VZCZCXRO9660
OO RUEHTRO
DE RUEHTC #0371/01 1771104
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 261104Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2948
INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1863
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/DTRA ALEX WASHINGTON DC//OSAC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 THE HAGUE 000371 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR ISN/CB, VCI/CCA, L/NPV, IO/MPR 
SECDEF FOR OSD/GSA/CN,CP> 
JOINT STAFF FOR DD PMA-A FOR WTC 
COMMERCE FOR BIS (BROWN AND DENYER) 
NSC FOR LUTES 
WINPAC FOR WALTER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PARM PREL CWC
SUBJECT: CWC:  WRAP-UP FOR JUNE 15-22, 2009 
 
REF: A. STATE 59827 
     ¶B. STATE 58248 
     ¶C. THE HAGUE 352 
     ¶D. THE HAGUE 324 
 
This is CWC-34-09. 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) As instructed in Ref A, U.S. Delreps met 
with Mohadeb Gheton of Libya on June 22 to deliver 
the U.S. non-paper detailing specific requests for 
greater transparency and information about Libya's 
conversion of its former Chemical Weapons 
Production Facility (CWPF) at Rabta and the 
destruction of its remaining chemical weapons 
stockpile. 
 
¶2. (SBU) The Western European and Others Group 
(WEOG) continued its series of meetings with the 
candidates for Director-General, meeting with 
German Ambassador Peter Gottwald, Federal 
Commission for Arms Control and Disarmament, on 
June 16.  Consultations were held on Article X on 
June 18 to discuss preparations for ASSISTEX 3, an 
international exercise planned for 2010 in Tunisia. 
Facilitator Said Moussi (Algeria) convened his 
final consultation on Article VII and encouraged 
candidates to come forward to replace him. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Delreps also met with the Head of the 
Implementation Support Branch to discuss possible 
Technical Secretariat (TS) funding of Iraqi 
participants in a joint U.S./UK National Authority 
Training Course, and with TS representatives to 
discuss U.S. comments on the 2008 Verification 
Implementation Report (VIR). 
 
---------------------------- 
MEETING WITH LIBYAN DELEGATE 
---------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) On June 22, Delreps Beik and Granger met 
with Libyan Delegate Mohadeb Gheton to deliver the 
U.S. non-paper and talking points as instructed in 
Ref A.  Gheton had expected the new Libyan 
Permanent Representative, Ambassador Ahmed Hassan 
Ahmed Walid, to join the meeting, but he did not 
appear.  Delreps emphasized the need for greater 
transparency and detailed information about Libya's 
conversion of its former Chemical Weapons 
Production Facility at Rabta and the destruction of 
its remaining chemical weapons stockpile, noting 
that the same request will be made in Tripoli by 
the U.S. Embassy. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Gheton stated that he would convey the 
non-paper to Tripoli that afternoon and relay any 
questions or comments that he received from his 
government.  He agreed that a meeting of Libyan and 
U.S. experts before the Executive Council meeting 
in July would be useful but could not say whether 
the Libyan delegation could travel then; he 
promised to stay in touch. 
 
---- 
WEOG 
---- 
 
¶6. (SBU) On June 16, the Western European and 
Others Group (WEOG) was introduced to the German 
candidate for Director-General (DG), Amb. Peter 
Gottwald.  Gottwald made an impressive 
presentation, speaking in near-perfect English and 
 
THE HAGUE 00000371  002 OF 005 
 
 
demonstrating a solid command of the substantive 
issues facing the OPCW.  Notably, he was the first 
candidate to address how the DG -- and the TS for 
that matter -- does not set policy but rather 
serves and supports States Parties. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Gottwald declared that the top challenge 
facing the OPCW is making it sustainable and "fit 
for the 21st century."  Demilitarization, however, 
remains the top priority at present.  With regards 
to 2012 and the prospects that States Parties may 
miss the destruction deadline, he believes that the 
DG's role is to help chart a possible solution.  He 
did not want to address directly what would happen 
if States Parties missed the deadline, preferring 
instead to allow States Parties to utilize the 
remaining three years to complete destruction as 
much as possible.  Destruction, nevertheless, is 
bigger than 2012 and includes, for example, Iraq 
and abandoned CW in China.  He also argued that the 
nonproliferation regime is the best way for the 
chemical industry to demonstrate a "clean bill of 
health."  Gottwald recognized that international 
cooperation and assistance are motivating factors 
for some countries to join the convention but 
reiterated that the OPCW is not -- and should not 
become -- a technical cooperation organization. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Delrep asked about Gottwald's view of the 
current TS tenure policy.  Gottwald noted merits 
and drawbacks to the policy and suggested looking 
at how the International Atomic Energy Agency 
(IAEA) in Vienna employs its tenure policy with 
discretion as a possible model for the OPCW. 
Gottwald made several comparisons to the IAEA, most 
notably in the search for a new DG.  Whereas in 
Vienna he recognizes the process is becoming muddy, 
he appealed in WEOG for a continued, mature 
approach, one that places consensus above 
everything else.  In this fashion, Gottwald 
admitted that he would willingly step aside to 
allow for a consensus candidate to emerge if it was 
clear he would not win. 
 
