GoC FOREIGN MINISTRY KEEN ON DISASTER TALKS

UNCLAS OTTAWA 002279 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AEMR ECON PREL CA MX SUBJECT: GoC FOREIGN MINISTRY KEEN ON DISASTER TALKS REF: State 159257 ¶1. Econoff and ESTH/ECON Specialist as well as the Acting CBP Attach met with officials from Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) on December 17 to invite DFAIT participation in the meeting, proposed for January or February 2008, of the Consultative Group called for in the bilateral 1986 Agreement on Cooperation in Comprehensive Civil Emergency Planning and Management. DFAIT officials were very receptive to the proposal and have asked for a draft agenda of the meeting as soon as possible. ¶2. They noted that they have anticipated the need for this effort for several months now and have begun themselves to take stock of the various agreements and MoU, at the federal to federal as well as regional, and state to province level that may need to be considered in concert with an update of the 1986 agreement. As well, they noted, issues such as Terrorism and Avian and Pandemic Influenza may need to be explicitly addressed. They mentioned that they anticipate the DFAIT legal advisor's office would eventually become involved and asked whether and when State had plans to engage legal counsel on the update effort. ¶3. DFAIT was represented by the Director of the U.S. Relations division, Sarah Fountain-Smith as well as by Sumita Dixit, Senior Policy Advisor (Disasters) from DFAIT's Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Response group. Embassy will meet with appropriate staff at Public Safety Canada to deliver the same message later this week. Wilkins