US embassy cable - 04THEHAGUE2493

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 THE HAGUE 002493 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR AC/CB, NP/CBM, VC/CCB, L/ACV, IO/S 
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISP 
JOINT STAFF FOR DD PMA-A FOR WTC 
COMMERCE FOR BIS (GOLDMAN) 
NSC FOR JOECK 
WINPAC FOR LIEPMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PARM, PREL, CWC 
SUBJECT: CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (CWC):  WEEKLY WRAP-UP 
FOR 24 SEPTEMBER 2004 
 
 
This is CWC-113-04. 
 
------------------------------------ 
MEETINGS ON RABTA CONVERSION REQUEST 
------------------------------------ 
 
1.  (SBU)  Representatives from the U.S., U.K., Italy and 
Libya met on September 21 to discuss the state of play 
regarding adoption of the technical change that would allow 
for conversion of the Rabta facility.  The participants 
decided on specific tasks to be accomplished in the run-up to 
a one-time consultation called to discuss the issue.  That 
consultation was the result of a proposal by Executive 
Council Chairman Arrospide (Peru) to discover whether any 
State Party has problems with the proposed technical change. 
The discussion has been set for Friday, October 1 and will be 
chaired by Ambassador Saboia (Brazil). 
 
2.  (U)  As a result of the September 21 meeting, it was 
agreed that Libya would contact Brazil, Iran, India, Sri 
Lanka, Russia and Pakistan to fully determine whether they 
have any objections to the technical change.  The Libyans 
also would prepare an introductory briefing for presentation 
at the October 1 consultation.  They would inform the 
Technical Secretariat of the need to include 
Serbia-Montenegro and Greece as co-sponsors.  The Libyans 
would also work with the UK to determine if Turkey wishes to 
become a new co-sponsor.  The Libyans also said they would 
contact all co-sponsors as well as Argentina, China and Cuba 
to encourage them to speak out in support of the proposal at 
the consultation. 
 
3.  (U)  The UK agreed to organize a meeting with DG Pfirter, 
the EC Chairman, the Brazilian Ambassador, Legal Advisor 
Onate, Sylwin Gizowski (director of the Policy-Making 
Organs), and the Libyans to coordinate thoroughly on the 
October 1 consultation.  They also said they would contact 
Amb. Vogelaar (Netherlands) to request vocal EU support for 
the initiative.  The Italians said they would arrange a 
meeting of regional group coordinators to encourage them to 
offer vocal support for the initiative.  The U.S. agreed to 
prepare and circulate copies of draft report language and 
also inform others of discussions Ambassador Javits would 
have with the Russian Ambassador on Rabta conversion. 
 
4.  (U)  Experts from the U.S., U.K., Italy, FRG, Technical 
Secretariat and Libya met on September 22 to go over comments 
 
SIPDIS 
concerning the Libyan conversion request for Rabta.  In a 
good meeting lasting 2 1/2 hours, the U.S. was the only 
delegation to have significant comments.  The Libyans were 
accommodating to all suggestions.  The Germans said that they 
still needed to finish reviewing the document and with some 
prodding said they would provide comments by Oct. 1.  The TS 
provided a copy of a Russian CWPF conversion corrigendum as 
an example of the customary format, and the Libyans said they 
would provide changes within 48 hours.  Details on equipment, 
materials of construction and capacity will be provided as an 
amended declaration, which will be cross-referenced in the 
conversion request. 
 
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ARTICLE VII 
----------- 
 
5.  (U)  The TS issued the latest progress report on the 
status of the action plan on national implementation under 
Article VII.  The report is a vast improvement on the two 
previous editions.  Not only is it more informative, the 
information is laid out much more clearly.  That does not, 
however, have any impact on the disappointing results in the 
report.  Facilitator Mark Matthews (UK) has commented that 
there has been insufficient progress to date, and appreciates 
the U.S. willingness to highlight this issue at the upcoming 
EC.  Meeting the CSP-10 deadline will be difficult even if 
the TS and SPs start now in pressing for compliance by all 
SPs.  The next consultation on Article VII will be on October 
6 to review the paper and discuss the recommendations. 
 
----------------------------- 
2005 BUDGET - STAFFING ISSUES 
----------------------------- 
 
6.  (U)  The September 21 budget consultations focused on 
human resources, consultancy services and General Temporary 
Assistance (GTA) needs.  Deputy DG Hawtin began by outlining 
the five ways that the OPCW employs people:  fixed-term 
contracts, short-term contracts (consisting of Temporary 
Assistance Contracts (TAC) who can work up to one year and 
truly short-term contracts of four months or less), 
consultants, outsourcing (gardeners, window washers, etc.), 
and (potentially) secundments.  The DDG noted that of the 507 
authorized full time (FT) positions, only 478 were currently 
funded and that the full 507 positions had not been funded 
since 2002.  Head of Administration Schulz added that of the 
478 funded positions, 52 were currently vacant as a result of 
turnover and the tenure policy, and this further necessitated 
the use of TACs to keep the organization functioning. 
 
