Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06COLOMBO189
2006-02-03 03:12:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
SRI LANKA CONTINUES SUPPORT FOR GLOBAL WAR ON
how-toVZCZCXRO4668 RR RUEHLMC DE RUEHLM #0189/01 0340312 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 030312Z FEB 06 FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2503 INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC RHMCSUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC RUEAORC/US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION WASHINGTON DC RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 9235 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 8894 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 5779 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 3813 RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 1945 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 6333 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0993 RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000189
SIPDIS
NEW DELHI FOR ICE ATTACHE
SIPDIS
E.O 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EWWT EAID ETRD PTER CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA CONTINUES SUPPORT FOR GLOBAL WAR ON
TERRORISM AS CSI AND MEGAPORTS GO LIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000189
SIPDIS
NEW DELHI FOR ICE ATTACHE
SIPDIS
E.O 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EWWT EAID ETRD PTER CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA CONTINUES SUPPORT FOR GLOBAL WAR ON
TERRORISM AS CSI AND MEGAPORTS GO LIVE
1. SUMMARY: ON JANUARY 26, A WIDELY-PUBLICIZED OPENING
CEREMONY FOR THE CONTAINER SECURITY INITIATIVE (CSI) AND
THE MEGAPORTS INITIATIVE TOOK PLACE AT THE PORT OF
COLOMBO, PRESIDED OVER BY THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN
AFFAIRS AND THE AMBASSADOR. CSI IS NOW FULLY
OPERATIONAL, TARGETING AND SCREENING CARGO BOUND FOR THE
US. MEGAPORTS IS ALSO OPERATIONAL, IN FINAL TESTING,
SCREENING CARGO FOR SPECIAL NUCLEAR MATERIAL. IT IS
PROJECTED TO BEGIN 24/7 OPERATIONS ON MARCH 1. THE PORT
OF COLOMBO, THE LARGEST TRANS-SHIPMENT PORT IN SOUTH
ASIA, IS NOW THE FIRST PORT IN ASIA AND SECOND PORT IN
THE WORLD TO OPERATE BOTH CSI AND MEGAPORTS. END
SUMMARY.
2. THE INAUGURATION OF THE US-BACKED CONTAINER SECURITY
INITIATIVE (CSI) AND MEGAPORTS INITIATIVE TOOK PLACE
WITHIN THE COLOMBO HARBOR FACILITIES ON JANUARY 26.
ATTENDED BY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS SAMARAWEERA (WHO
ALSO SERVES AS MINISTER OF PORTS AND AVIATION),TREASURY
SECRETARY PB JAYASUNDERA, CUSTOMS DIRECTOR GENERAL
SIPDIS
JAYATILLAKE, NUMEROUS DEPUTY MINISTERS AND SEVERAL
HUNDRED OTHER GSL OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES, THE OPENING
CEREMONY MADE CLEAR SRI LANKA'S PRIDE IN BEING THE FIRST
PORT IN ASIA, AND THE SECOND PORT IN THE WORLD, TO HAVE
BOTH CSI AND MEGAPORTS OPERATIONAL.
3. THE AMBASSADOR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CSI ALLEN GINA
AND ASSISTANT DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR MEGAPORTS DAVE
HUIZENGA, REPRESENTED THE USG. IN THEIR REMARKS, THE
CSI AND MEGAPORTS OFFICIALS SPOKE OF THE VALUE OF THEIR
RESPECTIVE INITIATIVES, WHILE THE AMBASSADOR'S COMMENTS
FOCUSED ON THE COLOMBO PORT (WHICH PRIVATIZED A PORTION
OF ITS OPERATIONS IN THE LATE 1990S) BEING AN EXCELLENT
EXAMPLE OF HOW COMPETITION IMPROVES THE PROFITABILITY,
USEFULNESS, AND EMPLOYMENT LEVELS; AN EXAMPLE HE
ENCOURAGED BE DUPLICATED IN OTHER SECTORS OF SRI LANKAN
COMMERCE. THE AMBASSADOR ALSO CREDITED THE PROGRAMS FOR
THEIR ROLES IN DETERRING TERRORIST ACTIVITY AND LAUDED
SRI LANKA'S EFFORTS AS A PARTNER IN THE GLOBAL WAR ON
TERROR.
4. THE CEREMONY GARNERED WIDE COVERAGE AND PROMINENT
FULL-COLOR PHOTOS IN THE PRINT MEDIA. ALL TELEVISION
NEWS PROGRAMS BROADCAST FOOTAGE.
