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courage is contagious

Viewing cable 09GENEVA447, START FOLLOW-ON NEGOTIATIONS, GENEVA (SFO-GVA-I):

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09GENEVA447 2009-06-10 12:47 2011-08-30 01:44 SECRET US Mission Geneva
VZCZCXYZ0010
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGV #0447/01 1611247
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 101247Z JUN 09
FM USMISSION GENEVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8555
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/VCJCS WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO IMMEDIATE 4517
RHMFISS/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/DTRA ALEX WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUESDT/DTRA-OSES DARMSTADT GE IMMEDIATE
RUENAAA/CNO WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/DIRSSP WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
INFO RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA PRIORITY 1682
RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV PRIORITY 0690
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 5855
S E C R E T GENEVA 000447 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR T, VCI AND EUR/PRA 
DOE FOR NNSA/NA-24 
CIA FOR WINPAC 
JCS 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: 06/10/2019 
TAGS: KACT MARR PARM PREL RS US START
SUBJECT: START FOLLOW-ON NEGOTIATIONS, GENEVA (SFO-GVA-I): 
START FOLLOW-ON NEGOTIATIONS, JUNE 3, 2009, MORNING SESSION 
 
REF: A. GENEVA 443 (SFO-GVA-I-001) 
     B. STATE 50910 
     C. MOSCOW 1347 
     D. GENEVA 414 (SFO-GVA-I-007) 
 
Classified By:  A/S Rose E. Gottemoeller, United States 
START Negotiator.  Reasons:  1.4(b) and (d). 
 
1.  (U) This is SFO-GVA-I-008. 
 
2.  (U) Meeting Date:  June 3, 2009 
                Time:  10:00 A.M. - 12:30 P.M. 
               Place:  Russian Mission, Geneva 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
3.  (S) U.S. and Russian Delegations to the START Follow-on 
negotiations met in Geneva on June 3, 2009, to discuss 
planning for the next session and U.S. questions on the 
Russian "vision" for a START Follow-on Treaty (REF A).  The 
Russian Delegation said that the next round of negotiations 
should take place in Geneva, June 22-24, and that it could 
not meet the week of the June 15 because there was 
insufficient time to prepare.  The U.S. Delegation countered 
that it was concerned that waiting until June 22 was too late 
considering the looming deadline of the July 6 Summit and the 
obligation to provide a progress report to Presidents Obama 
and Medvedev.  The U.S. Delegation proposed that a small 
delegation travel to Moscow to meet on June 18-19 to provide 
a draft report for the Presidents, written responses to 
Russian questions, and any refinement of the U.S. "Elements" 
paper (REF B), and then reconvene in Geneva on June 22 for as 
long as it takes to finalize the report.  The U.S. Delegation 
agreed to provide a copy of the draft report through 
diplomatic channels prior to the meeting, emphasizing that 
the U.S. vision is to have a substantive report to the 
Presidents modeled on the July 1992 Joint Understanding for 
the START II Treaty.  The Russian Delegation countered that 
this proposal was unfair since it would have only a weekend 
to review the U.S. draft, prepare a response, get it cleared 
in Moscow, and then travel to Geneva.  The Russian Delegation 
complained that the U.S. Delegation did not come to Geneva 
for this session as well-prepared as the Russian Delegation 
since all the discussion had been on Russian papers.  Still, 
it would meet with the United States anytime to work on the 
Presidential report as long as it addressed the relationship 
between strategic offensive and defensive forces and the 
Russian Delegation was given time to work the Russian 
interagency.  The United States offered to meet in Moscow on 
June 15 to allow time to prepare for meetings in Geneva on 
June 22.  The Russian Delegation tentatively agreed to this 
schedule and asked that the United States also respond in 
writing to the eight papers provided in Moscow (REF C). 
 
