CONFIDENTIAL OUT GOI NG TELEGRAM Departnient of State PAGE 81 Of S2 OR I GIN L fil INFO STATE em 880066 OCT - f l EUR-12 10-13 I S0-80 ACDA - 07 DP Ml DHA-02 NSCE - 88 USIE - 88 INRE-88 CIAE - 98 PM-94 INR-87 NSAE-SS PA- 81 SS- 15 PRS-81 SP - S2 TRSE - 88 SAJ - 91 DODE-80 H- 01 NSC - 85 OIC - 82 OES - 06 084 R DRAFTED BY L OES RJBETTAUER SMH APPROVED BY L MR GEORGE ALDRICH ACDA GC I IAZ AU DDD OSD I SA NAFTZ INGER EUR R PM HOL UES I 0 UNP HE WI IT II tlfOl EUR CE ANDE RSON - --- - - ----------- -8482121 0 8316132 JAN 77 FM SECSTATE WAS HDC TO USMISSION NATO IMMEDIATE INFO AI IEMBASSY BONN AMEUBASSY LOPlOON AUEI IBASS Y OTTAWA AI IEMBASSY PAR IS USMISSIOPI GENEVA USI IISSION USUN NEW YORK 861 815 63 46 CON F I DENT I AL STA TE 869066 C O R R E C T E D C O P Y CLEARANCES AND TEXTJ C O N f I DE N T I AL STATE U9066 E O 11652 TAGS GOS NATO PFOR PARM ICRC SUBJECT NATO CONS IDERATION Of DRAFT PROTOCOL ON INTERflAT I ONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW APPLICAB LE IN ARMED CDflFL I CTS REF Al UStUTO 7819 181 USNATD 791 3 C l STATE 308866 DI USNATO 68 93 NDTALI ll SUMIJAR Y TH I TEL GRA 1 RE SPONDS TO REFS A AND 8 IN VIEW OF BACKCROUPW AND REASONI NG SET FOR TH BELOW WE CONCLUDE I T BE ST TO CONSULT WITH MEMBERS OF INNER COR E AND THEN PROC EED WI TH DI SCUSSI ONS I N PDL ADS PROVIDED THERE I S PIO SERI OUS OBJ CT I ON FROM I HrlER CORE MEMBERS WECONT INUE TO BE L IE VE THAT US DEL SHOULD SEE K AGR EEMENT TO DEFE R UC STUDY UNTIL CONCLUSION OF DIPLOMA TIC CONFEREPICE AS STATED IN PARA II BELOW END SUMMARY 21 WORK Of DRAFT PROTOCOL S ON INTERflATIONAL HUMAN· ITARIAN LAW APPLICABLE IN ARMED CONFLI CT S I S NEITHER NEW NORSECRET FROII US ALLIE S WORK BEGAN SERI OUSLY IN EXPERTS COPHEXT IN 1971 APID DIPLOMATIC CONFE RENCE HAS BEEN HOLD ING SESSI ONS SUICE 1971 SINCE BE GI NN I NG Of WORK IN 1971 WE HAVE HAO FREQUENT 1-lEET l llC S AT EACH EXPERTS OR DI LOIIATIC COtffEREPICE WITH FORE IGN IIIN IS TRY AND DEFENSE MIPII STRY PERSONNEL Of ALLI ES APID HAVE COORO l t ATED POSITIONS IN GREAT DETAI L WI TH REG ARD TO EYERY I SSUE BEF ORE EACH SESS I Off OF CONFEPENCE AL THOUGH A SPEC I AL COPlrE REt4CE Al NATO WAS CONVE NED IN 1972 TO DISCUSS THE ICRC ORAFT FRO TOCOLS SUBSEQUENT CO ORDI NATI ON HAS USUALLY BEEff DONE I N UN- TYPE CAUCUS GROUP S ltl THE CONHREIICE FORUU THUS M HAYE HAO FREOUE fH ll TINGS Of WESTERN EUROPEAtf Ar o OTHERS IWE Ol GROUP IH ADOITIOrf THERE HAVE Bltff NUIJEROUS AIID HINUll G 81LATERJL AffO L'UL TIL ATERAL LlfETlflGS TO COP COORDI NATE POSITIONS AMOIIC ALLI ES IIEETINGS HAYE NOT ONLy BEEN Al EXPERT LEVEL BUT AT LEYH Of HEADS Of DELE GATION IN ADOITIO'I TO TH I S SINCE BEG INNING OF OI PLOIIATIC CONFERENCE VIE HAYE ALSO HELD l lfl£RSESS I ONAL STATE 0 I llll8866 11 0 GROUP MEET l tfGS EACH YEAR I N LOPIDON TO COORD INATE POSITIONS IN ADD