VZCZCXRO3961
RR RUEHBW RUEHLN RUEHPOD RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHMO #1487/01 1481420
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271420Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8252
INFO RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0523
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 001487
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MASS MOPS PGOV PINS PREL ELTN AF RS
SUBJECT: AFGHAN FM VISITS MOSCOW, DIPNOTE REGARDING TRANSPORT OF
ISAF EQUIPMENT TO AFGHANISTAN RECEIVED
REF: MOSCOW 1302
1. (SBU) Summary: Afghan FM Spanta's May 26 visit to Moscow focused
on expanding cooperation on economic and counter narcotics issues,
without making progress on the Russian proposal to provide military
assistance to Afghanistan. On May 21 Moscow DAO received a
diplomatic note from the MOD regarding the transport of goods to
ISAF forces in Afghanistan (text at para 4). End summary.
2. (SBU) MFA Afghan Desk Chief Yuri Kholkhov told us on May 27 that
Afghan Foreign Minister Spanta's May 26 visit was a routine
follow-up to Lavrov's trip last year to Kabul. The FMs discussed
expanding cooperation on Afghan economic development and counter
narcotics efforts. FM Spanta reaffirmed interest in continuing to
send Afghans to GOR counter narcotics training programs. Russia's
proposal to send military aid to the Afghan National Army was
discussed, but not in detail. Regarding Spanta's statement to the
press that the Afghan DefMin could visit Moscow "soon" to discuss
possible arms transfers, Kholkhov said this required further
coordination between the Russian and Afghan MODs. Kholkhov told us
that the Russian Embassy in Kabul has been instructed to work with
the Afghan MOD on the military aid proposal but the MFA has yet to
receive any feedback (reftel). He promised to let us know once the
MFA heard from its embassy.
3. (SBU) On May 21 Moscow DAO received a diplomatic note from the
MOD regarding the transport of goods to ISAF forces in Afghanistan.
4. (SBU) Begin text of diplomatic note.
--The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation presents
its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America to
the Russian Federation and has the honor to inform the Government of
the United States of America of the procedures for ground
transportation of weapons, military equipment, and military property
through the territory of the Russian Federation en route to the
International Security Assistance Force in the Islamic Republic of
Afghanistan, as approved by Resolution of the Government of the
Russian Federation of March 28, 2008, Number 219.
--These procedures have established that, in order to fulfill UN
Security Council Resolution 1386 (2001) concerning military
transport of weapons, military equipment, and military property en
route to the International Security Assistance Force in the Islamic
Republic of Afghanistan through the territory of the Russian
Federation, neither the procedures set forth in Regulations on
ground transportation of weapons, military equipment and military
property through the territory of the Russian Federation, approved
by Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of April
8, 2000, Number 306, nor the classification system of military
equipment and military property transported through the territory of
the Russian Federation, approved by Order of the Government of the
Russian Federation of July 14, 2000, Number 937-r, shall apply, with
the exception of goods listed in the annex (which is attached) to
Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation, of March 28,
2008, Number 219.
--Transport of goods which are not listed in the annex to the
above-mentioned Resolution will be treated as commercial goods being
transported by normal procedures in accordance with customs laws of
the Russian Federation.
--The Ministry avails itself of the opportunity to renew to the
Embassy assurances of its highest consideration.
Moscow, May 21, 2008
--Annex
Index of items in accordance with the Nomenclature of Goods for
Foreign Trade by the Russian Federation
Code from Nomenclature of Goods designation for Foreign Trade and
the items are as follows:
--3601 00 000 0: Gunpowder
--3602 00 000 0: Explosive-ready material, not including
gunpowder.
--3603 00: Blasting fuses, detonation fuses, primers or blasting
caps, fuses, electric detonators.
--3604 90 000 0: Flares, Cloud seeding rockets, fog signals and
other pyrotechnic devices.
MOSCOW 00001487 002 OF 002
--8526: Radar, navigation equipment and direction range finder,
used for tactical employment of weapons, military equipment, Command
and Control of troops, weapons and military equipment.
--8710 00 000 0: Tanks and other self propelled armored transport
vehicles with or without armament and their parts.
--8802: Aircraft (such as helicopters and airplanes); space craft
(including satellites) and sub orbital and orbital space booster
rockets.
--8906: Ships and others, including military vessels, rescue
vessels with the exception of row boats
--9013: Telescopic sights to be equipped on weaponry; Periscopes;
Telescopes produced as parts of vehicles or other optical devices
able to be used with weaponry if not equipped on firearms or not
submitted with the firearm on which they should be equipped; laser
sights, able to be used with weaponry if they are not equipped on
firearms or not submitted with the weapon on which they should be
equipped.
--9301: Military weaponry besides revolvers pistols and weaponry
included in commodity items 9307, artillery weapons.
--9302 00 000 0: Revolvers and pistols, except for those that are
included in commodity items 9303 and 9304.
--9303: Firearms and other analogous devices, which use explosive
charges.
--9305: Parts and accessories of products in commodity items
9301-9303.
--9306: Bombs, grenades, torpedoes, mines, rockets and analogous
devices for conducting military activities and their parts; bullets
and other ammunition, shells and their parts including shot and
wadding for shells, shells for smoothbore weapons and their parts.
End diplomatic note.
RUSSELL