4.  (S) The U.S. Delegation asked the Russian Delegation 
several questions to clarify the U.S. understanding of the 
Russian "vision" paper provided on June 1 (REF A).  The 
Russian Delegation promised to provide complete answers in 
writing, but did comment on some of the questions.  On the 
principle of equal security, the Russian Delegation stated 
that the new treaty should create conditions so that each 
Party's security is better and stronger.  On "strategic 
 
delivery vehicles," it said that the Russian view includes 
ICBMs, SLBMs, and heavy bombers, but not launchers, but was 
open to including launchers.  On a prohibition to not base 
outside the "continental" portion of each Party's national 
territory, the Russian Delegation said that the provision 
means what it says and, on the similar prohibition of 
stationing of heavy bombers with long-range nuclear ALCMs 
outside the "continental" portion of each Party's national 
territory, that provision should apply to any vehicle 
designed to deliver nuclear weapons.  On the question on 
information provided in flight test notifications, the 
Russian Delegation said that there are several START 
notifications that could be changed to make the system more 
efficient, but that the Russian Federation would honor its 
obligations under the 1988 Ballistic Missile Launch 
Notification Agreement.  On the difference between 
inspections, visits, and exhibitions, it said that 
inspections would apply to deployed forces, including to 
verify data on delivery vehicles, launchers, and warheads; 
visits would be conducted to support transparency for 
non-deployed forces; and exhibitions would apply to new types 
of armaments.  On the question of the proposed Bilateral 
Consultative Commission (BCC) being able to make viability 
and effectiveness changes to the new treaty, the Russian 
Delegation said that it believed the BCC should function in a 
similar fashion as the START Treaty's Joint Compliance and 
Inspection Commission (JCIC).  On the question of effectively 
verifying mobile ICBMs, it said that since the Cold War was 
over, special verification measures were no longer needed for 
mobile ICBMs and that national technical means (NTM) of 
verification was sufficient.  And, on telemetry, the Russian 
Delegation said that since the new treaty would focus on the 
actual deployment of warheads and not on attributed warheads, 
telemetry was not needed. 
 
5.  (S) There was a brief discussion of the status of getting 
the U.S. and Russian Delegations officially accredited with 
the Swiss Government and the Russian Delegation provided the 
text of a press release that the Russian MFA will post on its 
website on June 4 (REF D). 
 
-------------- 
WHEN AND WHERE 
TO MEET AGAIN 
-------------- 
 
6.  (S) Antonov opened the meeting by recapping the 
significant events of the last two days, noting that the 
Russian Delegation provided a paper describing Russia's 
vision of the new treaty (REF A).  He said that Russia 
planned for the next round of negotiations to take place in 
Geneva, June 22-24, and that it could not meet the week of 
June 15 because there was insufficient time to prepare. 
Gottemoeller countered that she was concerned that waiting 
until June 22 for the next meeting was too late considering 
the looming deadline of the July 6 Presidential Summit and 
the obligation to provide a progress report to Presidents 
Obama and Medvedev on that date. 
 
7.  (S) Gottemoeller proposed that a small U.S. delegation 
travel to Moscow to meet on June 18-19 to provide a draft 
report for the Presidents for the summit, written responses 
to Russian questions. for instance, the relationship between 
ODSNW and strategic nuclear delivery vehicles (SNDV), and any 
 
refinement of the U.S. elements paper.  This schedule would 
allow the Russian Side to digest substantive U.S. answers 
prior to Geneva.  The delegations could then reconvene in 
Geneva on June 22 for as long as it takes to finalize the 
report. 
 
8.  (S) Gottemoeller assured Antonov that she would endeavor 
to provide a copy of the draft report through diplomatic 
channels prior to the meeting, emphasizing that the U.S. 
vision is to have a substantive document for the Presidents 
to sign modeled on the July 1992 Joint Understanding for the 
START II Treaty and that work on the document should occupy 
most of the delegations' time until it was complete.  Antonov 
countered that he was ready to meet with the United States as 
early as tomorrow in Moscow, but that this proposal was 
unfair to the Russian Delegation since it would have only a 
weekend to review the U.S. draft, prepare a response, get it 
cleared in Moscow, and then travel to Geneva. 
 
