S/CT AMB. CRUMPTON'S MEETING WITH EU CT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BERLIN 002676

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR S/CT, EUR/AGS, EUR/PGI, EUR/ERA, INL AND L

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/13/2016
TAGS: PTER PGOV PREL KHLS EAID GM EU
SUBJECT: S/CT AMB. CRUMPTON'S MEETING WITH EU CT
COORDINATOR DE VRIES


Classified By: DCM John M. Koenig for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary. Coordinator for Counterterrorism Henry
Crumpton, meeting EU Counterterrorism Coordinator Gijs de
Vries September 6 in Berlin, stated the need for the U.S. and
EU to incorporate all the tools at their disposal -- social,
commercial, economic, and diplomatic tools -- in the fight
against terrorism. De Vries noted EU surprise in learning
DHS Secretary Chertoff wants to expand aspects of the U.S.-EU
PNR agreement, rather than simply renewing the substance of
the agreement disallowed by the European Court of Justice.
De Vries noted the EU's focus on combating radicalization and
recruitment and he and Amb. Crumpton also discussed EU and
U.S. CT efforts in third countries. End Summary.

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AN INTEGRATED COUNTERTERRORISM APPROACH
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2. (C) Ambassador Crumpton stressed the critical need in
counterterrorism policy of engaging the public; it is the
terrorists' target. The U.S. and EU should use all tools of
statecraft -- military, diplomatic, economic -- and also the
private sector to counter the efforts of terrorists. The
U.S. and EU should harness their huge economic power in the
global war on terrorism. Aid and investment are critical
tools, as is the provision of electric power, including via
solar and wind, to improve lives and undercut terrorists'
recruitment efforts. Some places, like tribal areas in
Pakistan, are neglected and only the UAE has contributed,
Crumpton said. De Vries agreed a holistic approach is needed
and noted the EU is focusing on radicalization and
recruitment both within the EU and abroad; that is priority
one. Second is targeting aid to improve security, borders,
ports, airports, and police work. The challenge is to
encourage a democratic agenda, civil liberties, and human
rights; and to find more ways for the U.S. and EU to
cooperate outside the EU. De Vries said the EU is concerned
about unresponsive governments and the EU has tried to look
at its own messages to determine what is the EU narrative to
counter that of the terrorists. There needs to be a common
agenda across all religions that espouses freedom of religion
and the sanctity of life, de Vries said.


3. (C) Concerning the UN, Amb. Crumpton said it is useful for
giving legitimacy for collective actions and UNSCR 1373 set
out important obligations for all countries, including
regarding safehavens. De Vries responded UNSCR 1373 is
open-ended; it did not make clear who should carry out which
measures, and where.

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PASSENGER NAME RECORDS (PNR)
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4. (C) The EU is surprised Homeland Security Secretary
Chertoff wants to renegotiate the agreement, de Vries said.
He said the EU had not heard from other parts of the USG on
renegotiating the text, but is at the same time aware of
Congressional concerns over PNR and travel to the U.S. The
EU would have preferred advance warning of the DHS stance,
according to de Vries. In the wake of the European Court of
Justice ruling, the EU's legal basis needs to be changed, but
both sides had agreed on the substance. The EU continues to
hope to have a deal in place on time. Twenty five different
PNR rules and 25 different data protection provisions would
suit no one and would also break up the EU's internal market
and bring back bilateralism, said de Vries. Concerning the
Container Security Initiative (CSI),de Vries continued,
after some back and forth the two sides reached an agreement.
The U.S. and EU also created the High Level Dialogue on
Border and Transport Security to exchange views and prevent
surprises. De Vries wants to re-energize it. Amb. Crumpton
said he would bring De Vries' message back to Washington, but
noted the EU should avoid a "lowest common denominator"
solution.

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SITUATIONS IN THIRD COUNTRIES
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5. (C) De Vries and Amb. Crumpton shared views on threats and
responses in many parts of the world.

Iraq / Afghanistan / Pakistan: De Vries said the democratic
process in Afghanistan and Iraq is encouraging, despite the
security problems. There is a yearning for liberty and

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democratic accountability. Pakistan is difficult, said de
Vries; it is unhelpful on the UN Convention's definition of
terrorism, and the EU is ready to oppose Pakistan's efforts
in those discussions more vigorously. Amb. Crumpton said
President Musharaf reluctantly concluded the military is not
the solution; he has to work with society, tribes, and tribal
leaders. Al-Qaida has killed hundreds of tribal leaders in
order to subvert their rule. There needs to be an economic
dimension to the dismantling of the terrorist safehavens
along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

Indonesia: De Vries said Aceh is instructive. The EU is
pleased with what is happening there; former fighters are
being rehabilitated. The EU countries responded positively
to calls for peacekeeping troops. The EU and ASEAN are
working together in Aceh; previously, there had been no UN or
international role. As a result, the EU public has come to
understand the EU's peacekeeping role in Asia and Asians have
come to understand the EU as more than an economic group.

Algeria/Morocco: De Vries said the EU tied aid to their CT
efforts, after incorporating EU and UN assessments of the two
countries' counterterrorism regimes. But the EU can only go
where it is welcome.

Saudi Arabia: De Vries said he is concerned about Saudi
financial support to Islamist groups worldwide, including in
the EU. Saudi leaders respond politely, but are not
committed to the fight against terrorism, de Vries said;
there are phases of commitment and phases of "relaxation."

Philippines: Amb. Crumpton said the southern Philippines is a
terrorist safehaven. De Vries replied the EU has tried
economic incentives there, but they did not work. De Vries
is not sure the Philippines wants to solve the problems of
Mindanao. Amb. Crumpton said USAID had success in some areas
creating jobs and spurring economic growth.

Africa: Amb. Crumpton said Sub-Saharan Africa is a
proto-safehaven: al-Qaida is not there yet but it is trying
to gain a foothold. De Vries responded corruption obstructed
progress in Kenya; the EU is not sure where their money ends
up.

Middle East: De Vries said the EU tried to aid the
Palestinians, but its funds are wasted when buildings are
destroyed in fighting between the Palestinians and Israelis.
The EU is prepared to help local authorities provide social
services if the government is committed to be peaceful. In
Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood is providing better social
services than the government -- like Hizballah in Lebanon, de
Vries said.

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SPEECH TO GERMAN AMBASSADORS
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6. (C) Amb. Crumpton and de Vries discussed their upcoming
speeches on a panel at the German Ambassador's conference
later that day. De Vries is encouraged by Spain and the UK
in the aftermath of their terror attacks -- while there was
huge pressure for an overreaction, in the end the UK and
Spanish governments did not overreact. After 9/11 and some
EU changes to address terrorism, the Madrid and London
bombing revitalized the EU's initiative and resulted in the
Action Plan, which is largely implemented, de Vries
continued. The EU has hardened targets, improved passports,
secured borders, targeted terrorists' finances, broken up
cells, offered assistance after attacks and engaged in
chemical/biological/radiological/nuclear event planning. The
EU also cooperates with the U.S., which is a positive story
German Ambassadors need to reflect in their work, de Vries
said. Amb. Crumpton said his speech focused on the
non-military aspects of the war on terror; Muslim communities
are the targets of terrorist subversion, which the U.S. and
EU need to counter. He said he would also stress
interdependence and the need for a global community to fight
terrorism. Amb. Crumpton said he wanted to use in his speech
a quote from de Vries that terrorism changed the global
agenda.


7. (U) Septel reports on meetings between Amb. Crumpton and
senior German officials. This cable has not been cleared by
Ambassador Crumpton (in accordance with his request).
TIMKEN JR