AUSMIN 2005: INITIAL LOGISTICAL ISSUES AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L CANBERRA 001129 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/ANP; OSD FOR ISP/EPHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/30/2015 TAGS: OVIP OTRA PREL ASEC PGOV AS SUBJECT: AUSMIN 2005: INITIAL LOGISTICAL ISSUES AND QUESTIONS Classified By: Polcouns Woo Lee. Reasons 1.4 (B,D). ¶1. (C) Summary: The GOA convened an initial AUSMIN interagency planning session with Emboffs on June 29 to consider logistics issues: dates, accommodations, security, transportation, number of delegates, advance teams, media, etc. DFAT and other GOA agency representatives stressed the importance Australia attached to the annual Australia/U.S. Ministerial meetings and how much Foreign Minister Downer and Defence Minister Hill looked forward to hosting this year's meeting in their shared hometown of Adelaide. DFAT emphasized the urgency for planning and budgetary purposes of locking in the AUSMIN dates as soon as possible. End Summary. ¶2. (C) DFAT Americas Branch Assistant Secretary Richard Maude called in Polcouns and Emboffs on June 29 for an initial interagency logistical planning discussion for AUSMIN 2005, which the GOA hopes to host at Government House in Adelaide, November 17 - 18. Maude explained that, even though the AUSMIN dates were still tentative, the GOA needed to begin planning immediately for budgeting purposes so that contracts for transportation, office equipment and supplies and other logistics could be arranged by mid-July. The GOA's notional plan is to hold a dinner on the evening of the first day as the first official event. The second day would include a morning session starting at 09:00, a working lunch and a short afternoon session ending at 15:00. The final event would be a joint media opportunity at 15:30, after which the Secretaries would be free to depart. FIRMING UP THE DATES -------------- ¶3. (C) The main AUSMIN issue at present for the GOA, Maude stated, was to confirm dates as soon as possible. While SecDef Rumsfeld had confirmed his availability for November 17-18, Maude understood that the 17th might be when APEC Leaders held their bilaterals before the formal APEC Leaders' meetings on the 18th and 19th. Maude wondered whether Secretary Rice might have to remain in Busan to attend the SIPDIS President's bilateral meetings. (NOTE: In Australia's case, FM Downer does not normally attend PM Howard's meetings with other Leaders.) In any case, the GOA's priority was to find out if the dates of November 17-18 were acceptable to Secretary Rice, and if not, what alternate dates were SIPDIS possible for both Secretary Rice and Secretary Rumsfeld. BUDGET-RELATED QUESTIONS -------------- ¶4. (C) Maude said that the only two five-star hotels in Adelaide were the Hyatt and Hilton and that Government House facilities would not be appropriate for the principals. In order to submit a budget proposal by an internal-GOA July 11 deadline, Maude said DFAT would be grateful if the U.S. could provide estimates of the number and size of pre-advance and advance teams from both State and Defense, as well as the size of the final AUSMIN delegation. A list of other logistics requirements that would involve GOA resources would also be helpful. MEETING FORMAT -------------- ¶5. (C) Maude said the GOA had found the smaller format used in the 2004 AUSMIN of seven principals plus one notetaker from each side highly successful in promoting substantive dialogue. Australia hoped the same format could be used for the Adelaide session. In closing, Maude reiterated that Australia considered AUSMIN to be the centerpiece of the annual bilateral meeting schedule, and would do all it could to ensure that the 2005 session was a success. STANTON