FM DOWNER MAY RAISE IDEA OF RICE/DOWNER JOINT

UNCLAS CANBERRA 000749 SIPDIS STATE FOR NP, T, IIP, EAP/ANP, AND EAP/PD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MNUC PARM PGOV PHSA PREL KNNP GG KPAO OIIP AS SUBJECT: FM DOWNER MAY RAISE IDEA OF RICE/DOWNER JOINT OP-ED FOR PSI ANNIVERSARY REF: A. SECSTATE 75179 ¶B. FITZGERALD-CRYSTAL-COONEY APRIL EMAILS ¶1. (U) Poloff delivered on April 27 Ref A talking points on activities related to the second anniversary of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) International Security Division Executive Officer Lucinda Bell. Bell expressed appreciation for the U.S. ideas, but said the GOA's focus was on the proposal for a Secretary Rice/Foreign Minister Downer joint op-ed (Ref B) piece highlighting PSI successes to be placed in Australian, and perhaps international (Asian Wall Street Journal, International Herald Tribune),newspapers near the date of the PSI anniversary on May 31. Bell said that, while the GOA would not have a cleared draft in time for the May 4 Rice/Downer meeting in Washington, FM Downer would likely raise the idea of the joint op-ed with the Secretary at their meeting. STANTON