9.  (S) Antonov chided the U.S. Delegation for not coming to 
Geneva as well-prepared as the Russian Delegation, since all 
the discussion had been on Russian papers.  He said that he 
would meet with the United States anytime to work on the 
Presidential report as long as it addressed the relationship 
between strategic offensive and defensive forces and that he 
was given time to work the Russian interagency.  Antonov 
asked that the United States not revert to previous models by 
presenting a paper on a Saturday and demanding an answer on 
Monday.  He reiterated that the Russian Side was ready to 
meet again as early as tomorrow, but without receiving papers 
from the United States in advance, there would be nothing to 
discuss. 
 
10.  (S) Antonov added that, if the U.S. Delegation came to 
Moscow on June 18 to brief the Russian Delegation, he would, 
in turn, need a week to brief his superiors which would mean 
that the soonest he could meet again in Geneva would be June 
29, stating again that he would need more than a weekend to 
review U.S. papers and then fly to Geneva for a Monday 
meeting.  Further, in his opinion, the two Sides may need 
more than three days in Geneva to complete the work but, 
since the United States has not provided a draft Presidential 
report, he was unable to assess how much time was needed 
since he did not know the substance of any U.S. paper, nor 
did he know how his Russian colleagues would react.  Again, 
he said, the United States was welcome to come to Moscow on 
June 18 with a small or large delegation, but that the 
Russian Side would need time to prepare answers. 
 
11.  (S) Returning to the report to the Presidents, Antonov 
did not have an issue with the title of the report; it could 
be a Joint Understanding, a statement, an aide-memoire, or 
another name.  What was important to Russia was to know the 
content of the report and that the report address the 
relationship between strategic offensive and defensive 
forces.  Without an answer to that question, he could go no 
further.  According to Antonov, before either of the two 
Sides takes a draft report to their respective Presidents, 
the delegations should coordinate their approach to the 
report. 
 
12.  (S) Antonov reminded Gottemoeller that the Russians had 
provided eight papers in Moscow on May 20 and that the United 
States had yet to provide a written response to those papers. 
 
 He said that he will leave Geneva today without a single 
U.S. paper and that, for two weeks, his delegation would not 
have anything to do.  Only on June 18 would the Russian 
Delegation have something to do.  He said that he was not 
blaming either Side, nor did he want to create problems, he 
was only recognizing the realities of the interagency process 
in Washington and Moscow.  He needs reciprocity from the 
United States on time to prepare answers to U.S. papers.  He 
is willing to meet on June 18 and 19, but needs copies of the 
U.S. papers a few days in advance to work them in Moscow.  He 
emphasized that he was not against work, the problem was how 
to deal with the issue. 
 
13.  (S) Gottemoeller complimented the Russian Delegation for 
its preparation for this round of talks and its "Vision" 
paper on the START Follow-on Treaty.  She then reminded 
Antonov that, during the May 19 and 20 talks in Moscow, the 
United States had provided its "Elements" paper and that the 
Russian Delegation had had time this week to ask questions on 
the U.S. position.  She added that the U.S. proposal to come 
to Moscow on June 18 was out of courtesy and concern with 
Antonov's travel schedule and to give the Russians a head 
start on preparing for talks in Geneva on June 22.  She 
assured Antonov that she would do all she could to get papers 
to him in advance through diplomatic channels so that he 
would have time to prepare for the meetings.  Antonov 
retorted that even then he would only have one day to think 
about a U.S. proposal. 
 
