenda items are CD Presidential prerogatives, not subject to 
decision by the CD. End note.) US deloff was privately informed by 
Belarus subsequently that Switzerland has agreed to coordinate FMCT 
discussions, and Sweden will coordinate discussions on negative 
security assurances (NSAs).  Before elements of this approach are 
introduced during the CD plenary, President Khvostov will continue 
his consultations with regional groups and possible coordinator 
delegations. 
 
 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The United States, as coordinator of WEOG (Western 
European and Others Group), reiterated the group's position that 
the 2010 draft Program of Work should be based on CD/1864. The 
United States also noted its concept paper on organizing 
supplemental activity to inform the FMCT discussions during the 
meeting. The G21 requested to hold consultations with the CD 
President, which are now scheduled for March 3. 
 
 
 
February 24 weog meeting 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) WEOG discussions focused on both the CD President's 
two-track approach and on the US Concept Paper introduced during 
last week's WEOG meeting. WEOG states only received the draft 
Program of Work after the WEOG meeting.  On the proposal for 
renewed informal discussions in the CD, several states underscored 
the need for such discussions to be more substantive than their 
predecessors in 2007 and 2008. Pertaining to the Concept Paper 
introduced during last week's WEOG meeting, delegations from Spain 
(for the EU), Canada, Italy, Belgium, Korea, Switzerland, Japan, 
France, Israel, Argentina and Australia noted their support for the 
proposed supplemental sessions.  Switzerland suggested that the 
concept paper (including the sub-chair structure) could be folded 
into the informal plenary discussions proposed by the CD President, 
at the initiative of the discussion coordinator. (As noted earlier, 
the US del subsequently was informed by Belarus that it selected 
Switzerland to coordinate the CD's informal plenary discussions on 
FMCT.)  A WEOG consensus developed that the supplemental approach 
should not be characterized as a third "parallel track" and should 
be pursued so as to be consistent with full support for the 
earliest adoption of a formal CD Program of Work, with several 
delegations noting the need for a few weeks' time to mobilize 
expert participation and the desire for discussions to not 
interfere with NPT RevCon preparations, which would preclude a 
substantive event before the March 26 CD adjournment. 
"TWO-TRACK" APPROACH 
 
¶5. (SBU) Separately, US deloff met with Pakistani CD deputy Aftab 
Khokher on February 25 at the latter's request.  Khokher raised, at 
the direction of Islamabad, several questions on the U.S. Concept 
Paper, concerning the structure of the sessions, the proposal for 
UNIDIR sponsorship, participation in the sessions, and the status 
of outcome papers. Deloff's responses also stressed that the USG's 
goal remains the commencement of FMCT negotiations, a step which 
incidentally would also obviate Pakistan's concerns with the U.S. 
Concept Paper. 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) South Korean Ambassador Im asked for input from WEOG 
member delegations regarding the rationale and possible arguments 
against Pakistan's statements made during last week's February 18 
Plenary (ref). Japan interpreted the statement as a way of 
provoking CD member states to focus on counter-arguments rather 
than making substantive progress to move forward, noting that 
Ambassador Akram responded to every delegation's statements 
concerning his earlier interventions. Canada and Austria agreed 
with the Japanese interpretation, stating that picking apart last 
week's Pakistani statement simply supports Pakistan's delaying 
tactics. 
 
 
 
FEBRUARY  25 PLENARY 
 
 
 
¶7. (U) Brazilian CD Ambassador Macedo Soares delivered a 
well-received statement which refuted the arguments against 
beginning "negotiations on fissile materials."  Brazil pointedly 
stated that the CD cannot let the politics of individual states 
block forward progress. He said that "the principle of equal 
security for all points to a collective goal. An international 
system restricted to individual concerns is not sustainable." 
Nigerian Ambassador Uhomoibhi, in his final plenary appearance, 
expressed his hopes of the CD progressing forward, noting that 
there  had been no progress during his three year tenure. 
 
 
 
¶8. (U) The CD President, Ambassador Khvostov, stated his plans to 
carry on with consultations and did not mention the two-track 
approach which was discussed in the Regional Coordinators/P6 
meeting. 
 
 
 
LATIN AMERICAN COORDINATION IN THE CD 
 
 
 
¶9. (SBU) Colombia told U.S. deloff  February 25 that Colombia had 
hosted an inaugural meeting of Latin American CD states on February 
24 as there is growing Latin dissatisfaction with the "least common 
denominator" approach that now characterizes the G21 (Non-Aligned 
Movement).  Colombia emphasized that Venezuela and Cuba also share 
the Latin sense of dissatisfaction.  It is the Latin intent to meet 
at least once a month, but they do not intend to set up a new 
formal regional group, while aiming to ameliorate the common G21 
statements in the CD. 
LARSON