RUSSIA G-8 PRESIDENCY HOSTS MEETING ON ENGAGING

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 001884 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/AGS AND S/CT - JSANDAGE USEU FOR KERBER AND UNDERWOOD E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/05/2016 TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV EIND ELTN ETTC GM SUBJECT: RUSSIA G-8 PRESIDENCY HOSTS MEETING ON ENGAGING THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN COUNTERTERRORISM REF: SANDAGE - KOUMANS EMAILS Classified By: Minister-Counselor for Economic Affairs Robert F. Cekuta for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. German, UK, U.S., and Canadian representatives used a counterterrorism meeting co-organized in Berlin by the Russian MFA and the East West Institute (EWI) to encourage a more structured Russian effort in official G-8 Roma-Lyon channels. The plan that emerged from the June 30 meeting involves (1) From July - October: G-8 countries reaching out to the private sector to seek suggestions on how to combat terrorism more effectively; (2) Before early September: G-8 countries vetting and circulating, but not necessarily endorsing, those proposals; (3) October 10: a conference in Brussels, hosted by Russia, to review the proposals and identify which to pursue; and (4) a November conference in Moscow, chaired by Russian President Putin, to endorse the workplan and begin work on the proposals. Russia and EWI will chair another meeting July 11 in Brussels to discuss their plans further and solicit additional input. RUSSIA PROPOSES G-8 PRIVATE SECTOR INITIATIVE -------------- ¶2. (C) Russia and EWI invited representatives from G-8 countries and selected companies to the June 30 Berlin meeting, titled "Cross-Border Movement of People, Goods and Money." Russian MFA Deputy Director for New Challenges and Threats Vladimir Andreyev outlined a schedule of four meetings in the initiative: The June 30 Berlin meeting, a second meeting to discuss the Russian initiative July 11 in Brussels, a third meeting October 10 in Brussels, and last a November 27-29 conference in Moscow, chaired by President Putin, with "highest possible" international governmental and industry attendance. The plan was to "establish a basis for future dialogue, launch a process, reach deeper understanding, and forge a genuine partnership with the private sector" in the fight against terrorism, Andreyev explained. Russia would describe this plan to the G-8 in St. Petersburg. Andreyev apologized that this first Russian G-8 Presidency had been a challenge, but said Russia counted on G-8 support for an initiative that held great interest in Russia. The MFA, he continued, would do everything to support the Russian proposal. ¶3. (C) German, UK, and U.S. reps expressed several concerns about the Russian initiative, including (1) whether the meetings would be under formal G-8 auspices, and if not, who would host; (2) the difficulty in obtaining senior governmental and private sector attendance given the little time left for preparation and given that G-8 leaders are already going to Russia in July; (3) how the initiative would be tied to the already informally agreed draft "Strategy for Partnerships between Governments and Businesses to Counter Terrorism." Andreyev responded Russia sought an official G-8 event, but with a "true private sector partnership." Businesses should provide input on the strategy paper -- the G-8 should not just present a fait accompli. Then G-8 Roma-Lyon delegation heads would have to approve the changes, followed by Sherpas and Ministers, Andreyev said. The Russian Deputy DG continued that a Russian firm had proposed including a section on corruption in the strategy paper; the Russian MFA had agreed. Andreyev explained the Russian stance was that all G-8 members should solicit private sector comments on the strategy document; in addition, the private sector should suggest new policies and practices to improve international counterterrorism efforts. G-8 REPS RESPOND -------------- ¶4. (C) German and UK reps told Andreyev that, contrary to a suggestion he made, G-8 Sherpas and Ministers had not already approved the strategy paper. Canadian Embassy PolCouns Ian Shaw reported the Canadian government had held two conferences with industry representatives and had circulated the strategy paper. Canada offered to circulate to the G-8 the Canadian companies' proposals and comments and also proposed the G-8 look for suggestions of practical steps G-8 countries could take that are tied to the 19 points in the strategy paper. Companies could use a standard one-page template form for their proposals. UK Foreign Office Counterterrorism Policy Officer in the Directorate for Defense and Security Threats Dr. Simon Harkin said HMG had also circulated the strategy paper to UK businesses and could also circulate the comments and proposals HMG received. Andreyev agreed to circulate Russian companies' counterterrorism proposals. The German delegate, MFA Counterterrorism Officer Holger Kraemer, asked Russia to clarify whom it and EWI had invited or would invite to the July and October Brussels meetings. It is hard for the German