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Anne W McNeill  10/19/2006 03:15:41 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Search Results

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C O N F I D E N T I A L        WARSAW 01445

SIPDIS
CXWARSAW:
    ACTION: POL
    INFO:   CONS RSO FCS AMB AGRI ORA ODC MGT KRA ECON DCM
            DAO PASC

DISSEMINATION: POLO
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: DCM:KHILLAS
DRAFTED: POL:JGORKOWSKI
CLEARED: DAO:HNOWAK POL:DVANCLEVE

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DE RUEHWR #1445/01 1981546
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 171546Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY WARSAW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1356
INFO RUEHPG/AMEMBASSY PRAGUE PRIORITY 3222
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEPGCA/USEUCOM AIDES VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 WARSAW 001445 
 
SIPDIS 
 
WHITE HOUSE FOR OVP 
OSD FOR ASD PETER FLORY 
PRAGUE FOR DASD BRIAN GREEN AND BG MCNAMARA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/16/2016 
TAGS: PREL MARS MASS PL
SUBJECT: POLAND ON MISSILE DEFENSE: NO PRECONDITIONS, NO 
INSURMOUNTABLE PROBLEMS AND STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT 
 
 
Classified By: CDA Kenneth Hillas for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In a meeting with the CDA on July 17, two 
senior MFA officials, Americas Director Henryk Szlajfer and 
International Security Policy Director Robert Kupiecki, 
reiterated Poland's continuing strategic interest in 
negotiating a bilateral agreement on Missile Defense (MD) 
with no preconditions.  Robert Kupiecki, Director of Security 
Policy, stressed that Working level MOD officials who, on 
July 10, outlined a hoped-for series of U.S.-funded support 
projects at the Joint MD Operations Sub-group meeting had 
created "a grave misunderstanding."  He clarified that Poland 
had "no preconditions" and saw no "insurmountable obstacles" 
to MD cooperation, but Poland would need "maximum 
specificity" in any U.S. proposal when it comes time to start 
formal negotiations on an MD site.  In closing, Kupiecki 
asked to meet DASD Brian Green before the regular session of 
the U.S.-Poland Joint MD Plenary scheduled for July 20 in 
Warsaw, which post has tentatively scheduled.  END SUMMARY. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
Technical Talks Produced Misunderstandings 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶2. (C) In his role as chief of Poland's interagency working 
group on MD, Kupiecki asserted that the series of projects 
presented by his colleagues on July 10 at the MD Operations 
Sub-group meeting was actually an enumeration of "concerns" 
and "areas of potential future military cooperation, but did 
not represent preconditions.  Noting that a misunderstanding 
had arisen out of last weeks discussions, he clarified that, 
"a Polish MD site does not contain a price tag."  He also 
sought to remove any doubts about Poland,s views on MD, 
reiterating that an MD site in Poland would, in the GOP,s 
view, strengthen its strategic partnership with the United 
States.  In response to the Charge,s questioning of some 
statements at last week,s Working Group, Kupiecki 
categorically rejected the assertion that an MD site could 
represent a net negative for Poland,s security, noting that 
such assertions did not reflect the GOP,s position.  That is 
not our view, he reaffirmed.  He further acknowledged that 
there is an awareness among Polish policymakers that an MD 
site could provide coverage against an ICBM attack. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
No Preconditions, Ready To Cooperate, Interested In Details, 
But Need Discretion 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶3. (C) Kupiecki underscored that Poland brought no 
preconditions to MD negotiations and saw no insurmountable 
obstacles.  He read an excerpt from a draft of the new Prime 
Minister,s program, to be unveiled on July 19, that offered 
a balanced and positive view of potential MD cooperation with 
the U.S.  However, he stressed that any U.S. proposal should 
clarify what a Missile Defense site entails as well as U.S. 
expectations about a site,s operation.  He noted that 
sovereignty-related issues are the area that will require 
that greatest care in managing.  Looking ahead in the event 
of a positive USG decision to locate a site in Poland, 
Kupiecki said a proposal on an MD site that is substantive 
and not vague would allow a more committed Polish response. 
He acknowledged the need for two documents: a general 
agreement and a technical protocol, noting that while the 
Poles would prefer a general agreement to have more substance 
than the USG, this could be worked out.  There are no 
insurmountable obstacles, he repeated on several occasions. 
Kupiecki cautioned that the general agreement should make it 
clear that, "the GOP is not selling a piece of Polish 
territory."  Finally, he asked that the USG ensure that a 
decision to move ahead on MD cooperation reach Poland before 
it hits the press. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
MFA Wants to Meet DASD Green Before OOB on July 20 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶4. (C) Kupiecki said that he wanted to meet DASD Brian Green 
at 0900 on July 20 before the first executive session of the 
U.S.-Poland Joint MD Plenary.  He underscored that nothing in 
the Polish position had changed.  He speculated that if the 
MD project goes forward, Deputy Ministers of MFA and MOD 
would take the lead in negotiations.  Kupiecki's colleague, 
Henryk Szlajfer, Director of the Americas Department, was not 
enthusiastic about including Presidency reps in the Working 
Group session, but did not exclude this idea, which the 
Embassy will discuss with the Presidential Chancellery. 
Charge informed Kupiecki that the US MD team would be holding 
discussions in Prague prior to its arrival in Warsaw. 
 
¶5. (C) COMMENT: Already aware of the concerns that arose out 
of the sub-group meeting last week, Kupiecki was eager to 
convey a positive message on MD and remove U.S. concerns 
about linkages, or the perception that the GOP views MD as 
negatively impacting on Polish security.  He and Szlajfer 
went to great lengths to make clear the GOP understands the 
strategic significance of MD for advancing its security and 
its ties to the US; that there are no preconditions with 
regard to military assistance; and that there are no 
insurmountable problems that cannot be resolved, including 
the negotiation of two agreements - one general and one 
technical -- so that movement ahead is not held hostage to 
the conclusion of one omnibus agreement covering all 
technical details.  END COMMENT. 
HILLAS