Pages 15-17 from FCO 177-654

The document is a note discussing a meeting between Mr. Konstantin Grichchenko, the Head of Arm Control and Disarmament Department of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the author. They discussed various non-proliferation issues, including the MTCR, COCOM, export controls, and nuclear non-proliferation.

Grichchenko outlined the structure of the Ukrainian Arm Control and Disarmament Department, which is divided into four directorates. They requested assistance from the IAEA to place their nuclear material under safeguards before acceding to the NPT. The UK was considering initiatives to provide assistance through G7, Australia, and the EC. They also discussed the control of dual-use systems and the establishment of an export control system in Ukraine.

Grichchenko raised concerns about US sanctions on the Ukrainian space launching program and the use of non-proliferation regimes to protect industries. The author justified the sanctions based on non-proliferation grounds and discussed the challenges of balancing non-proliferation and commercial advantage.

Grichchenko expressed interest in Ukraine joining the MTCR and requested further information on the regime. The author agreed to provide relevant documents and suggested that UK experts on the MTCR could engage directly with the Ukrainians.

Grichchenko proposed hosting a non-proliferation seminar in Kiev and mentioned the possibility of NATO or NACC involvement. The author discussed a previous seminar organized by the US in Warsaw and expressed the need for broader attendance and participation from the Republics of the FSU.

The author explained COCOM's proposal to include Eastern Bloc countries in the COCOM Cooperation Forum and mentioned the ongoing relaxation of COCOM restrictions. Grichchenko raised concerns about the impact of COCOM restrictions on Ukraine's microchips and precision machine tools.

The meeting concluded positively, and Grichchenko expressed interest in holding further discussions in Kiev. He briefly mentioned the Ukrainian government's commitment to NPT accession but noted the growing public and parliamentary support for maintaining nuclear weapons.

The note is copied to several individuals involved in non-proliferation and defense matters.