14.  (S) Gottemoeller replied that the U.S. Delegation could 
come to Moscow as soon as June 15, but she was trying to give 
Antonov an opportunity to clear his in-basket.  She added 
that, if he preferred, she would just send the papers through 
diplomatic channels and leave it at that; however, it would 
be more useful to have experts in Moscow that week to get 
concepts on the table.  Antonov responded that if she really 
wanted to give the Russian Delegation time to review any U.S. 
papers in time to meet in Geneva on June 22, then she should 
hand them over today.  He went on to say that he did not 
understand the U.S. point of view.  If the United States 
brings a paper on Friday (June 19), how can I react by 
Monday?  Gottemoeller responded that both Sides are in the 
same bind to provide a report to our Presidents by July 6 and 
that we are in an intensive period of negotiations.  In times 
like this, we may have to work on the weekends. 
 
15.  (S) Antonov denied any aversion to working on the 
weekend and reiterated his point that it was not fair for the 
U.S. Delegation to be prepared for a meeting and the Russian 
Delegation to not have time to prepare, especially since he 
would have no way to get his position cleared through the 
Foreign Minister.  He suggested that the United States 
consider a practical approach, come to Moscow on June 18 and 
19, or earlier, and the Russian Delegation would listen.  The 
issue is not that he would read the U.S. papers, but whether 
there would be time for others in the Russian Government to 
read and clear them with their superiors.  He added that the 
United States has the same interagency process and that if he 
started the clearance process on a Saturday, he would not be 
able to respond on a Monday.  He said that we are dealing 
with "serious issues" and the Ministry of Defense needs more 
time.  Antonov stressed that the Russian Delegation will work 
on weekends and will do everything possible to get the work 
done, but that it would not be ready to meet on June 22.  He 
 
stated again that the U.S. Delegation was welcome to come to 
Moscow on June 15, June 18 or June 19, and he will ask Deputy 
Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov to meet with the United 
States and then we could meet again in Geneva on June 29. 
According to Antonov, the process needs discipline. 
 
16.  (S) Gottemoeller agreed that both Parties needed time to 
prepare for meetings, but that the report to the Presidents 
must be completed and that it was important that the U.S. 
position arrive in Moscow in time for the Russian Delegation 
to review it.  Gottemoeller added that it would be useful for 
U.S. experts to come to Moscow the week of June 15; in her 
view the sooner the better.  She assured Antonov that she 
would get the U.S. paper to him in advance.  Antonov stated 
that there was no linkage between receiving a paper and 
meeting, he will meet with the United States anytime. 
Gottemoeller stated that it was important to have papers in 
writing and that the two delegations must focus on the 
reports to the Presidents, she does not want to leave Moscow 
with nothing to do. 
 
17.  (S) Gottemoeller then proposed that the delegations meet 
in Moscow on June 15 so that Antonov would have time to 
prepare for meetings in Geneva on June 22, reminding Antonov 
that both Sides were under pressure to meet the Summit 
deadline.  Antonov tentatively agreed to this schedule; 
however, he noted that the Russian Delegation will have to 
resolve some logistic issues and that it can only stay in 
Geneva until June 24.  He suggested that the agenda for the 
next Geneva meeting include a draft Joint Understanding for 
the Presidents and a separate paper that will go to ministers 
and then to the Presidents.  Gottemoeller said that the U.S. 
Delegation would be prepared to discuss the report to the 
Presidents and asked whether the separate paper to ministers 
was just a transmittal memo.  Antonov said he would think 
about it.  Gottemoeller reminded Antonov that the key item is 
the report. 
 
