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DE RUEHTC #0658/01 3031729
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O 301729Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3424
INFO RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 000658 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR ISN/CB, IO/MPR 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2019 
TAGS: AORC PARM OPCW CWC
SUBJECT: CWC: OPCW TOP STRUCTURE TRANSITION 
 
REF: THE HAGUE 617 
 
Classified By: Janet E. Beik for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) 
 
This is CWC-66-09 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY:  With the transition to a new 
Director-General (DG) in July 2010, much of the top 
structure in the Technical Secretariat (TS) of the 
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical 
Weapons (OPCW) is expected to change.  The top 
structure includes the Deputy Director-General 
(DDG) and the nine D2-level directors.  Outgoing DG 
Rogelio Pfirter (Argentina) has extended the 
contracts of all top structure incumbents through 
the end of 2010, five months after the incoming DG 
will take up his post.  However, there are rumors 
that the DDG, who ran unsuccessfully to succeed 
Pfirter, may leave before the new DG takes office. 
Also, of the nine director positions, one is 
currently vacant and three of the incumbents -- 
including the U.S.-citizen Director of 
Administration -- will need to leave due to the 
Organization's tenure or retirement age policies. 
Identifying a desirable replacement for the 
Director of Administration should be a top U.S. 
priority.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) During the 58th Executive Council (EC-58) 
session in October, Ahmet Uzumcu (Turkey) emerged 
as the consensus candidate to be the next Director- 
General of the OPCW's Technical Secretariat (ref 
A).  At its annual meeting in December, the 
Conference of States Parties (CSP) is expected to 
approve the EC's recommendation of Uzumcu.  He 
would then take over from current DG Pfirter in 
July 2010.  While there already has been 
speculation on when and how actively Uzumcu will 
manage the transition period, Del understands that 
he plans to engage only after the CSP formally 
approves his appointment. 
 
¶3. (C) With Pfirter's departure, the top structure 
of the TS is expected to turn over nearly 
completely, particularly as many of the TS's 
current directors have worked beyond the maximum 
seven-year limit imposed by the Organization's 
tenure policy or the retirement age of 62.  The DG 
has authority to extend contracts beyond the 
retirement and tenure limits on a case-by-case 
basis, and Delreps have learned that Pfirter has 
extended the contracts of the DDG and the eight 
current directors to the end of 2010.  However, 
Administration Director Ron Nelson (U.S.) recently 
reconfirmed to Delreps his intention to retire in 
July 2010.  The position of Administration Director 
-- as in many international organizations -- is 
seen as a U.S. seat, and Nelson's departure will 
open it up for another U.S. citizen.  Unlike other 
positions in the TS, vacancies in the top structure 
traditionally are never advertised; instead, the DG 
relies on member states to put forward qualified 
candidates from which to choose. 
 
¶4. (C) Former Inspectorate Director Ichiro Akiyama 
(Japan) resigned in July 2009 after refusing to 
have his contract extended beyond the tenure limit. 
Despite intensive lobbying from both Japan and 
South Korea for their respective candidates to fill 
the vacancy, Pfirter has decided to keep it open 
for Uzumcu to fill.  Other imminent vacancies 
include the Verification Director -- held by Horst 
Reeps (Germany) since 2002 -- and the Internal 
Oversight Director -- held by Mohamed Louati 
(Tunisia) since 1997.  Legal Advisor Santiago Onate 
(Mexico), Policy-Making Organs Secretary Alexander 
Q(Mexico), Policy-Making Organs Secretary Alexander 
Khodakov (Russia) and External Relations Director 
Liu Zhixian (China) have each served beyond their 
initial four-year contracts but still have two to 
three years before reaching the tenure limit. 
Special Projects Director Krzysztof Paturej 
(Poland) and International Cooperation and 
Assistance Director Kalimi Mworia (Kenya) are still 
serving within their initial four-year contracts. 
 
¶5. (C) Delreps have also learned that DDG John 
Freeman (UK), who was one of the seven candidates 
competing to replace Pfirter, may plan to leave 
before the end of his contract, clearing the way 
for the new DG to select a DDG of his choice. 
Considering that Uzumcu comes from the Western 
European and Others Group (WEOG), Freeman's 
replacement is expected to come from one of the 
other regional groups and most likely from a 
developing country to maintain the Preparatory 
Commission "gentlemen's agreement" for a 
"developed-developing" balance between the DG and 
DDG positions.  While much discussion of the DDG 
position took place before and during EC-58, 
particularly among African member states, Del does 
not believe that Uzumcu made promises to fill 
certain positions in order to obtain support. 
Algeria, also with an unsuccessful DG candidate, 
has its eye on the DDG position and possible 
candidates in mind. 
 
¶6. (C) DEL RECOMMENDATION:  A top U.S. priority 
should be to start the search for a well-qualified, 
experienced replacement for Administration Director 
Nelson.  He has played an important role in 
ensuring the OPCW's smooth and effective 
management, and this is a key position which 
remains in the U.S. interest to keep.  As it will 
be up to the U.S. to find suitable candidates to 
propose to the new DG, we should consider ways to 
widen the search net in order to attract the 
largest pool of qualified candidates with strong 
management, political and multilateral experience. 
 
¶7. (U) BEIK SENDS. 
 
LEVIN