government to invite companies to an event Germany did not host, Kraemer cautioned, but Germany could suggest German companies the organizers could invite. Andreyev and EWI agreed to circulate an invitees list. ¶5. (C) U.S. rep (Embassy Global Affairs Officer),per emailed instructions from S/CT, said the U.S. supports the overall goal of meaningful participation of private sector, as exhibited by the large U.S. private sector presence at a G-8 counterterrorism conference earlier in the year. That said, Russia should circulate to Roma-Lyon heads of delegation by the middle of the week of July 3 a clear plan for their consideration. As to including anti-corruption in the strategy paper, the U.S. had to reserve its position. While the U.S. shared Russian concerns, other fora might be more appropriate for this question in order to keep the G-8 strategy focused on CT. No Italian representative was present; the only Japanese intervention from MFA Senior Coordinator for Intelligence Analysis in the International Counter Terrorism Cooperation Division Toshikatsz Aozama was to say he could not guarantee Japanese industry representatives would attend the July Brussels meeting. A PLAN EMERGES -------------- ¶6. (C) Andreyev said the July event in Brussels will focus on the same issues on the agenda in Berlin ("Cross-Border Movement of People, Goods and Money"),but with two additional areas: Cyber security and Critical infrastructure protection, particularly energy infrastructure. Then, during the summer, G-8 countries would circulate the strategy paper to their business communities and solicit reactions to it as well as companies' proposals for counterterrorism practices. There was a sense among those present that G-8 members should vet proposals from the private sector before circulating them and that circulating a proposal did not imply endorsement. Also, businesses should submit their proposals before early September to give G-8 capitals time to review them before the October meeting. Andreyev explained that the purpose of the October meeting would be to discuss the private sector's proposals. Then the November meeting would propose practical results and projects and thereby achieve senior Russian leaders' objective of launching of a process of partnership with the private sector. EAST WEST INSTITUTE -------------- ¶7. (C) During the meeting, the EWI circulated a "Projected Outcomes" paper (on Russian MFA and EWI letterhead -- faxed to S/CT) that Canada criticized as "going beyond" the Roma-Lyon strategy paper. Germany and U.S. reps asked for it electronically before Andreyev said that he, too, was seeing it for the first time and that the Russian MFA might still have edits. He added EWI "helped Russia a lot" but Russia would circulate the paper later. As for media involvement in the Russian initiative, EWI President and CEO John Mroz said the November event would be open to the press, but all meetings before then were off the record. The EWI President said he had already contacted some U.S. and European businesses, including Microsoft, and companies had insisted on confidentiality in order to give honest, serious proposals, Mroz said. The EWI President and Andreyev asked G-8 members to ensure good commercial sector participation and Mroz asked for more names to invite. The EWI envisions five to six agencies in each country's delegation, from intelligence, transport, information, customs, economics, and other ministries, Mroz said. In an aside to U.S. and UK reps, Mroz said senior U.S. officials support EWI's efforts to assist the Russian G-8 presidency. He added Russian officials sometimes did not understand G-8 practices, for example assuming G-8 approval of ideas or papers still under discussion. He asked that the UK and U.S. tell Russia clearly what is approved and what is not. PRIVATE SECTOR INTERVENTIONS -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Industry Director for Public Security Sean O'Brien from German software firm SAP -- which provided the meeting venue -- made a pitch for a "common passport / identity strategy" to accelerate border crossings. What about a globally integrated public security system, he asked. General Director of Consulting and Marketing International Center (a Russian firm) Mikhail Minchenkov said recovery from a dirty bomb would cost $250 billion and destabilize the global financial system; therefore the world needed international terrorism insurance, he said. He elaborated Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov agreed with the idea, which would require a multilateral agreement with the by-in of international companies. General Director of the Russian firm SPHERA said global information technology is too vulnerable and countries use too many different systems. The world needs a unified security strategy, because currently too many national authorities create too many regulations, he said. Aeroflot First Deputy to the DG on Industrial Activity Vladimir Antonov stated the world spends more on reacting to terrorism than on its prevention and should coordinate better. Existing ICAO, IATA mechanisms are not enough; the G-8 needs to give leadership, he said. TIMKEN JR