TRILATERAL COUNTERTERRORISM DIALOGUE IN CAMBODIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 PHNOM PENH 000535

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2017
TAGS: PTER PREL EAID CB AS JA
SUBJECT: TRILATERAL COUNTERTERRORISM DIALOGUE IN CAMBODIA

REF: A. REFTEL A: PHNOM PENH 489

B. REFTEL B: PHNOM PENH 455

Classified By: Acting DCM Margaret McKean; Reason 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary. At the Australian High Commission's
invitation, representatives of the U.S., Japanese and
Australian missions met on April 5 for a Cambodia-specific
trilateral counterterrorism (CT) dialogue. Australia framed
the dialogue as part of the follow-up to the October 2006
high-level meeting in Tokyo and preparation for the June 5-6
session in Sydney. Australia would like to move beyond the
four focus countries (Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines and
Indonesia) and the GOA reportedly sees Cambodia as a possible
addition. The two-hour session was useful in highlighting
some areas of mutual interest and/or programmatic overlap.
However, the Japanese questioned whether CTAG, although
moribund over the last 16 months, might be a more efficient
format. The Australians want to maintain an informal U.S.,
UK, and Australian coordination on CT matters. All three
countries fund CT-related programs in Cambodia, and promote
basic English language training as the necessary first step.
End Summary.

Opening Remarks
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2. (C) On April 5, the Australian High Commission invited
representatives from the political/economic, defense,
regional security, and law enforcement offices of the
Japanese and U.S. embassies to join in a trilateral
counterterrorism (CT) discussion. Australian Charge Ruediger
opened the meeting, presenting it as an opportunity to
exchange information about counterterrorism capacity building
and operational activities, including priorities, training
curricula, assessments, and lessons learned. He suggested
the three countries could coordinate CT assistance to ensure
activities undertaken or being planned do not conflict with
or duplicate one another. He proposed that the trilateral
format could generate ideas for future capacity building,
either individually or collectively.


3. (C) More specifically, he suggested the group discuss
perceptions of the threat both internally and in the broader
region, the capacity/ability of domestic law
enforcement/intelligence to deal effectively against
terrorism, and CT programs already in place. He said we
should identify overlap or gaps, including between training
and other programs to enhance CT efforts. Ruediger noted
that Australia is just starting to focus on what steps might
be taken to assess the effect of Wahabi proselytizing of
Cambodia,s Cham Muslim minority, and the High Commission has
proposed that Canberra fund a poll of Cham opinions.

Border and Transport Security
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4. (C) Australia seeks to strengthen border control data
collection by training border control staff in collection and
data analysis. They have also performed capacity building
with regard to detecting fraud, via interviewing techniques,
and provided English language training. Their core focus is
to develop a holistic government approach for Cambodia,
including the establishment of the necessary structures,
e.g., the National Committee on counterterrorism headed by
the Prime Minister; under the Committee is the Secretariat
comprised of senior members of the MOD, MOI, and other
relevant ministries; as well as the National Counterterrorism
Center (NCTC),which acts as the operational arm of the
Secretariat.

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5. (C) Australia will conduct a workshop from April 26-27 to
prepare for a June counterterrorism desktop exercise
involving an airport scenario. The exercise will focus on
Secretariat members' decision-making during three unfolding

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scenarios; starting with a fire, moving into another phase,
and concluding with a terrorist incident. The intent is to
expose the Secretariat to the kind of activities that they
would have to perform in the event of a real world incident.
The Cambodians hope to come out with a "plan of action."
Australia does not currently see its role as being the
primary drafter of such a plan, but will help. The U.S.,
Japan, Singapore, ROK and UK will be invited to observe.
(Comment: This proposal was originally given by the
Australians to the Cambodians in July 2005, with proposed

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execution dates of November 2005 for the seminar and February
2006 for the exercise. Also, the seminar had been intended
to teach the Cambodians how to conduct such an exercise, with
them then having the primary responsibility of organizing and
executing it. The role of the Australians would have been
merely shadowing and advising designated members of the
Secretariat. The delays and scaling down of this clearly

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demonstrates the difficulty in getting the Cambodians to act
on an idea that requires substantial work on their part for
no clear material benefit. End Comment.)


6. (C) The U.S. reps briefed on Mission efforts to build
Cambodian military (RCAF) capacity along designated border
areas. We also noted efforts to bolster RCAF CT ability and
reported that the RCAF's vision is to build sufficient forces
to permanently base platoon-sized quick reaction forces at
those locations determined by the RCAF to be the most likely
for some kind of terrorist incident -- the three
international airports and the Sihanoukville port. U.S.
Mission elements also described assistance to Cambodia for
border/airport controls (PISCES) and watchlisting.