18.  (S) Antonov asked, again, that the United States also 
respond in writing to the eight papers provided to the United 
States in Moscow.  Gottemoeller stated the priority was the 
report to the Presidents for the Summit, nevertheless, the 
U.S Delegation would endeavor to respond to some of the eight 
Russian papers in writing.  Antonov stated that Russia needed 
answers to its key concerns on the new treaty.  Gottemoeller 
replied that many of those concerns would be worked out in 
preparing for the Presidential paper and that she did not see 
a need for separate papers.  Antonov said that it was an 
issue of principle; the Russian Side needed written answers 
to work at home.  He said that the Russian Delegation had 
provided written answers to U.S. papers and the Russian 
Delegation expected written answers to its papers.  The 
Russian Delegation is especially interested in a response on 
the relationship between strategic offensive and defensive 
forces, the conversion of strategic offensive arms (SOA) for 
non-nuclear armaments, and the deployment of SOA outside the 
continental portion of national territory.  Again, he 
reminded the U.S. Delegation that it knows the Russian 
position on these issues but the Russian Delegation does not 
know the U.S. position.  Antonov said that the Russian 
Delegation needs answers to its questions and that the United 
States had time to answer but just did not do so. 
 
19.  (S) Gottemoeller stated that it was true that the 
 
Russian Delegation provided a response to the U.S. "Elements" 
paper after ten days, but that the U.S. Delegation could not 
respond to the Russian paper in just two days in Geneva -- 
the U.S. Delegation is not made of supermen and superwomen. 
Antonov responded that he was not asking Gottemoeller to be a 
superwoman, but that the United States should not provide a 
paper on a Friday and expect a response on a Monday.  Russia 
was asking for equal consideration. 
 
---------------- 
QUESTIONS POSED 
BY THE U.S. SIDE 
---------------- 
 
20.  (S) Elliott asked what the Russian Side meant by the 
"principle of equal security?"  Antonov explained the 
principle by stating that the treaty should establish the 
same rights and obligations for each Party, and each 
country's security should be improved or strengthened through 
the treaty.  He said that he could not imagine a situation in 
which it would be acceptable if Russian security was enhanced 
and U.S. security was diminished.  The treaty should give the 
same level of security to both countries and should be of 
equal value.  As an aside, he mentioned that the NATO-Russia 
council was a bit of an enigma to him, asking why should 
there be more security for NATO and less for Russia.  He 
claimed that his U.S. colleagues had struck the notion (of 
equal security) while Russia had always included that thought 
in all forums.  He asserted that he could think of no other 
policy for any arrangement where a Party would accept unequal 
security.  He asked that the U.S. Side not try to read into 
the Russian proposal any double meaning. 
 
21.  (S) Elliott then asked what the Russian side meant by an 
obligation to reduce and limit strategic offensive arms 
"qualitatively," which appeared to be a change from what was 
contained in paragraph 1 of Article V of START that 
permitted, inter alia, modernization unless otherwise 
prohibited.  Ilin responded that the Russian Side would have 
to provide that answer at a later time.  Finally, Elliott 
asked whether the term "strategic delivery vehicles," as 
understood by the Russian side, included launchers of ICBMs 
and SLBMs as well as ICBMs, SLBMs, and heavy bombers.  Ilin 
responded that it did not include launchers. 
 
22.  (S) Warner asked whether the Russian Side intended to 
use the term "strategic delivery vehicle" in the new Treaty, 
noting that it had not been used in START.  Ilin stated that 
Russia would say "ICBMs, SLBMs, and heavy bombers," although 
he did not have anything against using the term in principle. 
 Warner stated that the Sides needed to return to this matter 
later, noting that, in START, the key references in Article 
II are to "ICBMs and their associated launchers" and "SLBMs 
and their associated launchers." 
 
23.  (S) Warner asked what was intended by the new 
formulation regarding not basing SOA "beyond the continental 
portion...of each Party's national territory," which is 
different from what is contained in START.  Ilin responded 
that the Russian Side would provide a more complete answer 
later, but acknowledged that it was different from what was 
in START and that it meant what it said. 
 