7.  (U)  The DDG defended the use of TACs for extended 
periods stating that TACs were used only when it was 
operationally necessary and that the TS hoped to convert many 
of the TACs to FT positions in the future.  Converting the 20 
security guards from TAC to FT would be the first step in 
this process.  The TS distributed a list of all 66 positions 
filled by TACs as of September 21. Sixteen of the positions 
have been staffed with TACs for more than a year and in some 
cases up to five years. TAC's employed for more than 3 months 
also take part in the Provident Fund. 
 
8.  (U)  The TS also reviewed their proposal to increase the 
number of authorized (though not necessarily funded) 
positions from 507 to 527 of which 30 security positions 
would be "ringed off" and could only be used for security. In 
a side-bar discussion, the French del rep told us that in 
their analysis the number of people actually paid by the OPCW 
would not be affected by this increase in authorized 
positions when the resulting reduction of TACs was factored 
in.  The French promised to provide us with a non-paper 
illustrating this point.  Several dels (including the U.S.) 
made clear they would like to further review this proposed 
increase in authorized positions. 
 
9.  (U)  Austria asked about the status of the political 
consultant working on universality on the Korean peninsula. 
The DDG promised to provided more information on the work of 
the consultant and the status of his contract.  Austria also 
queried the DDG about the 60% proposed increase in GTA 
expenditures and the legal implications of converting 
selected TAC positions to FT status.  The DDG ascribed most 
of this increase to the necessity of hiring TACs to work in 
Human Resources as a result of a three-fold increase in the 
number of hirings this year (a result of tenure).  He said he 
did not believe there would be any legal implications in 
converting some TAC positions to FT positions as the FT jobs 
would be advertised and open to all candidates, as opposed to 
simply converting the employees in TAC status to FT status. 
 
10.  (U)  Several delegations asked the DDG about the number 
of "non-political" consultants hired by the TS.  The DDG said 
that consultants have only been engaged when their experience 
was needed in very specific cases, such as legal matters 
associated with tenure implementation or the case brought by 
former DG Bustani, and the TS has made every effort to be as 
transparent as possible on the consultancy issue.  Finally, 
Algeria and South Africa encouraged the TS to consider 
geographic representations when filling any new FT positions. 
 
------------------------------------ 
2005 BUDGET - ARTICLE VI INSPECTIONS 
------------------------------------ 
 
11.  (U)  Consultations on Article VI inspections were held 
on September 23, and began with the TS announcing that it 
hoped to produce an information paper on the progress it has 
made on optimization of verification and the impact on 
inspections.  They noted, for example, that the cost of an 
average Article VI inspection was likely to decrease from 
14,000 euros in 2004 to 11,000 euros in 2005.   The TS has 
proposed an 8% increase in Article VI inspections from 150 in 
2004 to 162 in 2005.  The TS also stated that due to a 
shortfall in the training budget, new inspectors would now 
receive a 7-week training course and then accompany teams on 
inspections as a type of on the job training. In the short 
run this would necessitate slightly larger inspection teams 
(one additional trainee per team). 
 
12.  (U)  Most of the consultations focused on the proposed 
increase in OCPF inspections from 70 in 2004 to 80 in 2005. 
The UK, U.S., Canada, Italy, FRG, Austria and France all 
supported the proposed increase, with the U.S., UK, France 
and Canada pushing for even more OCPF inspections in 2005. 
The DDG noted the support of some SPs for increased OCPF 
inspections, but that SPs had to also realize that an 
increase in inspections would necessitate an increase in 
resources.  Iran, Brazil, and to a lesser degree China and 
Algeria, opposed the increase in OCPF inspections, with 
Brazil noting that it had no instructions yet but may not be 
able to support an increase of 10 OCPF inspections.  All 
three countries cited the need to focus on destruction and 
the inspection of Schedule 1 and 2 sites as their rationale 
for opposing the increase in OCPF inspections.  (Note: most 
WEOG delegations told us that they anticipate no changes to 
the inspection numbers proposed in the 2005 budget.) 
 
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ARTICLE X 
--------- 
 
13.  (U)  On September 20, del reps met with Gabrielle Kruger 
(U.K.) facilitator for Article X to raise U.S. concerns 
regarding the current revised draft format for the annual 
reporting of information on national programmes for 
protection against CW.  The meeting was held in preparation 
for the September 29 consultation on the draft document. 
Kruger agreed to make a number of the U.S.-proposed changes 
in text from the chair, and also provided responses to 
specific U.S. questions.  There was agreement on proposed 
language that was sent back to Washington for consideration. 
 
14.  (U)  Javits sends. 
 
 
 
SOBEL