5. CSI IS DESIGNED TO EXTEND THE US ZONE OF SECURITY
OUTWARD SO THAT AMERICAN BORDERS ARE THE "LAST LINE OF
DEFENSE, NOT THE FIRST." THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY USING
INTELLIGENCE AND AUTOMATED INFORMATION TO IDENTIFY AND
TARGET CONTAINERS THAT POSE A RISK FOR TERRORISM, PRE-
SCREENING THEM AT THE PORT OF DEPARTURE BEFORE THEY
ARRIVE AT THE US PORT. THIS SYSTEM ADDITIONALLY ENABLES
CONTAINERS TO PASS THROUGH CUSTOMS PROCEDURES ONCE THEY
ARRIVE IN THE US.
6. THE MEGAPORTS INITIATIVE SCREENS CARGO FOR NUCLEAR
AND RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS THAT COULD BE USED AGAINST THE
US OR OTHER COUNTRIES. THROUGH THIS PROCESS, MEGAPORTS
SERVES TO DETER POSSIBLE TERRORIST ACTS INVOLVING THE
ILLICIT SHIPMENT OF NUCLEAR OR RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS TO
OR THROUGH A PORT.
7. CSI IS NOW FULLY OPERATIONAL AND IS BEGINNING THE
NSDD-38 PROCESS FOR DEPLOYING FULL-TIME DHS STAFF IN SRI
LANKA. MEANWHILE, CSI WILL CONTINUE TO DEPLOY TDY STAFF
FOR TERMS OF SIX MONTHS TO ONE YEAR. MEGAPORTS IS
PARTIALLY OPERATIONAL AND CURRENTLY UNDERGOING FINAL
TESTING. SRI LANKAN OFFICIALS ARE SCHEDULED TO BEGIN
24/7 OPERATIONS ON MEGAPORTS MARCH 1, FOLLOWING
COMPLETION OF A NEW CUSTOMS OFFICE BUILDING AND STAFF
COMPLEX AT THE PORT.
8. COMMENT: POST COMMENDS THE CSI AND MEGAPORTS TEAMS
FOR THEIR EXCELLENT COLLABORATION AND DEDICATION TO THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THESE INITIATIVES IN SRI LANKA. BOTH
TEAMS HAVE SHOWN TREMENDOUS FLEXIBILITY AND SENSITIVITY
FOR GSL NEEDS AND CONCERNS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. THIS
ACHIEVEMENT ALSO REFLECTS MONTHS OF HARD WORK BY OUR
COLOMBO 00000189 002 OF 002
ECONOMIC SECTION. IT IS AN INDICATION OF THE OVERALL
CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR TWO GOVERNMENTS
AND, MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, A TANGIBLE SIGN OF OUR
GROWING COOPERATION ON COUNTER-TERRORISM ISSUES.
LUNSTEAD
SIPDIS
NEW DELHI FOR ICE ATTACHE
SIPDIS
E.O 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EWWT EAID ETRD PTER CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA CONTINUES SUPPORT FOR GLOBAL WAR ON
TERRORISM AS CSI AND MEGAPORTS GO LIVE
1. SUMMARY: ON JANUARY 26, A WIDELY-PUBLICIZED OPENING
CEREMONY FOR THE CONTAINER SECURITY INITIATIVE (CSI) AND
THE MEGAPORTS INITIATIVE TOOK PLACE AT THE PORT OF
COLOMBO, PRESIDED OVER BY THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN
AFFAIRS AND THE AMBASSADOR. CSI IS NOW FULLY
OPERATIONAL, TARGETING AND SCREENING CARGO BOUND FOR THE
US. MEGAPORTS IS ALSO OPERATIONAL, IN FINAL TESTING,
SCREENING CARGO FOR SPECIAL NUCLEAR MATERIAL. IT IS
PROJECTED TO BEGIN 24/7 OPERATIONS ON MARCH 1. THE PORT
OF COLOMBO, THE LARGEST TRANS-SHIPMENT PORT IN SOUTH
ASIA, IS NOW THE FIRST PORT IN ASIA AND SECOND PORT IN
THE WORLD TO OPERATE BOTH CSI AND MEGAPORTS. END
SUMMARY.
2. THE INAUGURATION OF THE US-BACKED CONTAINER SECURITY
INITIATIVE (CSI) AND MEGAPORTS INITIATIVE TOOK PLACE
WITHIN THE COLOMBO HARBOR FACILITIES ON JANUARY 26.