¶9. (SBU) French Ambassador Blarel asked how 
Gottwald would go about filling senior management 
positions and also raised the issue of choosing the 
next Deputy Director-General (DDG).  Gottwald 
conceded that a non-WEOG DDG would be likely if the 
next DG came from WEOG; and, while he stressed the 
need for qualified staff, he acknowledged the 
importance of geographic spread, particularly among 
senior-level positions.  In response to a Spanish 
question on the OPCW's role in counter-terrorism, 
Gottwald argued that the OPCW's primary goal is to 
raise awareness of the threat, then to facilitate 
an exchange of best practices, and finally to win 
over the chemical industry to this cause.  In 
response to Ireland's question on improving the 
inspection and verification regime for other 
chemical production facilities (OCPFs), Gottwald 
stated that the DG can help alter attitudes but 
ultimately the responsibility would fall to States 
Parties, and specifically the EC, to set policy 
priorities. 
 
¶10. (SBU) After Gottwald's presentation, Dutch 
Ambassador Pieter de Savornin Lohman (WEOG Vice- 
QAmbassador Pieter de Savornin Lohman (WEOG Vice- 
Chair) raised the proposed dates for EC sessions in 
2010 and said that he would raise the conflicts 
with U.S. national holidays with the EC Bureau and 
the TS.  As in previous years, Switzerland and 
Austria proposed reducing the number of ECs from 
four to three.  The UK delegate noted that the 
timing of EC sessions is as important as the number 
in order to make best use of the EC's time and to 
 
THE HAGUE 00000371  003 OF 005 
 
 
lessen the amount of work deferred from one session 
to the next. 
 
-------------------------------- 
MEETING WITH IPB HEAD MARK ALBON 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶11. (U) On June 17, Delreps Robinson and Granger 
met with Implementation Support Branch (IPB) Head 
Mark Albon to discuss a proposed U.S./UK training 
course for the Iraqi National Authority, including 
the possibility of IPB funding travel and related 
costs for Iraqi participants and of the TS 
conducting a session on the proper handling of OPCW 
classified information.  Delreps provided an 
approximate cost, the number of Iraqi participants 
and the planned time frame for the training. 
Although there are several OPCW-sponsored National 
Authority workshops and training events scheduled 
for later this year, Albon acknowledged that the 
U.S./UK training was probably unique in the hands- 
on experience it would provide.  He agreed to 
consider funding Iraq's participation if training 
materials from the course would be provided to IPB 
for use in their own future training events. 
 
----------------------- 
ARTICLE X CONSULTATIONS 
----------------------- 
 
¶12. (U) On June 18, Article X facilitator Maciej 
Karasinski convened a meeting to discuss 
Secretariat preparations for ASSISTEX 3, an 
international exercise being planned for 2010 in 
Tunisia.  Like the previous two ASSISTEX exercises 
(held in Croatia in 2002 and Ukraine in 2005), 
ASSISTEX 3 will exercise key elements of an 
investigation of alleged use and the delivery of 
assistance in the aftermath of a chemical attack. 
Handouts from the presentations have been forwarded 
separately to Washington. 
 
¶13. (U) DDG John Freeman opened by emphasizing the 
importance of the exercise and expressing gratitude 
for Tunisia's offer to host it.  Assistance and 
Protection Branch (APB) Head Gennadi Lutay then 
gave a presentation on objectives and the status of 
preparation.  He reminded delegations of the 
invitation the Secretariat had sent (dated April 
22, 2009), and noted that the deadline for 
applications to participate in the exercise is 
September 15, 2009.  The next planning meeting is 
scheduled for July 2009. 
 
¶14. (U) Inspectorate Management Branch (IMB) Head 
Renato Carvalho then explained that the exercise 
also includes a program for observers and a 
demonstration day.  The TS is currently working on 
the script for the exercise, and plans to train 
certain participants (interpreters, individuals 
playing victims of the attack, etc.) two days 
before the exercise itself.  Lessons learned from 
the exercise will be used as the basis for a 
follow-up training plan, and a final report from 
the exercise should be available by December 2010. 
 
