State Department cable summarizing a meeting between Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Rich Greene and Principal International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) officials in preparation for June 3-4 ICRC donor support group. Issues discussed at meeting included U.S./ICRC relations and weapons-control, including the issue of bio-technology. It was noted by Mr. Greene that the U.S. and the ICRC work closely together on humanitarian issues and have a great respect for their operational and normative roles. The cable is otherwise redacted.
UNCLASSIFIED
Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL Page: 1
Current Handling: NODIS EXDIS
Document Number: 2004GENEVA01504 Channel: n/a
ACTION SS-00 RELEASED IN PART
131, 1.4(D)
INFO LOG-00 /000W
SAS-00
240CB4 261536Z /03 O 261002Z MAY 04 FM USMISSION GENEVA TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0767 INFO CPA BAGHDAD IMMEDIATE 0015 JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 GENEVA 001504
PROCESS AS IS PER EAO: DUNCAN WALKER
EXDIS
DECAPTIONED
PRM FOR GREENE, MCKINLEY AND MCE, L FOR CUMMINGS, S/WCI FOR
PROSPER AND MILLER, NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2009 TAGS: MOPS, PREL, PTER, KAWC, PHUM, PREF, PINR, IZ, AF SUBJECT: ICRC LAUDS IMPORTANT OPERATIONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH
U.S.
REF: A. STATE 109972 (NODIS)
B. GENEVA 1451
CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR KEVIN MOLEX, REASONS 1.4 B AND D
1. (C) SUMMARY: PRM PDAS RICH GREENE MET WITH ICRC OFFICIALS
MAY 19 IN PREPARATION FOR THE JUNE,3-4 ICRC DONOR SUPPORT
GROUP IN BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA. THE FIVE-HOUR SESSION WAS
STRUCTURED AROUND TWO MAIN THEMES: THE U.S.-ICRC
RELATIONSHIP, INCLUDING MEDIA HANDLING OF THAT RELATIONSHIP,
AND THE ISSUES LIKELY TO DOMINATE THE ICRC DONOR MEETING,
INCLUDING NEW SECURITY CHALLENGES. OFFICIALS ALSO DISCUSSED
UPCOMING CHANGES TO THE ICRC WASHINGTON OFFICE AND ICRC'S
INTEREST IN WEAPONS-CONTROL ISSUES, INCLUDING THOSE LINKED TO
BIO-TECHNOLOGY. GREENE NOTED THAT THE U.S. WORKS CLOSELY AND
PRODUCTIVELY WITH ICRC DELEGATIONS IN HUMANITARIAN CRISES
AROUND THE WORLD AND WE HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR THEIR
OPERATIONAL AND NORMATIVE ROLES.
B1
Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL Page: 1
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: ARCHIE M BOLSTER
DATE/CASE ID: 04 NOV 2004 200303827 DOS-002685
UNCLASSIFIED
Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL Page: 2
Current Handling: NODIS EXDIS
Document Number: 2004GENEVA01504 Channel: n/a
END SUMMARY.
2. (C) PARTICIPANTS: PIERRE KRAEHENBUEHL, ICRC'S ACTING
DIRECTOR-GENERAL, CHAIRED ALL SESSIONS. BEATRICE
MEGEVAND-ROGGO, DELEGATE-GENERAL FOR EUROPE AND NORTH
AMERICA, JOINED DISCUSSION OF THE RELATIONSHIP AND THE
WASHINGTON DELEGATION, AS DID NEW WASHINGTON HEAD OF
DELEGATION GEOFFREY LOANE AND HEAD OF OPERATIONS FOR NORTH
AMERICA AND EUROPE FRANCOIS STAMM. HEAD OF DONOR RELATIONS
JEAN-DANIEL TAUXE AND DIRECTOR OF RESOURCES AND OPERATIONAL
SUPPORT DORIS PFISTER JOINED THE DISCUSSION OF THE DONOR
SUPPORT GROUP AGENDA. YVES DACCORD, DIRECTOR OF
COMMUNICATION, PARTICIPATED WHEN THE U.S.-ICRC RELATIONSHIP
WAS DISCUSSED. BALTHASAR STAEHELIN, DELEGATE-GENERAL FOR THE
MIDDLE EAST, JOINED AT THE END TO DISCUSS AFGHANISTAN (AT
WHICH POINT WE DELIVERED REF A DEMARCHE) AND IRAQ (REPORTED
REF B). PDAS GREENE WAS JOINED BY MISSION REFUGEE COUNSELOR
PIPER CAMPBELL AND REFUGEE OFFICER JOE CASSIDY. GREENE MET
SEPARATELY WITH AMBASSADOR, DCM, LEGAL ADVISER MICHAEL PEAY,
AND ARMS CONTROL EXPERT IKE REED TO REVIEW THE FULL RANGE OF
ICRC ISSUES COVERED BY THE MISSION.
U.S.-ICRC RELATIONSHIP
Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL Page: 2
DOS-002686
Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL Page: 4
Current Handling: NODIS EXDIS
Document Number: 2004GENEVA01504 Channel: n/a
WEAPONS
S. (SBU) ICRC LAWYERS PETER HERBEY AND FRANCOIS BUGNION
JOINED THE GROUP FOR A BRIEF DISCUSSION OF ICRC'S INTEREST IN
ARMS CONTROL ISSUES. THE TWO AGREED THAT MORE SUBSTANTIVE
DISCUSSION ON ISSUES RELATED TO BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS ISSUES
WOULD WAIT UNTIL BWC EXPERTS CAME TO GENEVA IN JUNE.
HOWEVER, THEY EXPLAINED THAT THE ICRC INTEREST IN WEAPONS
ISSUES DERIVED FROM THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS' (GC) FOCUS ON
PROPORTIONALITY AND AVOIDANCE OF HARM TO CIVILIANS. THEY
SAID U.S. LANGUAGE INTRODUCED DURING THE DECEMBER 2003 RED
CROSS CONFERENCE HAD GIVEN THEM THE IMPRESSION THAT THE U.S.
WAS WILLING TO CONTEMPLATE SOME RED CROSS INVOLVEMENT IN
FUTURE DISCUSSIONS, WHILE RECOGNIZING MEMBER STATES' FOCUS ON
THE BWC NEGOTIATIONS. THEY STRESSED A CONCERN THAT ACADEMICS
AND INDUSTRIALISTS WORKING WITH BIOLOGICAL AGENTS WERE
INSUFFICIENTLY AWARE OF WEAPONS RISKS. AND GC OBLIGATIONS.
COMMENT
Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL Page: 4
- • Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL Page: 5
Current Handling: NODIS EXDIS
Document Number: 2004GENEVA01504 Channel: n/a
GENEVA 00001504 003 OF 003
10. (U) IRAQ MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. PDAS GREENE ALSO HAS
CLEARED THIS CABLE.
MOLEY
NNNN
Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL Page: 5
UNCLASSIFIED DOS-002689