7. (C) The Japanese representative said Japan's efforts on
border controls are centered on building capacity. The GOJ
has a program to assist the RGC with fraudulent documents,
although that program is geared more towards immigration
matters, and is not CT specific. Japan noted it is
considering work at river border posts along the Tonle Bassac
and the Mekong Rivers, due to the use of internal waterways
for illicit trafficking of people and goods. The U.S. DAO
representative said that the USG hopes to provide some river
patrol assistance in the Stung Treng region, although under a
counternarcotics program.

Law Enforcement
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8. (C) The Australian National Police (AFP) sponsors a team
of eight Cambodian National Police (CNP) focused on
transnational crime; mostly narcotics and trafficking in
persons (TIP). They also provide some capacity building
(e.g., funding English language training) moving towards
sending Cambodians abroad for training. This fiscal year,
the GOA plans to provide $100,000 for motorbikes, computers,
and office furniture, as well as a needs analysis. The CNP
have recruited some younger, more dynamic college graduates
as recruits to CT responsibilities with a focus on
information sharing. The U.S. noted the soft opening of the
FBI Legatt office with the arrival of a TDY Legatt. Japan is
considering more direct assistance: "Koban" village-level
patrols and training for units at international airports.

Legal and Justice Issues
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9. (C) Draft CT legislation has been developed with support
from Australia and the UK, and is with the National Assembly.
The text has already been approved by the Council of
Ministers. Australia will sponsor a workshop on April 25 to
help lawmakers better understand the draft law and its
implementation. The U.S. asked whether human rights NGOs had
directly shared with Australia their concerns. Australia
committed to providing us the latest draft of the text and
the U.S. undertook to check with the NGOs on civil society
reaction to the draft law. The U.S. briefed on the Embassy's
regular update of all countries, status vis--vis the main
international counterterrorism conventions and protocols and
undertook to provide Australia and Japan a list of which
instruments we believe Cambodia has ratified. Japan provides
some technical assistance annually to help Asian countries
better understand the legal implications of ratifying the
various conventions, and how to practically implement them.
Japan has conducted seminars in this regard (most recently
March 27-28, 2007 in Kyoto) and includes a limited number of
Cambodians as well other ASEAN officials in such programs.
The U.S. briefed on our recent efforts with Russia on the
Global Initiative to combat Nuclear Terrorism (reftel B).
Australia later provided us with the names of three
Cambodians traveling to Australia for a conference in June on
nuclear terrorism.

Maritime Security
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10. (C) Australia is organizing a workshop in October 2007

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to identify current and future threats, the resources needed
to tackle these threats, and a plan forward. The RCAF is
trying to strengthen cooperation with other elements within
the Cambodian government. The U.S. referred to PACFLEET
Commander Admiral Roughead,s visit earlier this year and
said we have currently programmed funding for FY 09 to
support maritime security efforts. These efforts would be
contingent on Cambodia establishing the legal authority for
multiple agencies to work together. The U.S. Coast Guard
currently conducts inspections of Cambodian
government/commercial maritime ports and reviews RGC
procedures to ensure compliance with ISPS standards. The
USCG has expressed an interest in conducting training with
RCAF/maritime police forces as well. The U.S. noted that
there is possible Singaporean interest in providing support,
and China also is likely to provide patrol boats and radar in

2008. Japan discussed the need for legislative action to
establish a single Cambodian maritime authority. Japan
distributed a project description (emailed to desk) targeted
at the civilian port and announced they will have
groundbreaking ceremony May 1 for the project.

Terrorist Financing
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11. (C) The U.S. provided a readout of the Asia-Pacific
Group (regional financial standards body similar to the G8's
Financial Action Task Force),and the World Bank (WB) recent
joint assessment of Cambodia's financial regulatory system,
summarizing the vulnerabilities identified by those
interviewed by the APG and the Bank. The U.S. also discussed
the system for sharing terrorism financing information with
the RGC. Japan noted that there are a number of North
Korean-run restaurants in Cambodia and speculated about money
laundering through these sources. Australia provides some
assistance in this area to the police, but the lack of a
Cambodian Financial Investigative Unit (FIU) hamstrings
effective cooperation.

Bioterrorism
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12. (C) Australia has hosted a workshop on the Chemical
Weapons Convention and bioterrorism, looking specifically at
RGC regulations and airport controls. While the RGC has
passed a royal decree establishing a secretariat to manage
its obligations under the CWC, there is no implementing
legislation and no budget to set up such a body. Australia
may provide additional assistance and CWC accession
requirements. Australia noted that they have been providing
some support to Cambodia to address a radiological orphan
source. Ruediger later told the DCM that the Australian
nuclear center (ANTSO) is in contact with the U.S. Department
of Energy (DOE),and we anticipate a DOE visit in the near
future. Japan previously invited four Cambodians to a CBRN
capacity building seminar.

MUSSOMELI