I TIOtl TO l 'EO CROUP WE ESTABL ISHED A SMALLER • INNER CORE OF WEO GROUP I E U S U K FRANCE CAIIAD A AND FRG MICH PIORUALLY MEE TS AT HEAD OF DELEGATIOfl LEVEL AHO WHICH HAS AS BASIC All I PRE COORDINATION OF ISS UES IN l'l'EO CROUP BUT ALSO ADDRE SSES OTHE R ASPE CTS OF CONCERtf TH IS CONSUL TAT I VE MECHAIII SIJ THAS 1'111RKE D W HL OYE R THE PAST YEAR S MIL E IIE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THE SUBJECT ' 31 AS WE IPIDI CAT ED IN REF C U S RECOGNIZES FRG CONCERN PARTICUL ARLY AS REL AT ED TO PR OBLEM WI TH FRC DOMESTIC LAW WE ARE DOING UHlOST TO AC COI U IODATE CONCERN 1'1'£ BEL IEVE THAT COtlSULTA TIVE t lECHAII ISIJ TO COPE WITH FRG PROBL EM HAS MOVED RAT I ONALLY IN PAST HALF YEAR AS INDICATED FIRST 'i' DISCUSSED FRC CONCE RN BILATER ALLY NEXT WE REVI EWED THOSE CONC ERNS IN THE • INNER CORE GROUP WI TH AN EFFOR T TO DETERMINING A UNIF IED APPROACH FOR DEALI NG WITH PROBL E OURlffG BONN IJEET I NG WE DISCUSS ED BOTH SUBSTANCE OF FRG PROBLEMS ArlD STRATEGY FOR FURTHER COUSULTAT I ON ON PROBLEUS AND FOR PRESENlltlG PROB LE M TO tmo AS IND I CATED IN REF c WE THOUGHT WE HAD AGREED ON AN APPROACH FOR BR INCINC THE PROBLEM TO NATO FRC SC ENARIO DESCRI BE D IN PARA I OF REF B DOE S ffOT COINCIDE WITH OUR UNDERSTANDI NG or CONCENSUS AT BOffN MEET ING AND WE CONT INUE TO QUESTION WHETHER TH I S REPRESENTS A COORDltlATEO FRC POSITION ' I t • 1 • f t J J PA - t ' r' • U M j V • ' • 4lFYI IN ASS ESSING PROBLEM IT IS IMPOR TANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT ALLI ES WI THIN AND OUTSIDE NA TO HAVE BASICALLY BEEN IN ACCORD WI TH S IUTER PRETATI ONS OF PROYISIONS IN PROTOCOLS FRG LEGAL POSITIO S IS SET FOiTH IN BONN HAVE NOT FOUND SUPPORT I N INNER COFE EXCEPT FOR FRANCE AND WE DOUBT THEY IIOULD 6E SUPPORTED I r IO GROUP THE RE IS A REAL CONCERN THH CERTAI N FRG OFFI CIALS MAY BE TRYING TO DERA IL ORAFT 10TOCOL BY US I NG NATO AS ME CHANI SM Sl HE AD OF USDEL TO CENEYAC0Nf£REIICE DEPUTY LEGAL ADVI SER ALDR I CH BEL IE V£S TH AT FRC DEFENSE MINISTRY INTElrRET TI ONS REPRESE NT AN EFFORT BY CE RT AIN FRC OFF I CI ALS TO P EVEIIT ACCEP TANCE OF PROTOCOLS THES C INTHPREUl l ONS ARE EXTHLI£ ANO I T WOULD MAH NO SENSE TO GIVE THEIi ANY CURRENCY IF ONE WE RE EXPECT ING TO BECO'IE A PARH TO THE PROTOCOLS SINCE THE l'l ST CAN OT PREVE NT ADOPTION Of PROTOCOLS BY CONFERE NCE I T IS IN OU INHRfST TO SEE TH EM INTE RPRETED REASONABLY WH ETHER OR hOT WE BECOllf PARTI ES TO THEM THI S IS Alf l lll'ORTANT CONSI D£ UTION THE FRG SEEIIS THUS FAR UNABLE TO UNDERSTAND BUl W£ UUS T EEP TRYING TO EXPLA I N I T ENO FYI -- 6 11'£ SE T FORTH REASONS l 1tY WE BEL IEYEO COMll£NCELIENT OF STUDY SHOULD BE DELAYED IN REF C AS NOT ED ABOVE THERE HA VE BEEN AND WILL CONT INUE TO BE INTENSI VE CONSUL TA TIONS AT DIPLOUATIC COPIFE RENCE TO ACHIEVE MAX IIIUII