24.  (S) Warner posed the question of whether the proposal of 
 
the Russian Side to ban the stationing of heavy bombers with 
long-range nuclear ALCMs outside the continental portion of 
national territory referred to heavy bombers that are 
"equipped for long-range nuclear ALCMs" or did the ban refer 
only to heavy bombers that are actually loaded with 
long-range nuclear ALCMs?  Ilin, noting that he was providing 
a quick answer at this point but could provide more detail 
later, said that it should cover all heavy bombers that are 
designed to deliver long-range nuclear ALCMs. 
 
25.  (S) Taylor noted the Russian concept of simplification 
of the notification regime and, citing the notification for 
flight tests of ICBMs and SLBMs, asked how that would differ 
from what is already required to be provided under the 1988 
Ballistic Missile Launch Notification Agreement?  Ryzhkov 
answered that the Russian Side had approached the issue of 
notifications by noting that most of the 154 different 
formats of notifications had never been provided, and that 
only about 20 are in normal use.  He noted that the Russian 
paper had outlined the principle of data exchange and had not 
really looked carefully into the issue of launches in detail. 
 He said that additional details, such as telemetry-related 
information provided under START, would not be provided under 
the new Treaty, although he admitted that this was the view 
"at this stage" and that "for the time being" Russia was not 
considering telemetry exchanges. 
 
26.  (S) Taylor asked the Russian Side to explain the 
difference between inspections, visits and exhibitions. 
Ryzhkov responded that he thought Antonov had already 
answered this question:  inspections would concern deployed 
ICBMs, deployed SLBMs, heavy bombers, deployed launchers, and 
the warheads on them; visits would concern non-deployed 
items; and exhibitions would be related to technical 
information on new types.  Concerning the details of these 
various regimes would be the subject of negotiation.  Taylor 
asked for clarification on the inclusion of launchers under 
inspections, and Ryzhkov confirmed that deployed launchers 
would be included.  (Begin comment:  Deployed launchers had 
not been included in the Russian vision paper under 
inspections.  End comment.)  Finally, Taylor asked whether 
the Bilateral Consultative Commission would have the 
authority to make the same type of "viability and 
effectiveness" changes as are provided for in START?  Antonov 
responded that this was not really a question of principle, 
stating that it could be discussed.  He cited the rich 
experience of the JCIC and proposed that the best of that 
experience be continued.  He added, smiling, that Taylor 
would still have a job. 
 
27.  (S) Siemon noted that START recognized the inherent 
difficulty in effectively verifying mobile ICBMs.  It 
contains extensive measures to facilitate verification, 
including perimeter and portal continuous monitoring, 
cooperative measures, designated deployment areas, and data 
exchanges covering deployed and non-deployed mobile ICBMs and 
their launchers.  What is different now?  How would Russia's 
position provide for effective verification of mobile ICBMs? 
Ilin stated that, during START implementation, there had 
never been any problems with mobile ICBMs, adding that we 
have had much experience with mobiles, including 
notifications, but that there is now a new relationship 
between Russia and the United States; it is no longer the 
Cold War, and under the new conditions we do not need such 
 
strict control.  He observed that submarines were essentially 
mobile and there was not the same type of control over them 
in START.  Thus, the Russian Side did not see a need for a 
special regime for this type of arms.  He also claimed that 
each country has sufficient NTM.  Siemon stated that there 
had been no problems with mobiles during START implementation 
precisely because all of the additional provisions on mobiles 
had been included. 
 
28.  (S) Siemon posed the question as to why the Russian Side 
believed that telemetry was no longer important.  Asking what 
was different now, he noted that telemetry provided data 
about throw-weight and the potential number of reentry 
vehicles, as well as the number of reentry vehicles tested, 
and that this data could be used to assess characteristics of 
new types.  Ryzhkov acknowledged that the Russian document 
did not envision the use of telemetry, and further admitted 
that START did provide the three types of assessment data 
that Siemon had mentioned.  But he noted that Russia and the 
United States had different tasks now and the treaty had 
another subject.  He claimed that, since neither the Russian 
nor the U.S. document contained any reference to 
throw-weight, there was no need to make an assessment as to 
potential, all that had to be done is to count the number of 
warheads.  Concerning the question of new types, this could 
be dealt with without telemetric data, such as by providing a 
different kind of technical data.  In closing, Ryzhkov stated 
that the Russian side looked forward to comments and 
reactions from the U.S. Side.  Siemon responded that we have 
to make certain that the treaty is effectively verifiable. 
 
