US embassy cable - 04THEHAGUE3281

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 THE HAGUE 003281 
 
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 WALTER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PARM, PREL, CWC 
SUBJECT: CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (CWC): WRAP-UP FOR THE 
39TH SESSION OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL 
 
REF: STATE 265497 
 
This is CWC-150-04. 
 
---------- 
EC RESULTS 
---------- 
 
1.  (U)  The December 14 Executive Council session produced 
the following results. 
 
2.  (U)  Under agenda item 5: 
 
-- On 5.1, at the request of the U.S. and Russia, the EC 
agreed to defer the verification plan for Aberdeen to the 
next EC. 
 
-- On item 5.2, regarding the verification plan for an Indian 
destruction facility, the Indian delegation noted that the 
facility agreement for this CWDF has not yet been completed 
and circulated by the Technical Secretariat.  The U.S. stated 
that it was necessary to view the facility agreement in order 
to make a proper decision on the verification plan.  The EC 
deferred consideration of the matter to the next EC.  In a 
subsequent discussion, the representative of the Indian 
national authority informed the U.S. that India hopes to have 
the CWDF on-line in mid-to-late March, after the next EC 
session (March 15-18).  The Indian rep said that the Indian 
delegation would like to work closely with the U.S. on the 
facility agreement to ensure that there are no problems and 
that both documents can be approved at the March EC. 
 
3.  (U) Under agenda item 6: 
 
-- On 6.1, the EC noted the Director General's report on CW 
production facilities where conversion is still in progress. 
 
-- On 6.2, Russia provided a short report on the status of 
conversion at the VX facility at Novocheboksarsk and the fill 
facility at Volgograd.  The U.S. raised the point that it is 
important for Russia or the TS to provide information about 
the status of conversion activities at five facilities: the 
two discussed by Russia, as well as the VX production/filling 
facility at Novocheboksarsk; the sarin production, soman 
production, sarin/soman filling facility at Volgograd; and 
Dzerzhinsk. 
 
-- On 6.3, the EC approved the combined plan for conversion 
and verification at Rabta 1 and 2. 
 
4.  (U) Under agenda item 7: 
 
-- On 7.1, at the request of the U.S. and Russia, the EC 
deferred consideration of the facility agreement on Aberdeen 
to the next EC. 
 
-- On 7.2 to 7.6, the EC approved numerous Libyan facility 
agreements.  The minor changes provided reftel were given to 
the Libyan delegation and the TS, and the TS is considering 
the most efficient manner of incorporating the U.S. points. 
 
-- On 7.7, the EC noted the agreed changes to the facility 
agreement at Umatilla. 
 
5.  (U) Under agenda item 8: 
 
-- On 8.1, the EC noted the DG's income and expenditure 
reports for September and October 2004.  The UK and 
Netherlands made statements from the floor regarding the 
importance of prompt payment of both assessed contributions 
and Article IV/V payments, although neither delegation named 
any particular State Party. 
 
-- On 8.2, the EC noted the resignation of Yu Dunhai (PRC) 
from the Advisory Body on Administrative and Financial 
Matters, and approved the appointment of Zhang Shen (PRC). 
 
6.  (U) Under any other business (agenda item 9), the EC 
adopted report language provided by the U.S. on late 
submissions of industry declarations, urging States Parties 
to meet their obligations in a timely manner. 
 
--------------------- 
RABTA PHARMACEUTICALS 
--------------------- 
 
7.  (U) At the Dec. 14 WEOG meeting, Dutch Amb. Vogelaar 
raised the conversion of the Rabta facility in Libya. 
Vogelaar said that the Dutch support the conversion 
wholeheartedly, but noted there had been substantial weight 
given to the fact that there is a "humanitarian objective" to 
the conversion.  Vogelaar went on to emphasize that the Dutch 
government would like to have report language which notes 
that SPs should be "informed on the implementation of the 
humanitarian component of the conversion, i.e., the 
production of low cost drugs against AIDS/HIV and other 
diseases," and calling upon Libya "to provide periodic 
reports on progress of the drugs project through the 
appropriate channels, in due course." 
 
8.  (SBU)  After comments from several delegations, the 
result was agreement by Vogelaar for discussions on this 
matter before the March EC.  Subsequently, Vogelaar explained 
to Amb. Javits that there were Dutch concerns about whether 
the production of low-cost pharmaceuticals could take place 
due to questions about licensing.  Following up on that 
point, the UK later discussed the matter with the Italian 
delegation, which indicated its understanding that licensing 
arrangements had been handled by the Italian firm that is 
involved with conversion of the Rabta facility.  However, due 
to concerns about proprietary information, the Italian 
delegation could not say anything at the WEOG.  There was 
agreement between the Del, the UK and Italy to brief Vogelaar 
as soon as Italy was free to share that information. 
 
-------------- 
DONORS MEETING 
-------------- 
 
9.  (U)  The December 14 donors meeting was relatively 
uneventful.  The Dutch MFA has provided a draft report of the 
meeting, which has been transmitted to AC/CB.  Leonid 
Petrovich Lyangasov, head of section of the newly established 
Russian Federal Agency for Industry, informed the group that 
organizational restructuring is still under way and that 
there is still an interagency review of revised destruction 
plans.  He reported that the start-up of Kambarka is set for 
late 2005.  With regard to the Maradykovskiy facility, there 
will be utilization of new technology which would allow for 
destruction of CW while it is inside the munition.  With 
regard to financing, Lyangasov reported that the Russian 
budget is in its final stage of consideration and it 
currently looks as though all requested funding for CW 
destruction will be approved.  When pressed for a time, 
Lyangasov thought it would be the first quarter of 2005. 
 
10.  (U)  On other matters, there was discussion of recent 
meetings, including the National Forum Dialogue in Moscow. 
While all participants recognized the value of such 
gatherings, the U.S. emphasized the importance of focusing 
the discussion on resolution of practical implementation 
issues and avoiding complaints about failure of donors to 
spend funds inside Russia.  Canada seconded the U.S. points. 
Other participants then provided a status report of program 
activities and funding, which are contained in the draft 
report. 
 
11.  (U) Ito sends. 
SOBEL