POSS IBL E COHE RENCE IN POS I TIOtlS OF ALLI ES AND I N LEG AL I NTE RPRET ATION OF ARTICLE S 1'1'£ FRANKLY DO NOT BEL IEVE THAT NAT O IS IN BE ST POS I TI ON TO SOR T OUT LEGAL INTERPRETAT I ONS OF ART ICLE S Al PRESENT TIU AN AS SESSMENT BY l IC OF MIL IT ARY ILIFL I CATION OF PROVISIONS IN PROTOCOL COULD BE POTE NT I AL LY DAMAGirlC IF BASED ON ERROtlEOUS OR DIVERGENT LEGAL I NTE PR ETAT I OIIS MC STUD Y BASED ON FRG STATED INTERPRET AT IONS COULD DR AW CONCLUSIOtlS RECARDltiG llll'LIC AT IONS OF PROTOCOL FOR NATO STRATEGY THAT WE RE UNREU I STIC ANO COULD CO A LONG WAY I N DE RAILING ORA ON PRO TOCOL 71 UC STUDY CAN ONLY REASONABLY BE UNDERTAKEN I F AND l liEN WOR ON PROTOCOL I S COl 1PL ETE D PR OVI SI OflS MUST BE CONSIDERED IN RE LAT I OU TO OTHER TEXT S IN PROTOCOL CONFIDENTIAL DECLASSIFIE Authority rJ l e o7 J ' i - I CONFIDENTIAL Departnzent of State PACE 12 OF 82 STA TE 888166 THUS FOR EXW LE IT IS DIFFICULT TO COlllA NT ON SEVERAL Of PROVISIONS CONCERNING tfANS l• O LtETHOOS OF COMSAT WITHOUT kNOWINC OUTCOUE ON ART 12 CONCER IUC GUERRILLAS ANO HAVING COL PLETE liECOTIATING RECORD 01 E OF PROBLEMS INHERENT IN FRC INTERPRETATIONS IS TENDENCY TO TAKE ARTICLES OUT OF CONTEXT OF OTHER ART ICL ES ANO OF hECOTIATlhC RECORD 'II STRES S '11£ AR£ CONCERNED ABOUT FR C PROBLEM ANO THAT FOR THIS REASON HAVE ACREEO TO RAISE ISSUES IN NATO BUT WE 'll OULO COIISIOER IT APPROPRIATE TO BEG I N STUDY oin Y llHEli ANO IF PROTOCOL IS co lETEO 11 ADD ITION TO OTHER REASONS A VERY REAL PRACTICAL PROBLEM IS THAT 1'1£ BEL EVE REQUISITE EXPERTISE CANIIOT BE IIARSHALLEO IN ADVANCE OF OIPLOIIUIC CONFERENCE TO ENSURE STUDY RECEIVES LE VEL OF SUPPORT '11£ FEEL ESSENTIAL WE BEL EYE THE UK A'lO CAIUOA SHARE THIS VIE# 1 WE Will BE ABLE TO WORK Oil PROBLEM OURINC OIPLOIIHIC co FERENC ANO IIIMEOIAT lY THEREAFTE R II AS A CONCRETE STEP M COULD ACREE TO BEC IN SIDE CONSUL TATIOIIS AUOrlC M£118ERS OF INNER CORE AT CEIIEYA OIP lOLtHIC COIIFERENC BEC INNI IIC IN IIID- APRll WITH VIEW TOWARD OEVElOPINC THE MANDATE FOR A UC STUDY IN AGREEABLE FORM IF WE 'IIHE SUCCESSFUL '11 iUlO VET RESUl TS THROUGH REGULAR CHlllmS THIS MlUlD PROVIDE REAL CHANCE FOR UC STUDY TO 8ECIN AT COW'LET101 OF DIPLOUAIIC CONFERE'1CL ftOTE THAT IF STUDY HAO AS BASIS COUMON INTERPRETATIONS Of PROVISIONS IN PROTOCOL AND SPECIF IC QUESTIOIIS R CAROINC IIIPLICAIIOIIS FOR NATO STRATEGY IT SHOULD BE SIW'lER FOR IIC TO UNDERUH ANO COMPL ETE PROMPTLY STATE OUTGOING TELEGRAM 8U866 11 Al TH OUCH WE ACREE THAT PROBL Ell Of 08 TAI NI NC MC STUDY SHOULD BE APPROPRIATELY RAISED 114 NUO WE ARE NOT ANXIOUS TO CET OUT IH FRONT PRESS FOR STUDT 'II BCllEV WE SHOULD SORT OUT PROBLE S SOUE • AT UORE CL ARl y AIIONC IIEIIBERS or IN ER CORE SHOPE 11Ah G INITIAL PRESENTAT ION TO OTHER ALLIES THIS APPEl•S TO US LOGICAL UETHOO Of STRUCTURING