PORTUGAL JOINS GLOBAL INITIATIVE; URGES EU

UNCLAS LISBON 001508 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER KNNP PARM PREL PO SUBJECT: PORTUGAL JOINS GLOBAL INITIATIVE; URGES EU ADMISSION REF: A. STATE 21535 ¶B. LISBON 1467 ¶C. LISBON 1211 ¶1. On May 30 Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Chief of the Non-Proliferation Office Pedro Sousa Abreu provided diplomatic notes to us and to our Russian counterparts to endorse the Statement of Principles for the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism. Sousa Abreu noted that his office would be the primary Government of Portugal point of contact for issues related to the Global Initiative. ¶2. The written endorsement to the Statement of Principles also includes the suggestion that the European Commission be invited to participate in the Global Initiative, given the commission,s competencies and responsibilities for related issues. Sousa Abreu also added that Portugal would engage its Lusophone colleagues to encourage wider participation in the Global Initiative. ¶3. An informal translation of the diplomatic note (number DSD/594) follows: Begin text: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General of External Policy DSD/00594 VIII-25.5 21.05.2007 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs presents its most sincere compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America and has the honor to communicate the decision of the Government of Portugal to endorse the Statement of Principles of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism, adopted in Rabat, Morocco on October 30-31, 2006. Noting that the referenced Initiative has as its principal objective to avoid the use of nuclear/radioactive materials by terrorist organizations, thus assuming importance in the framework of export controls and customs regimes, Portugal considers it most useful to attribute to the European Commission ) an institution with ample supra-national jurisdiction in this field ) the status of full participant. It is Portugal,s conviction that only through a broad approach will this initiative obtain the desired results in the fight against nuclear terrorism. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs takes this opportunity to reiterate to the Embassy of the United States of America its assurances of its highest considerations. Lisbon, May 21, 2007 To the Embassy of the United States of America in Lisbon End text. Hoffman