VZCZCXYZ0004
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #3861 2522114
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 092057Z SEP 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV PRIORITY 1455
INFO RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA 3319
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 3539

UNCLAS STATE 093861 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: UP PARM
SUBJECT: DIPLOMATIC NOTE REGARDING UKRAINIAN LINK  OUTAGE 
 
REF: NONE 
 
1.This is an action request.  Embassy Kyiv please see 
paragraph 3. 
 
¶2. Background: The Department has a direct 
Government-to-Government Communications Link (GGCL) with 
Ministry of Defense of Ukraine in Kyiv. This link has been in 
place since 1994 and serves as a method for the Department, 
through the U.S. Nuclear Risk Reduction Center and the 
Verification Center of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, to 
exchange arms control notifications required under the START 
and INF treaties.  This is an older, relatively slow 4.8 kbs 
link; the Bureau of Information Resources Management (IRM) 
has been in negotiation with Ukrainian officials for several 
years to replace it with a new digital circuit at the more 
modern 64kbs level.  The current link has been non-functional 
since August 24.  IRM technical staff have been working with 
international carriers and the Ukrainian  MOD to restore this 
circuit to operations without success.  In order to exchange 
necessary arms control treaty information, Embassy Pol-Econ 
and Embassy DTRO-K have delivered START notifications to 
representatives of the MOD Verification Center; their work is 
much appreciated by the Department and the START Interagency. 
 In order to help resolve this ongoing outage situation, 
Embassy is requested to pass the diplomatic note at para 3 to 
appropriate host government officials at both the Ministry of 
Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  Embassy is 
requested to confirm delivery of the points, the name and 
office of the official to whom they were delivered, the date 
of delivery, and any comment or reaction provided at that 
time. 
 
¶3. Text of diplomatic note: 
Complimentary Opening.  The Government-to-Government 
Communications Link (GGCL) between the Department of State,s 
Nuclear Risk Reduction Center and the Verification Center of 
the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, in Kyiv, is the primary 
and most effective mechanism used to exchange the arms 
control notifications required under the START and INF 
treaties.  The GGCL forms a vital link for arms control 
treaty communications between our governments, and has been 
in place since 1994.  Unfortunately this data channel has 
been inoperable since August 24, 2009.  Treaty-required 
notifications have continued to be conveyed through the 
United States Embassy in Kyiv to the Ministry of Defense 
Verification Center, at mutually-agreed intervals. 
 
The United States of America wishes to convey growing concern 
over the continued outage of the GGCL.  Technicians and 
engineers from both Ukraine and the United States have spent 
many hours attempting to restore this unique communications 
link, without success.  Department of State technicians and 
Ukrainian commercial service providers have successfully 
tested the entire circuit path from Washington to the 
Ukrainian Ministry of Defense's service provider, but have 
been unable to test beyond that point.  Ukraine's Ministry of 
Defense engineers must complete successful tests within their 
facility and to their Earth Station.  Because we have tested 
each section of the circuit pathway from Washington to the 
Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, it appears likely that the 
problem exists between the Ministry of Defense and the 
Ukrainian service provider. 
 
Given the significance of this data communications link, we 
encourage Ukraine to address this issue at the earliest 
possible opportunity.  The United States stands ready to 
offer further technical assistance and advice if required. 
Complimentary closing. 
¶4. The POC s at the Department are IRM/OPS/MSO/SMO  Danny 
Branch, telephone (202) 647-7884, and Wayne Payton (202) 
747-7779, EUR/UMB, Elizabeth Zentos (202-647-6799), VCI/NRRC, 
Ned Williams (202-647-0027).  Post support is greatly 
appreciated. 
CLINTON