VZCZCXRO5582 RR RUEHTRO DE RUEHLO #0151 0221753 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 221753Z JAN 10 FM AMEMBASSY LONDON TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4737 INFO RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 3045 RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 0295 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1287 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1535
C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 000151
NOFORN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR ISN/MNSA, GENEVA FOR CD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/22/2020
TAGS: PREL PARM MNUC KNNP NPT LY RS UK
SUBJECT: UK RESPONSE: LIBYAN PROPOSAL FOR AMENDING THE NPT
REF: A. SECSTATE 5942 B. EMAILS SENT TO ISN/MNSA - M. SCOTT DAVIS
Classified By: Political Counselor Robin Quinville for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
¶1. (C/NF) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Nick Low, Head of Nuclear Issues Section at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), and Delphine Hournau, Nuclear Issues Desk Officer at the FCO, on January 22. Low and Hournau indicated that the UK supported the U.S. proposal for a follow-up trilateral demarche in both New York and Tripoli but said that the UK would like to submit amendments to the demarche text. The full text of the UK-proposed amendments is available in Ref B emails.
¶2. (C/NF) Low and Hournau said that the UK would probably not provide a non-paper to Libya. The UK feels it is already making a concession to the Libyans by agreeing to consider their views at the RevCon; it does not, therefore, feel that an additional non-paper is necessary. Furthermore, the UK is concerned that any non-paper it provided would be circulated throughout the NAM. Hournau added that the UK has no problem with the U.S. providing its own non-paper.
¶3. (C/NF) Low and Hournau said that the UK agrees that the demarches should be delivered as soon as possible, but doubted that a demarche could occur on Sunday in Tripoli. They suggested that the demarches should be delivered "early next week." They noted, however, that MFA Under Secretary Obeidi would be in London on January 25 and possibly January 26, and said that this could delay the timetable due to the fact that Obeidi was the Libyan official that should receive the Tripoli demarche. According to Hournau, "Obeidi has Gaddafi,s ear" and is also "probably the father of this proposal."
¶4. (C/NF) Low and Hournau said that the Depositary States should circulate Libya's amendment proposals "as soon as it is clear that Libya is not willing to withdrawal the proposals." HMG does not feel that a discussion of a particular week to circulate the amendments is relevant; instead, it favors continuing talks with the Libyans for as long as they are productive, and then circulating the amendment proposals as soon as talks "stall out." Hournau noted that it would be better if there were more time between the circulation of the amendments and the NPT RevCon itself.
¶5. (C/NF) Low and Hournau reiterated the UK's appreciation of U.S. leadership on this issue and said that the UK looked forward to continued partnership with the U.S. in the lead-up to the NPT RevCon.
¶6. (U) Minimize considered. Visit London's Classified Website: XXXXXXXXXXXX
SUSMAN
http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2010/01/10LONDON151.html