------------------------- 
DELEGATION ACCREDITATION 
WITH THE SWISS GOVERNMENT 
------------------------- 
 
29.  (S) Antonov informed Gottemoeller that the Russian 
Federation had been informed by the Swiss Government that the 
Russian Delegation to START Follow-on negotiations would be 
granted special mission status in accordance with Swiss 
legislation.  Antonov suggested that both delegations thank 
the Swiss and that the two delegations should agree to keep 
the delegations about the same size.  Gottemoeller asked 
Brown to explain the results of his research on similar 
accreditation issues.  Brown stated that he was certain that 
Russian lawyers had also researched previous U.S. practice in 
this regard.  According to his research and understanding, 
the United States and the Russian Federation would craft 
identical notes and exchange them separately with the Swiss 
Government.  He added that he would meet with the Russian 
Delegation legal advisor to compare texts, but he was still 
checking if the notes would be provided to the Swiss 
Government in Geneva or in Bern.  Antonov thanked Brown for 
his work and said that he would consult with Russian legal 
experts to provide options.  (Begin comment:  Kotkova later 
informed Brown that the Swiss Government apparently did not 
require an exchange of notes because it had already sent a 
letter to the Russian Permanent Mission that offered special 
mission status to the Russian Delegation.  The U.S. 
Delegation will seek to identify the requirements for the 
Swiss Government to offer the same to the United States.  End 
comment.) 
 
30.  (S) Gottemoeller stated that the U.S. Delegation was 
 
 
also considering other venue options for the negotiations and 
that the Austrian Government had offered to host the 
delegations in Vienna.  Antonov said he was unaware of any 
such offer by Austria and that the Russian Delegation was 
only considering Geneva and Moscow.  Gottemoeller added that 
the Russian Delegation was also welcome in Washington. 
 
--------------------- 
RUSSIAN PRESS RELEASE 
--------------------- 
 
31.  (S) Antonov closed by providing the text of a press 
release that the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will 
post on its website on June 4.  Antonov said that the Russian 
Delegation had no plans for media interviews, but noted that 
members in the Conference on Disarmament would be interested 
in the START Follow-on talks. 
 
32.  (U) Documents exchanged. 
 
- Russia: 
 
    -- Draft Press Release by Russian Delegation to START 
Follow-on Negotiations 
 
33.  (U) Participants. 
 
U.S. 
 
Ms. Gottemoeller 
Mr. Brown 
Mr. Buttrick 
LtCol Comeau 
Mr. Couch 
Mr. Dunn 
Mr. Elliott 
Mr. Fortier 
Col Hartford 
Mr. Johnston 
Mr. Kron 
Dr. Look 
Mr. Siemon 
Mr. Taylor 
Dr. Warner 
Ms. Gross (Int) 
Dr. Hopkins (Int) 
 
RUSSIA 
 
Amb Antonov 
Mr. Belyakov 
Mr. Ermakov 
Mr. Ilin 
Ms. Ivanova 
Mr. Izrazov 
Mr. Koshelev 
Ms. Kotkova 
Mr. Lychaninov 
Mr. Malyugin 
Col Novikov 
Col Ryzhkov 
Mr. Schevtchenko 
Mr. Semin 
Mr. Smirnov 
 
Mr. Trifonov 
Mr. Ubeev 
Mr. Vasiliev 
Col Zaytsev 
Ms. Brokhovich (Int) 
Ms. Komshilova (Int) 
Mr. Lakeev (Int) 
 
34.  (U) Gottemoeller sends. 
STORELLA