CO SULTATIONS ANO PRE YENTINC THAT THEY CE OUT OF HANO II ISSIO IS THUS AUTHORIZED TO PROC O WITH CO SULTATION W IH OTHEI 11£11BERS OF IN ER CORE· ANO TO RAISE SUBJECT IN POLAOS PROYIOEO HERE IS NO SERIOUS OBJECTION FICII l Et CCRE IIEIIBERS USDEl SHOULD SEH ACREEtlUT TO OEHi IIC SICOY UNTIL CONCLUSION Or DIPLOUATIC CC fftENCE so SuPPC T PROIIPT STUDY THEREAFTER DESIC ED TO PERIi T EYALva1 c Of SECURITY IMPLICATIOIIS BEFORE 111 0 UE llftS lllll BE REQUIRED TO DECIDE IIHETHCR TO SIC PROTOCOt I TfiESE CONS ULTATIOIIS AND DISCUSSION II HHE o STROliC PHFERENCE AS TO llliO RAISES OUESTIO IN POLIDS Ill rcCONSULTATIONS tND IN POLADS II ss c IS ·Hct1 r TO DRAW 011 ABOVE AND REF C AS PPIOPIJAIE II JI ll tEUE• SITUAT ION IN LICHT OF RESULTS OF CC S TltlO S I POLADS DISCUSSIONS KISS INGER 114 THI S CONNECTION use BELIEVES IT WOULD BE YEil DESIRABLE TO HAY A COllltON NATO EYALUAIIOH or PROTOCOLS PRIOR TO THEIR SIGNATURE IF 1'0SSIBL£ BUT THIS CLEULY CANNOT BE DONE UNLESS PRESEIIT FRC IIIT RP ETATIONS AIE MODIFIED IT SHOULD BE UlOE CLEAR THAT use ACCEPTS RECOMIJ NOAIJONS or aor 11 L1HTINC ONLY lrJSOFAR AS IT El VISACED SEVERAL UOIHHS or STUDY BY NATO FOllOIIINC CONCLUSION OF CONFERENCE ANO PRIOR 10 FINAL DECISION OH PROIOCOl SIGIIATUR IAS INDICATED IN HF 1C1 • ll 00 NOT FE EL PROTOCOL OULD BE READY TO BE OPEN FOR SICNAT UIE BEFORE SEPTEl 'B R Cl EARLY use COULD 1101 l P AT NOT ACCE PT A RICH or YE10 BY OIIE OR SEVERAL OTHER NATO COUNTR IES ON OUR DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO SICN ON£ OR BOTH PROTOCOLS BUT M RECOGNIZE THAT VlEll or ALL ALLIES PART ICUlAll t THOSE IN NATO Will BE IMPORTANT FACTOR IN US DECISION 'II WISH NA TO TO HAVE REASONl8lE OPPORTUN ITY TO DO STUDY A D FOR IT 10 BE DISCUSSED IN AD VANCE OF DECISIO 'III BELIEVE USrFUlfj SS or SUCH STUDY WOULD BE TO PERUIT INOI YIDUll GOYERNUENTS IC MUS T f lA t Ul TIUATE DECI SIONS ON THER OR NOT TD SICN PROTOCOL TO ASSESS EEO FOR ANY UNDERSTANDING 01 RESERVATION UI DO NOT AIITI CIPAIE SICNIFICA 'tT PR08lEIIS Al NEXT UNGA IF Ml IS PPED UP AT FO HH SESS IC OF DIPLOMATI C cor1ruu CE cor StOERATtOrl O UhGl Will HCI A8l y NOT BE BHCRE UIO-IIOH R BECAUSE or TIii HCUliED TO PREPARE hEC£SSAO HPORTS ll JY OYEI IT II l BE NOTED THAI THIS IT£11 JS UEATED Ill SIXTH LECUI COw JITTEE OF UhCA ll ilCH FOR LAST SEVE Al YEARS HAS COhFlhED ITSELF TO PROCEDUR l l RESOlullO S scrPOtTING WCR OF DIPLOL1AT IC COIIFEW1CE BECAUSE er Tllll C PROILEII IT IS U LIHU THH S XTH CO 'ITTEE COULD DEA IN ANY SU8SUNTIY llH 111 H NEW PIOIOCCLS AT M I L l A PROCEDURAL ESOLUTIO GENERALLY lllt lCOU IIC AOOPT C C' EW PIOTOCOLS A O URCINC STATES TO CO SIOER £A lY R T IFICAT tC IS NOT ll Lt TO llll'lhCE c •T c L DECISION- A lhC OF NATO AL LIES R GAROJNij U DE•STA t GS A O OR R S RYATtCNS CONFIDENTIAL DECLASSIFIED Authority NtJ D floJ 1 'i _ '