VZCZCXYZ0026
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #2259 3342118
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 302057Z NOV 07
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 4228
INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 3637
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 0551

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 162259 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
THE HAGUE FOR CWC DEL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2032 
TAGS: IZ PARM PREL OPCW CWC
SUBJECT: CLARIFYING IRAQ'S ACCESSION TO CHEMICAL WEAPONS 
CONVENTION 
 
REF: AMMAN 004578 
 
Classified By: NEA DAS Lawrence E. Butler for reasons 
E.O. 12958 1.4 (b), (d), and (h). 
 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1. (C) On November 26, President Talabani's office issued a 
press statement indicating that the presidential council 
endorsed the Council of Representatives vote ratifying 
accession to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).  Post is 
requested to seek clarification of Iraq's actual position in 
the ratification process, and to ensure that important 
changes to GoI documents are incorporated, prior to Iraq 
taking the final step of depositing its instrument of 
accession, as recommended by international partners at an 
Amman workshop in late October.  END SUMMARY 
 
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OBJECTIVES 
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¶2. (C/REL IRQ) Post should ask appropriate GoI officials for 
information on the following subjects: 
 ---When does the GoI plan to submit instruments of accession 
for the CWC to the UN? 
 ---We need clarification of the press statement issued 
November 26 by Ambassador Srood Najib on behalf of President 
Talabani's office concerning Iraq's current status in the 
accession process. 
 ---What is the status of the draft Iraqi CWC declaration 
following the Amman conference? 
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REPORTING DEADLINE 
------------------ 
 
¶3. (U) Post is requested to report results of this discussion 
as soon as possible. 
 
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BACKGROUND 
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¶4. (U) Numerous media outlets reported a statement on 
November 26 by Ambassador Srood Najib to the effect that Iraq 
had joined the CWC.  Portions of the statement were quoted as 
follows: "The advantage for Iraq of signing this agreement is 
that the international community will assist it in getting 
rid of the environmental problems caused by such weapons in 
the past."  This announcement appears to be premature. 
 
¶5. (C) Per reftel, following the October 29-31 conference in 
Amman, the GoI delegation returned to Baghdad with a lengthy 
list of recommended changes to their draft CWC declaration. 
In the first week of December, we anticipate final 
coordination from UK experts on our technical corrections as 
well as on the two most important issues concerning 
classification and clarifying a point on Iraqi-produced 
rockets.  We recommend two sections be classified:  1) the 
new annex on the contents of the Al-Muthanna chemical weapons 
bunkers - of obvious interest to terrorists, and 2) a section 
containing declaration forms for past receipts of CW-related 
materials which could reveal historical sources for these 
materials, and thus provide political fodder for Iran.  U.S. 
and UK experts are anxious that the report not be submitted 
without these sections being properly classified.  An 
additional change was recommended to clarify whether any 
Iraqi-produced rockets were armed with chemicals in addition 
to imported rockets. 
 
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POINTS OF CONTACT 
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¶6. (U) Please contact ISN/CB Tom Ferguson at 202-647-9650 or 
via e-mail with any questions or for any further background 
information.  Please also slug responses to ISN/CB and 
NEA/I-PM. 
RICE