ATTENDED BY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS SAMARAWEERA (WHO
ALSO SERVES AS MINISTER OF PORTS AND AVIATION),TREASURY
SECRETARY PB JAYASUNDERA, CUSTOMS DIRECTOR GENERAL
SIPDIS
JAYATILLAKE, NUMEROUS DEPUTY MINISTERS AND SEVERAL
HUNDRED OTHER GSL OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES, THE OPENING
CEREMONY MADE CLEAR SRI LANKA'S PRIDE IN BEING THE FIRST
PORT IN ASIA, AND THE SECOND PORT IN THE WORLD, TO HAVE
BOTH CSI AND MEGAPORTS OPERATIONAL.
3. THE AMBASSADOR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CSI ALLEN GINA
AND ASSISTANT DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR MEGAPORTS DAVE
HUIZENGA, REPRESENTED THE USG. IN THEIR REMARKS, THE
CSI AND MEGAPORTS OFFICIALS SPOKE OF THE VALUE OF THEIR
RESPECTIVE INITIATIVES, WHILE THE AMBASSADOR'S COMMENTS
FOCUSED ON THE COLOMBO PORT (WHICH PRIVATIZED A PORTION
OF ITS OPERATIONS IN THE LATE 1990S) BEING AN EXCELLENT
EXAMPLE OF HOW COMPETITION IMPROVES THE PROFITABILITY,
USEFULNESS, AND EMPLOYMENT LEVELS; AN EXAMPLE HE
ENCOURAGED BE DUPLICATED IN OTHER SECTORS OF SRI LANKAN
COMMERCE. THE AMBASSADOR ALSO CREDITED THE PROGRAMS FOR
THEIR ROLES IN DETERRING TERRORIST ACTIVITY AND LAUDED
SRI LANKA'S EFFORTS AS A PARTNER IN THE GLOBAL WAR ON
TERROR.
4. THE CEREMONY GARNERED WIDE COVERAGE AND PROMINENT
FULL-COLOR PHOTOS IN THE PRINT MEDIA. ALL TELEVISION
NEWS PROGRAMS BROADCAST FOOTAGE.
5. CSI IS DESIGNED TO EXTEND THE US ZONE OF SECURITY
OUTWARD SO THAT AMERICAN BORDERS ARE THE "LAST LINE OF
DEFENSE, NOT THE FIRST." THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY USING
INTELLIGENCE AND AUTOMATED INFORMATION TO IDENTIFY AND
TARGET CONTAINERS THAT POSE A RISK FOR TERRORISM, PRE-
SCREENING THEM AT THE PORT OF DEPARTURE BEFORE THEY
ARRIVE AT THE US PORT. THIS SYSTEM ADDITIONALLY ENABLES
CONTAINERS TO PASS THROUGH CUSTOMS PROCEDURES ONCE THEY
ARRIVE IN THE US.
6. THE MEGAPORTS INITIATIVE SCREENS CARGO FOR NUCLEAR
AND RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS THAT COULD BE USED AGAINST THE
US OR OTHER COUNTRIES. THROUGH THIS PROCESS, MEGAPORTS
SERVES TO DETER POSSIBLE TERRORIST ACTS INVOLVING THE
ILLICIT SHIPMENT OF NUCLEAR OR RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS TO
OR THROUGH A PORT.
7. CSI IS NOW FULLY OPERATIONAL AND IS BEGINNING THE
NSDD-38 PROCESS FOR DEPLOYING FULL-TIME DHS STAFF IN SRI
LANKA. MEANWHILE, CSI WILL CONTINUE TO DEPLOY TDY STAFF
FOR TERMS OF SIX MONTHS TO ONE YEAR. MEGAPORTS IS
PARTIALLY OPERATIONAL AND CURRENTLY UNDERGOING FINAL
TESTING. SRI LANKAN OFFICIALS ARE SCHEDULED TO BEGIN
24/7 OPERATIONS ON MEGAPORTS MARCH 1, FOLLOWING
COMPLETION OF A NEW CUSTOMS OFFICE BUILDING AND STAFF
COMPLEX AT THE PORT.
8. COMMENT: POST COMMENDS THE CSI AND MEGAPORTS TEAMS
FOR THEIR EXCELLENT COLLABORATION AND DEDICATION TO THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THESE INITIATIVES IN SRI LANKA. BOTH
TEAMS HAVE SHOWN TREMENDOUS FLEXIBILITY AND SENSITIVITY
FOR GSL NEEDS AND CONCERNS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. THIS
ACHIEVEMENT ALSO REFLECTS MONTHS OF HARD WORK BY OUR
COLOMBO 00000189 002 OF 002
ECONOMIC SECTION. IT IS AN INDICATION OF THE OVERALL
CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR TWO GOVERNMENTS
AND, MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, A TANGIBLE SIGN OF OUR
GROWING COOPERATION ON COUNTER-TERRORISM ISSUES.
LUNSTEAD