CANADA: PREPARATIONS FOR CICTE

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000329 SIPDIS INL FOR CARROLL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC PREL PTER CA OAS CICTE SUBJECT: CANADA: PREPARATIONS FOR CICTE REF: STATE 17684 ¶1. Foreign Affairs Canada, Director for International Crime, Evelyn Puxley told poloff on February 2 that the Government of Canada is in full agreement with the US on the importance of CICTE's role in strengthening hemispheric political will to combat terrorism and enhance OAS member states' counterterrorism capacity. In response to reftel, Puxley noted that during the January 24-27 US-EU consultations in Washington, her counterterrorism policy officer, Helene Viau had told US officials that Canada is in favor of keeping the language of the upcoming Fifth CICTE Regular Session in line with previous declarations and insisted that the term quote connections unquote between terrorism and illicit transnational activity (e.g., narcotrafficking, arms trafficking, contraband smuggling, document fraud, etc.,) should remain in this year's texts. She stressed that by doing so the OAS members would leave no doubt that the campaign against terrorism must be waged on all fronts. ¶2. Puxley reiterated that Canada is also of the mind that to be effectual the OAS Secretariat must have regular funding, primarily through voluntary contributions from member states. As a result, she said that Canada intends to provide an annual contribution of some USD 90,000, beginning in December (pending approval of Canada's Treasury Board). ¶3. Canada's head of delegation to the Fifth CICTE Regular Session shall be Senior Coordinator for International Crime and Terrorism, Ruth Archibald. The Canadian delegation shall also include Andrew McAlister of the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness - Canada (a cyber-crime specialist),Helene Viau, Foreign Affairs Canada, Doug Fraiser, Canada's OAS permanent representative and three other counterterrorism specialists. Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa CELLUCCI