PSI: CHILE'S PARTICIPATION IN THE PSI OPERATIONAL

UNCLAS STATE 153576

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CI KNNP MNUC PARM PREL
SUBJECT: PSI: CHILE'S PARTICIPATION IN THE PSI OPERATIONAL
EXPERTS GROUP (OEG)


1. This is an action request please see paragraphs 2-11.

SUMMARY
--------------

2. Department requests embassy approach the GOC to determine
its interest in becoming a participant in the PSI Operational
Experts Group (OEG). If the GOC decides it is willing and
able to accept the long-term commitment of support and
resources to fully support participation in the PSI OEG, the
USG will work with the other nineteen OEG partners on GOC's
behalf to gain their inclusion in the OEG.


3. There are a limited number of states that can participate
in the OEG if it is to remain an effective, action-oriented
group working on behalf of the broader PSI community of more
than 80 nations. If the GOC is willing to fully accept the
rigors of OEG participation, we would look to it as a
regional
leader of the PSI to help carry PSI-related information to
other
regional participants; to conduct outreach to garner
additional
PSI Statement of Interdiction Principles endorsing states;
and, at some future point to host a Regional OEG (ROEG)
meeting or other regional PSI event.

OBJECTIVES
--------------

4. Department instructs Embassy to pursue the following
objectives:

-- Determine GOC interest in becoming a full and active
partner in the PSI Operational Experts Group (OEG).

-- Make very clear to GOC that agreeing to participate in the
PSI OEG will require a long-term commitment that can at times
be resource intensive (manpower, exercise participation,
travel to 3-4 OEG meetings annually, occasional
PSI workshops, etc. and requires a level of participation as
outlined in background paragraph 8.

-- Inform the GOC that, if it decides to participate in the
OEG, the USG will work on its behalf with the other nineteen
OEG partners to gain GOC participation starting with the
February 4-6, 2008 OEG meeting to be held in London, United
Kingdom.
Washington has received positive signals from the British and
Canadian
PSI OEG delegations that they would support an invitation to
Chile.
If Chile agrees, Washington does not expect any problems
including
Chile in the OEG.

-- For embassies London and Ottawa only: Inform the
appropriate British
and Canadian officials that we are approaching Chile on
possible OEG
participation and will notify them on the Chilean response.

REPORTING DEADLINE
--------------


5. Embassy should report results of efforts by cable before
November 16, 2007.

BACKGROUND
--------------

6. There are a limited number of states that can participate
in the OEG if it is to remain an effective action-oriented
group working on behalf of the broader PSI community of more
than 85 nations. The GOC's active support for the PSI, its
strategic importance in Latin America, and the GOC's
demonstrated commitment during SOUTHCOM exercise Panamax 07
has
prompted the USG decision to invite the GOC to participate in
the PSI OEG.


7. The OEG is currently a group of 20 nations working to
improve interdiction methodologies; plan and execute PSI
exercises; improve national capacities for interdiction of
OEG and non-OEG states; identify national and international
legal positions to ensure all actions taken in interdictions
will be consistent with national and international law and
frameworks; and enhance the interoperability of PSI
participants. The twenty PSI OEG states currently include
Argentina, Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany,
Greece, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Turkey, the
United Kingdom, and the United States.


8. The decision to join the OEG should not be made lightly.
The schedule of meetings, exercises, and other events is
significant in terms of a state's resources of manpower,
travel money, and time.

-- OEG meetings are held approximately quarterly around the
world. For example, the last three OEG meetings were held in
Montreal, Canada (December 2006),Auckland, New Zealand
(March 2007),
and Rhodes, Greece (October, 2007). The next OEG meeting
will be held
in London, United Kingdom in February 2008. Participating OEG
states are
expected to attend each meeting with a sufficiently robust
delegation of
operational experts from various ministries.

-- Most states' delegations average 8-10 members.

-- Three PSI OEG-planned exercises are held annually, as well
as
a number of regional exercises in various parts of the world.
OEG participants are expected to at least send appropriate
operational expert observers, if not contribute assets to the
OEG-planned exercises. Regional exercises and Regional OEG
(ROEG) meetings do not require all OEG partners' attendance,
but most OEG states send at least observers to support their
partner nations and keep abreast of the latest information.

-- PSI OEG sponsored workshops are held approximately
annually. OEG participants are expected to attend these
workshops with a sufficient number of appropriate experts to
add value to the workshop on their nation's specific issues.
The last three workshops have included a UK-hosted maritime
industry workshop in London on September 25-26, 2006; a
U.S.-hosted air cargo industry workshop in Los Angeles on
September 14-15, 2005; and a Danish-hosted shipping container
security workshop in Copenhagen on August 3-4, 2004.

-- Additional PSI background information can be obtained at
the State Department PSI web site
(http://www.state.gov/t/isn/c10390.htm) which contains a
complete list of past OEG meetings, exercises, and workshops
as well as the key PSI documents and other information. The
Canadian web site (http://www.proliferationsecurity.info)
provides links to other PSI participating nation's web sites.


9. OEG Delegation Composition: It is important to ensure the
OEG remains a forum for experts to gather and share
capabilities and operational lessons and techniques.
Therefore, we firmly believe OEG delegations should be led by
Ministry of Defense (MOD) officials, military officers, or
law enforcement community equivalent personnel due to the
operational nature of PSI activities. Also, the importance
of the Head of Delegation (HoD) and delegation member
continuity to
the OEG process is critical. The most effective OEG states
are those
whose HoDs have retained that position for a lengthy period.
Most
states have historically sent delegations to the OEG led by a
1-star
military officer, a MOD civilian equivalent (although
delegations from
some smaller countries are led by a Colonel or equivalent),
or an
equivalent representative from the law enforcement community
as head of
delegation.The delegations typically include the following
types of experts:

-- Operational law representative, such as a Lieutenant
Colonel or Colonel (O-5 or O-6) military lawyer and/or
equivalent rank law enforcement lawyer.

-- Operational intelligence representative such as a defense
or law enforcement official of O-5 or O-6 level rank or
equivalent.

-- Additional operational officials from law enforcement,
customs, border security, military, foreign ministry, and
intelligence agencies.

-- Military exercise, legal, law enforcement, and
intelligence
expertise in the delegation is needed because OEG meetings
include
break-out groups in these areas that meet simultaneously.

Note: The PSI OEG was explained to Chilean representatives
during
the June 2007 U.S.-Chile Defense Consultative Commission in
Washington.
Captain George Brown (Chilean MOD) and local embassy
representatives
attended and told OSD reps that discussion of possible OEG
participation
was taking place among various ministries in Santiago.


10. The USG would like the GOC to increase its participation
in the PSI. As a first step, GOC participation in the OEG
would be welcome. But, we would also envision the GOC
acting as a regional leader for the initiative, conducting
regional
outreach efforts to garner additional PSI Statement of
Interdiction Principles endorsing states, and possibly
hosting a regional exercise or meeting. If GOC is willing to
undertake this role, the USG and other OEG members stand
ready
to assist its efforts and would work with it to help prepare
for
the London OEG meeting in February, 2008.


11. For Embassies Ottawa and London only. If Chile desires
to join
the PSI OEG, Washington expects to work with the British and
Canadian
PSI OEG delegation experts to prepare Chile for the London
meeting in
February 2008.

POINT OF CONTACT
--------------

12. Please contact ISN/CPI Carlos Guzman at 202-647-6329 or
email GuzmanCS@state.gov for further information.
RICE