PROPOSED AGENDA FOR 2005 U.S.-CANADA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 000933 SIPDIS STATE FOR PM/PMAT, PM/RSAT, WHA/CAN, WHA/PPC E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/30/2015 TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS CA IDR LTG SUBJECT: PROPOSED AGENDA FOR 2005 U.S.-CANADA POLITICAL-MILITARY CONSULTATIONS REF: SECSTATE 57415 Classified By: POL M/C BRIAN FLORA. REASON 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) Polmiloff conveyed Acting Assistant Secretary Likins' acceptance of the invitation to attend the first U.S.-Canada pol-mil consultations in Ottawa to Barbara Martin, Foreign Affairs Canada Director of North American and Euro-Atlantic Security and Defence Relations Division (IDR),on March 30. Martin reiterated how pleased the Canadian government is that consultations will take place and expressed hope that the April 27 meeting would form a solid base for regular talks in the future. IDR co-Deputy Director Gavin Buchan participated in the meeting. ¶2. (C) Reviewing the proposed agenda in reftel Martin noted that a Canadian version of the agenda was in the final stages of the clearance process and would be sent to the Canadian Embassy shortly for delivery to PM. Though reluctant to share the as-yet-uncleared draft, Martin said that the GOC version reflected Canadian aspirations that the agenda would encompass the broad range of security cooperation between the U.S. and Canada, and perhaps identify opportunities to advance/enhance mutual security interests. Hence the GOC's initial push to incorporate bilateral issues such as missile defense, NORAD and NORTHCOM, PJBD, PSI and the QDR. Martin acknowledged the USG's institutional constraints on this approach, however, and said the GOC was satisfied with the concept of holding separate talks on bilateral issues with the appropriate actors. At the same time, with regard to the timeframe for talks, Martin said the GOC prefers to fold the bilateral discussions into the same day as the polmil talks. Her comments on the proposed agenda follow. ¶3. (C) Sessions One and Two: GOC hopes for a more fluid ("less cut-and-dried") approach, where the themes in both sessions might be covered as a bloc. Regarding the possibility of a briefing on the Canada Command, Martin said that she had little information available at this time. She speculated that Chief of Defence Staff LTG Hillier's trip to Washington next week might pave the way for a "very general" briefing (since this is more a bilateral issue) in the context of polmil talks. ¶4. (C) International Defense and Security -- The GOC doesn't have any specific NATO or EU "issues" it wants to raise. Rather the Canadians envision a broad exchange of views on transatlantic relations, to include USG perspective on current NATO situation, particularly in the wake of the President's trip, USG/Canadian thinking on difficulties at OSCE, and generically "dealing with the EU" on transatlantic security. ¶5. (C) Regional Security Issues -- Martin noted that Andean security concerns (notably Venezuela) fall under the purview of an entirely different Assistant Deputy Minister (Americas) and don't "fit". -- As in the discussion of transatlantic relations, GOC seeks more of an exchange of views regarding regional stability/security in Asia, particularly as it pertains to current China-Taiwan dynamic, DPRK nuclear ambitions, EU China arms embargo, etc., and exploring whether and how organizations such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (in which Canada takes a strong interest) might contribute to mitigating tensions. -- The GOC would like to exchange views on India/Pakistan security concerns. Martin noted that A/DM Wright may be especially keen on this subject as he will have just returned from bilateral "strategic stability talks" in the region. ¶6. (C) GWOT -- Canada prefers a fluid discussion format, and agenda items that are less "operational" and more "country-specific". ¶7. (C) International Crisis Operations -- Again, GOC envisions exchange of views. Buchan (protect) remarked privately that the situation in Sudan appears to be accelerating into a top political priority for the PMO. (Comment: Retired General Romeo Dallaire's book on the Rwandan genocide is a bestseller in Canada, has been widely publicized and avidly discussed. It may be a factor in Canadians' deep sensitization to the crisis in Darfur. End comment). ¶8. (C) Small Arms/Light Weapons and Landminesnonproliferation -- Martin believes that these issues receive a great deal of attention in separate bilateral nonproliferation talks. She thought that they could be dropped from this agenda in the interest of saving time. Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa DICKSON