Cablegate: Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism:

VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRL #0952 1311006
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 111006Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8238
INFO RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA PRIORITY
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 1792
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 0268
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0470

UNCLAS BERLIN 000952

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR EUR/AGS
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER KGIC KNNP PINR PINS PARM PREL GM
SUBJECT: GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO COMBAT NUCLEAR TERRORISM:
GERMANY RECEIVES INFORMATION REGARDING THIRD MEETING IN
KAZAKHSTAN, 11-12 JUNE 2007

REF: STATE 58978

1. (SBU) Global Affairs officer and Russian Embassy Deputy
Political Counselor Dmitri Cherkashin jointly delivered ref
information to Joerg Polster of the German MFA's Division for
International Energy and Nuclear Energy Policy May 4.
Polster thanked us for the information and said he would pass
it to other German officials.

2. (SBU) Polster queried us about the mechanism for joining
the Global Initiative (GI), to which Cherkashin and Emboff
answered that essentially all member countries of the IAEA
were offered the opportunity to endorse the Statement of
Principles and join GI activities. Polster voiced concern
about so many countries endorsing the Statement of
Principles. He said that while it is easy to manage a group,
it becomes more complicated the larger the group is. He also
noted that meetings become longer when more members are
involved. Emboff noted that no one can predict how many
countries will join, but that if Germany has any input into
the organization of the GI, now is the time to offer it when
the GI is still forming.

3. (SBU) Polster suggested that the U.S. and Russia invite
the EU Commission to GI activities, at least as an observer.
Polster noted that only the EU Commission has the necessary
competencies for some nuclear issues in the EU. He also said
that the EU Commission has funds that could be made available
for GI activities, whereas individual EU member states might
be unable to fund GI events on their own. Polster said the
EU Commission is preparing a paper on its competencies to
share with the USG and Russia concerning membership in the
GI. Emboff and Cherkashin said that their respective
governments would need to study the Commission paper before
making any decisions.

4. (SBU) To emboff's query on Germany's outreach efforts with
other EU member states that have not yet endorsed the GI
Statement of Principles, Polster said that Germany had urged
Spain and Portugal to join and that both countries appear
close to joining. Cherkashin noted that Germany, as the EU
President, is in a position to influence other EU member
states to endorse the Statement of Principles.

5. (SBU) Concerning Germany's representation at the Astana
meeting, Polster said that nothing had been decided on the
head of delegation yet, but he expected MFA Commissioner for
Economic Development and Sustainable Development Viktor
Elbling to lead the delegation, as he did for the February GI
meeting in Ankara.

6. (U) Post will report any other significant German response
to the GI meeting septel.
TIMKEN JR

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