U.S.-CANADA BILATERAL CONSULTATIVE GROUP (BCG)

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 133852 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CA PTER KCRM PGOV PINR PINS PREL SUBJECT: U.S.-CANADA BILATERAL CONSULTATIVE GROUP (BCG) MEETING IN WASHINGTON: PROPOSED U.S. DATES AND AGENDA ITEMS REF: 2006 OTTAWA 03184 (U) Upcoming U.S.-Canada Bilateral Consultative Group (BCG) Meeting in Washington: Proposed U.S. Dates and Agenda Items ¶1. (U) This is an action message, please see paragraph 7. ¶2. (U) Ambassador Dell L. Dailey, U.S. Counterterrorism Coordinator, looks forward to hosting the U.S.-Canada Bilateral Consultative Group (BCG) meeting this fall in Washington. This cable outlines our proposals for the BCG agenda and notional dates for discussion with the Government of Canada. ¶3. (SBU) Last year's BCG meeting generated productive follow-on activity, particularly in the research and development and bioterrorism fields. This year, we would like to capitalize on those successes, re-engage on outstanding proposals, and move forward on several new CT areas of common interest. We have outlined a notional agenda in paragraph 5 and have proposed dates at paragraph ¶6. We ask Embassy Ottawa to share these agenda items and possible dates with the GOC for their initial feedback, and solicit their input on any topics they would like to include. ¶4. (SBU) As agreed to at last year's BCG, we would like to set a firm goal for concluding an updated version of the 1988 Joint Declaration on Counterterrorism. The U.S. has updated the 1988 text and the USG interagency community is currently reviewing it. We will forward this text to Embassy Ottawa as soon as possible so it can be shared with appropriate GOC officials in anticipation of the upcoming BCG discussions. Moreover, we would like to discuss with the Canadians the possibility of having this Declaration signed later by the Secretary of State and Foreign Minister, as then-U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz and Canadian Foreign Minister Joe Clark did for the original 1988 Declaration. ¶5. (SBU) Notional Agenda for US-Canada BCG (in no particular order): -- Threat Assessment/Intelligence Briefing -- Follow-up discussions on outstanding proposals from last year's BCG -- Follow-up on Bioterrorism Engagement: (a) Results of May 2007 Briefing on Threats to the Food Supply (b) Results of June 2007 Technical Roundtable to Share Collaborative Public Health-Law Enforcement Investigation Strategies ;(c) Future engagement -- Cooperative Counterterrorism Research and Development (R&D): (a) Status update on negotiations for the U.S.-Canada Memorandum of Understanding on CT Research and Development (R&D) (b) Review ongoing activities of the Quadrilateral (U.S., Canada, UK, and Australia) on Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Counterterrorism efforts (Note: The Quadrilateral group will have just met in Canberra October 31-November 2) (c) Possible breakout presentation on recent CT R&D successes (d) Takeaway Document: Canada's 10-year progress review booklet "Science Combating Terrorism: A Canada-U.S. Success Story" and (e) Sharing relevant technologies with Western Hemisphere partners, particularly Mexico -- U.S.-Canada Border Security: (a) Information Exchange, including use and privacy concerns (b) Biometrics/Screening Tools: Each side to provide updates on national efforts to improve and use biometrics and screening tools. Specifically we would be interested in learning more about Canada's biometric collection efforts and how can we share biometric information with STATE 00133852 002 OF 002 SUBJECT: U.S.-CANADA BILATERAL CONSULTATIVE GROUP (BCG) MEETING IN WASHINGTON: PROPOSED U.S. DATES AND AGENDA ITE each other (d) Next steps regarding "harmonization" of visa issuance policies for subjects of countries of special interest -- Cooperation on Counter Terrorist Finance Training and Technical Assistance for Key Partner Nations, including participation by Canadian experts in CTF training and needs assessments, financial regulatory training and training on bulk cash smuggling -- TOPOFF 4: Exchange of views on the completed exercise -- Briefing on the USG Regional Strategic Initiative (RSI) -- A briefing by Canada on the reorganization resulting in Public Safety Canada -- Radicalization and Outreach: (a) Discussion of ongoing programs "outreach" efforts to populations that may feel "targeted" by law enforcement and CT efforts (b) Discussion about possible efforts to conduct university and private sector research in these areas, and of organizing visits to both nations by influential third country public leaders and local decision makers -- U.S.-Canadian cooperation to promote capacity building and assistance programs in multilateral forums such as the UN, G-8 and CTAG, OSCE, OAS and CICTE, APEC, and ARF and coordinated approaches to supporting the AU Center, taking action on AQIM, working within the FATA, and containing Syria and Iran. ¶6. (SBU) We propose the following dates: January 16-17 or January 23-24. Like last year's BCG, we propose to begin on the afternoon of the first day with a heads of delegation meeting to discuss the Joint Declaration and to receive the threat assessment/intelligence briefing. We would follow this with a full day plenary session, starting with possible breakout discussions on how to move forward on outstanding proposals from last year's BCG. We are still considering representational functions and venue. Action Request ¶7. (U) The Department would appreciate Embassy Ottawa's assistance in reaching out to the appropriate contacts within the GOC soon to share the U.S. preliminary agenda and notional dates, and to gather any feedback from the GOC on these items, as well as solicit any topics the GOC would propose for the BCG draft agenda. ¶8. (U) S/CT points of contact for the BCG are Kevin O'Reilly and Hillary Batjer Johnson. RICE