COUNTERTERRORISM ACTION GROUP -- GUATEMALAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 GUATEMALA 000362

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR S/CT, WHA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2014
TAGS: PTER ASEC PREL GT
SUBJECT: COUNTERTERRORISM ACTION GROUP -- GUATEMALAN
RESPONSE

REF: STATE 14279

Classified By: PolMilOff Rob Copley for reason 1.5 (b) and (c).


1. (C) Summary: Few of the G-8 diplomatic missions to
Guatemala have counter-terrorism (CT) programs, and we
detected no overlap among them. None of the other missions
have conducted formal assessments of Guatemala's CT needs.
However, there is a consensus that Guatemala's greatest CT
weakness is a lack of coordination within the government that
results in lack of control. End Summary.


2. (C) The embassies of Great Britain, Japan, Italy, Germany,
and Switzerland in Guatemala are not currently engaged in any
programs that enhance CT capabilities and have no CT programs
planned for 2004. Per reftel instructions, in addition to
G-8 embassies, we included Spain, Australia, and Switzerland,
and note that Russia and Australia do not have embassies in
Guatemala. Information on the limited Italian, French,
Spanish and Canadian programs is provided below.

Italy
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3. (C) Commercial Attache Pino Carabalona said his government
has no bilateral CT programs in Guatemala but does provide
one Italian official through the European Union to work with
the Guatemalan Police.

France
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4. (C) DCM Laurent Martin told us his government has no CT
programs planned for 2004, nor does it have any current law
enforcement programs that enhance Guatemalan CT capabilities.
Martin said that his government provides some training to
the SAAS (Guatemalan Secret Service),but he does not
consider the training CT related.

Spain
--------------


5. (C) Security Chief Gerardo Otero told us his government
held a conference in Spain in 2003 to discuss a bilateral CT
treaty and that in November, 2004 Spain would host a
conference in Bolivia on the globalization of organized crime
and terrorism. Otero said Guatemalan officials would attend.
Spain has provided general assistance to the Police Academy
in the past and has a pending GOG request to continue that
assistance, but Otero had no information as to whether the
request would be approved by his government. In a slight
difference of opinion on Guatemala's CT needs, Otero cited
lack of awareness, saying that Guatemalan officials
underestimate the global nature of the threat due to
misperceptions based on the small role they play and the
relatively low number of special interest aliens they believe
transit Guatemalan territory.

Canada
--------------


6. (C) Political Counselor Ginette Martin told us that Canada
channels its CT programs through multilateral organizations
such as the OAS, and said that this support tends to focus on
the softer side of security (Note: the German, Swiss, and
Japanese representatives all said they work through
multilateral organizations also, but none could provide
details. End note). Martin mentioned a Canadian fund for
institutional reform that has not been tapped due to problems
with Guatemala's Attorney General. She said the fund could
be redirected to strengthen capabilities in the security
area, although not specifically to CT programs. Martin added
that her embassy was concluding the first phase of a 3-year,
$400,000 initiative aimed at improving crime scene
investigation by the Guatemalan police. Martin also said
that Canada has funded expert exchanges among security
officials in support of the "Framework Treaty on Democratic
Security." Martin further stated that Guatemalan authorities
have been included in witness protection and money laundering
programs conducted in Mexico by the Royal Canadian Mounted
Police, but she had no further details. Martin felt that the
Berger administration is too new, at this stage, for any
realistic discussion of its unmet CT needs.

Consensus on Needs
--------------


7. (C) Aside from the Canadian and Spanish representatives,
all of the other officials agreed that Guatemala's greatest
CT need is to establish control over its territory. Nearly
everyone had examples of serious security problems at
Guatemala's airports and borders.

8. (C) Comment: Most members of the CTAG represented in
Guatemala are important donors to economic development and
Peace Accord-related bilateral assistance programs. While
there has been growing interest in strengthening cooperation
in fighting transnational crime, and terrorism specifically,
assistance efforts remain focused largely on economic
development issues. We will exploit the growing interest of
CTAG embassies in Guatemala in increasing coordination on
enhancing the rule of law and fighting transnational crime.
WHARTON