US embassy cable - 05GENEVA1411

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 GENEVA 001411 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR T, AC, NP, VC, EUR AND S/NIS 
DOE FOR AN-1 
JCS FOR J5/DDIN AND J5/NAC 
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISP AND OSD/SACC 
NAVY FOR CNO-N514 AND DIRSSP 
DTRA FOR SA AND DIRECTOR 
NSC FOR MILLER 
DTRA FOR OSA 
DIA FOR RAR-3 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2015 
TAGS: PARM, KACT, US, RS, UP, BO, KZ, START, JCIC, INF 
SUBJECT: JCIC-XXVII:  (U) BILATERAL MEETING ON UKRAINIAN 
SS-24 ELIMINATIONS, JUNE 7, 2005 
 
 
Classified By:  Dr. George W. Look, U.S. Representative 
to the Joint Compliance and Inspection Commission (JCIC). 
Reason: 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (U) This is JCIC-XXVII-022. 
 
2.  (U) Meeting Date:  June 7, 2005 
                Time:  11:30 A.M. - 12:30 P.M. 
               Place:  U.S. Mission, Geneva 
 
SUMMARY 
 
3.  (S) A Ukraine-initiated bilateral meeting was held at the 
U.S. Mission on June 7, 2005, to discuss Ukrainian proposals 
regarding eliminations of SS-24s.  Ukraine related that it 
was seeking funding from countries other than the United 
States under the Global Partnership Program to support the 
use of the water washout method to remove solid fuel from 
SS-24 ICBMs, and inquired whether the United States would 
object to such an arrangement.  The U.S. Delegation stated it 
could see no START Treaty objection.  Ukraine also asked 
whether the United States might reconsider its decision to 
not support this work if the financial burden on the United 
States was lessened.  Finally, on its proposal to re-use 
SS-24 solid-rocket motor cases, Ukraine offered that it could 
increase the number of holes it would make in the rocket 
motor case to "convince the pessimists" that the case could 
not be re-used for its original purpose.  Ukraine stated that 
it would like to discuss these issues further at the second 
half of JCIC-XXVII. 
 
UKRAINE MOVING AHEAD ON WATER WASHOUT 
 
4.  (S) At a bilateral meeting at the U.S. Mission on June 7, 
2005, Shcherba stated that Ukraine had already begun to 
dispose of solid-rocket fuel from SS-24 ICBMs, and that it 
still wanted to use the water washout method, despite the 
U.S. decision not to fund such activity.  Ukraine was seeking 
funding from other countries using its status as a recipient 
of Global Partnership assistance, but had run into 
difficulties.  Countries that might provide funding to 
Ukraine, aware of the bilateral U.S.-Ukraine relationship 
under the Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) Program, had 
wondered whether the United States would object to their 
cooperation with Ukraine.  Shcherba inquired whether the 
United States would object, and whether the United States 
would reconsider funding this effort should the financial 
burden on the United States be lessened. 
 
5.  (S) Shcherba also noted that Ukrainian experts would 
attend a U.S.-proposed demonstration of open detonation 
methods, but he had serious doubts whether this method was 
acceptable to Ukraine.  The opinion of Ukrainian experts was 
that there was no alternative to the water washout method. 
 
U.S. RESPONSE 
 
6.  (S) Look stated that the U.S. JCIC Delegation was not the 
right group of experts to address this issue, as it did not 
control the CTR Program that had direct authority over the 
assistance for the elimination of Ukrainian SS-24 ICBMs.  He 
stated he would report this information back to the 
appropriate officials in Washington.  He noted that the 
United States would have no START Treaty-related problem with 
other countries assisting Ukraine in this situation; the U.S. 
interest was in the elimination of systems, not who paid for 
them.  He reiterated the U.S. position that open detonation 
methods could be ecologically and financially sound. 
 
7.  (S) Noting that Shevtsov had said on a previous occasion 
that Ukraine was proceeding with a pilot plan using water 
washout methods, Look asked whether that meant Ukraine was 
close to having washed out SS-24 rocket motor cases that 
would then need to be eliminated.  Shevtsov replied that this 
was correct.  On Ukraine's proposal to drill holes in the 
solid-rocket motor cases to allow their re-use as containers 
for radiological or toxic waste, Shevtsov volunteered that 
Ukraine could increase the number of holes made in the rocket 
motor cases, and Ukraine was prepared to submit details to 
"convince the pessimists" that the rocket motor case could 
not be re-used for its original purpose. 
 
WRAPPING UP 
 
8.  (S) Ukraine stated that it would like to discuss these 
issues further at the second half of JCIC-XXVII.  Also, 
Ukraine would look carefully at the U.S.-drafted Trident II 
Coordinated Plenary Statement and respond through diplomatic 
channels.  Look encouraged the Ukrainians to continue the 
dialogue with appropriate CTR officials on the elimination of 
its SS-24s.  He also thanked Ukraine for participating in the 
Trident II RVOSI demonstration, and urged Ukraine to use 
diplomatic channels during the intersession period to 
maximize the productivity of the JCIC. 
 
9.  (S) The Ukrainian Delegation, noting that Look had 
informally suggested that his personal view was that the 
second part of the session could occur in late October or 
early November, expressed reservations about holding it any 
later than that due to holidays.  Look stated his goal was to 
keep the length of the session to as short as possible and 
certainly less than two weeks. 
 
10.  (U) Documents exchanged:  None. 
 
11.  (U) Participants: 
 
U.S. 
 
Dr. Look 
Mr. Buttrick 
Mr. Dunn 
Mr. Foley 
Mr. Johnston 
Mr. Kuehne 
Ms. Kottmyer 
Mr. Mullins 
Mr. Singer 
Mr. Smith 
Mr. Tiersky 
Mr. French (Int) 
Dr. Hopkins (Int) 
 
Ukraine 
 
Mr. Shcherba 
Dr. Shevtsov 
Mr. Dotsenko 
MGen Fedotov 
Col Taran 
 
12.  (U) Look sends. 
Moley