¶15. (U) In the question and answer period that 
followed, Czech delegate Jitka Brodska requested 
the TS continue providing regular updates on the 
status of preparations for the exercise.  Brodska 
also asked what new areas ASSISTEX 3 would focus 
on, taking into account lessons learned in previous 
exercises.  Carvalho replied that the TS had 
learned from the last exercise that certain 
Qlearned from the last exercise that certain 
operating procedures for investigations of alleged 
use did not work as well as expected, so the TS 
 
THE HAGUE 00000371  004 OF 005 
 
 
will work on improving procedures during ASSISTEX 
¶3.  Carvalho also reminded delegates that the TS 
had developed a full-year training program based on 
lessons learned from the last exercise.  He also 
noted that ASSISTEX 3 will be the first exercise 
held outside of Europe, which will present new 
challenges related to deployment and 
infrastructure.  The Cuban delegate praised the TS 
for making a concrete contribution to the fight 
against terrorism through such exercises.  The 
Iranian delegation took the opportunity to raise 
the issue of victims of chemical warfare, and asked 
whether the exercise will provide an evaluation of 
the Technical Secretariat's capacity to assist 
victims of a chemical attack. 
 
¶16. (U) Before closing the meeting, Karasinski 
announced that he intends to hold another round of 
consultations before EC-57 in order to discuss a 
soon-to-be-released TS paper on the Protection 
Databank. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
MEETING WITH TS ON U.S. COMMENTS TO THE 2008 VIR 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶17. (U) On June 18, Delreps Robinson and Granger 
met with Policy Review Branch (PRB) Head Stian 
Holen and Senior Policy Officer Anna Roccatello to 
discuss U.S. comments on the 2008 Verification 
Implementation Report (VIR) per Ref B.  Roccatello 
stated that a draft corrigendum would be circulated 
in advance of the VIR consultation on June 24; 
while there might not be time to incorporate all of 
the U.S. comments into that draft, Roccatello said 
that the final corrigendum would be released later 
and would reflect all comments received. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
RENEWED INTEREST IN U.S. AND UK RECOVERY OF CW IN 
IRAQ 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶18. (SBU) Del recently has heard two expressions of 
interest in the subject above from new South 
African Ambassador Peter Goosen.  The first 
occurred during a conversation with Delrep in which 
Goosen mentioned that, in addition to the topic of 
managing the U.S. destruction deadlines issue, we 
would need to discuss U.S. and UK "non-compliance" 
in Iraq (having destroyed CW without declaring) to 
ensure that neither issue fell victim to political 
game playing.  According to German Ambassador 
Werner Burkart, Goosen also raised the issue during 
the Africa Group's meeting with German DG candidate 
Amb. Gottwald, asking Gottwald how, if DG, he would 
deal with the issue of U.S. and UK non-compliance 
with the CWC in Iraq. 
 
------------------------- 
ARTICLE VII CONSULTATIONS 
------------------------- 
 
¶19. (U) On June 18, Article VII facilitator Said 
Moussi (Algeria) convened his last consultation and 
announced he would be returning to Algiers in late 
July.  OPCW Legal Advisor Santiago Onate opened the 
consultation with a briefing on progress made in 
implementing the Convention since his last update 
in February.  Onate also commended the UK for 
providing the TS with sample declaration forms 
which have been circulated as models for other 
States Parties.  He highlighted recent amendments 
QStates Parties.  He highlighted recent amendments 
to Serbia's CWC-implementing legislation that 
include a provision for on-going review and 
assessment of implementation, the first provision 
 
THE HAGUE 00000371  005 OF 005 
 
 
of its kind, according to Onate.  He also noted 
that the TS still is waiting for the Bahamas and 
the Dominican Republic to officially designate 
their national authorities.  Lebanese delegate Rami 
Adwan later announced that Lebanon, too, is still 
working on establishing its National Authority. 
 
¶20. (U) Mark Albon (Head, IPB) briefed on recent 
meetings he had held with ten delegations resident 
in Brussels on their countries' Art. VII 
obligations.  During the meetings, Albon said that 
he had encouraged those States Parties to become 
more active in OPCW programming, including 
participating in training courses and seminars. 
Albon then gave an overview of the TS Note on 
"Evaluation of the Programme for Implementation 
Support" (EC-56/S/1), which had been deferred from 
EC-56 to EC-57 to allow for consultations on the 
paper. 
 
¶21. (U) Delegates from Italy, the Czech Republic 
and the Netherlands encouraged the TS to draft a 
new report evaluating the effectiveness of IPB 
programs.  Delegates from Iran, South Africa, and 
Cuba responded in turn by questioning the 
usefulness of such an exercise without consensus on 
the meaning of "effectiveness."  Cuba also 
suggested that such a debate could impact future 
budget deliberations.  Albon agreed to draft 
another evaluation paper and welcomed constructive 
suggestions from delegations bilaterally. 
 
¶22. (U) DEL NOTE:  In light of his upcoming 
departure from The Hague, Moussi encouraged 
delegates to come forward to replace him as Article 
VII facilitator.  While no names have been formally 
tabled, Delreps have heard informally that Adwan 
(Lebanon) is interested in taking over as 
facilitator from Moussi.  END NOTE. 
 
¶23. (U) BEIK SENDS. 
 
GALLAGHER