Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
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06PARIS6789 | 2006-10-16 05:35:00 | SECRET | Embassy Paris |
VZCZCXYZ0002 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHFR #6789/01 2890535 ZNY SSSSS ZZH P 160535Z OCT 06 FM AMEMBASSY PARIS TO RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFISS/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2202 INFO RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA PRIORITY |
S E C R E T PARIS 006789 |
1. (C) DOE Deputy Undersecretary for Counterterrorism Steven Aoki paid a courtesy call October 13 on Prefet Bernard Boube, Director, Protection and Security of the State, at the General Secretariat for National Defense (SGDN). Discussion focused on follow-up actions from the April visit to Washington by a French interagency team led by Boube. Boube said that at the conclusion of the Washington meetings eight areas of interest had been identified for further U.S.-French cooperation on the prevention of WMD terrorism and in related technical areas. Progress so far has been mixed, with some areas advancing well, but others lagging behind. He said that information exchanges on the atmospheric dispersion of nuclear/biological/chemical agents had taken place, and that there had also been productive meetings between the French military health services and their DOD counterparts to address biological weapons threats. In this area, some 25 topics for cooperation have been identified. There have also been successful joint workshops on radiation detection technology, and international exercises under the PSI framework. -------------------------- -------------------------- Protect Transportation Systems - Highest Priority -------------------------- -------------------------- 2. (S) Boube said his current highest priority was developing a method to prevent terrorists from bringing explosives into city subways, trains, and other public transport systems. While detection of biological or chemical agents remained of interest, the French were greatly concerned by the bombings in Madrid and London, and felt that they were potentially the next target for similar attacks. They have established a group of experts under SGDN leadership to examine strategies and technical means to protect this, but frankly are dissatisfied with the currently available technical equipment from the point of view of both effectiveness in detection and operability in a mass transit setting. Boube proposed that we convene a U.S.-French workshop on conventional explosives detection for mass transit that could discuss both promising technical concepts and a methodology for evaluating operational systems. Aoki responded that the Department of Homeland Security had the lead responsibility in this area, but undertook to consult with other Washington agencies to develop a concept for such a workshop. Boube emphasized that he did not want a meeting that included representatives of private companies advocating particular products, but an interaction between technical experts and government officials that could produce an honest evaluation of potential routes to solve this problem. -------------------------- Chem/bio Emergency Response -------------------------- 3. (S) A related topic raised by Boube concerned training and support for emergency response personnel confronted with a possible chemical or biological device. There were already bilateral exchanges on nuclear emergency response, but there was also value in discussing how to diagnose and defuse an improvised device to disperse chemical or biological agents. Aoki responded that federal government operations in this area would primarily fall to the FBI, and again said that he would discuss the French idea with USG colleagues and respond through embassy channels. -------------------------- Focus on Avian Influenza -------------------------- 4. (C) Boube said France continues to plan intensively for an avian influenza pandemic and discounted the lack of recent media stories on the subject. He said that Didier Houssin, France's interministerial coordinator for avian influenza, had undertaken a successful visit with HHS and CDC authorities in the U.S. ESTH Counselor highlighted other exchanges between France and the U.S. to discuss different approaches to prevention and management of a pandemic influenza. Boube said that France is undertaking technical work associated with reusable masks. The GOF is also engaged in analysis of acceptability of mask wearing, addressing such issues as reactions to possible regulations mandating mask usages for public transportation in a pandemic emergency. These and other specific items are being tested through local exercises to gain early experience which would be useful in managing a crisis. France continued to also be interested in a careful examination of economic consequences of a crisis, essentially determining weak links in the economic system, e.g., transportation or supply systems, food shortages, etc. "Where do shortages come from in such an emergency," he asked. The purpose of such studies would be to adapt the national pandemic influenza plan to provision against such contingencies. Boube said that France is engaged in discussions with neighboring countries on road and rail transportation contingency planning for the purpose of maintaining open these linkages as long as possible. Boube is interested in U.S. thinking/methodologies to help better assess weak points in the economy in advance of a crisis. -------------------------- Containers and the Global Initiative -------------------------- 5. (C) Finally, Aoki noted that there was a high level of concern in the U.S. about the security of container cargo shipments to the U.S., including the risk that nuclear or radioactive materials could be introduced into cargo containers. The Congress had recently passed legislation calling for a much higher rate of inspection for sea shipments to the U.S. France already participates in the Container Security Initiative, but could expect there to be increasing interest in radiation detection at seaports serving the U.S. In this context, Boube asked about the Global Initiative against nuclear terrorism launched at the G-8 Summit by President's Bush and Putin. Aoki replied that we saw this as a broad political framework that could give impetus to a number of specific cooperative implementation actions. The next step would be to seek agreement by participants in the initiative to a statement of principles, analogous to those developed in the PSI process. Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm STAPLETON |