GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO COMBAT NUCLEAR TERRORISM:

UNCLAS CANBERRA 001081 SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN/WMDT AND EAP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KNNP PARM PTER PREL AORC MCAP PINR AS SUBJECT: GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO COMBAT NUCLEAR TERRORISM: QUESTIONS FROM AUSTRALIA REF: A. STATE 113280 ¶B. CANBERRA 1053 ¶C. STATE 101862 ¶1. This is an action request -- please see para 4 below. ¶2. Poloff presented the fact sheet (inadvertently marked as a "White Paper" in reftel) on the November 13 Workshop on Excercise Design and Planning and the November 14 Exercise Planning Group Meeting to Mohan Mathews, Counter-Terrorism Coordination Section, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and GICNT point of contact for Australia, on October ¶27. Poloff also presented requests for GOA assistance in: (a) sending exercise development personnel to present part of the Workshop on November 13; (b) to provide an exercise scenario for use in both the November 13 workshop and the November 14 EPG meeting by November 3; and (c) hosting future EPG meetings (April 2009, November 2009, or April 2010.) ¶3. In response to the request in para 2.(a) above, Mathews advised that Mr. Andrew Lock, Director for Major Exercises, Counter-Terrorism Branch, Protective Security Coordination Centre, Attorney-General's Department, would also plan to attend the EPG meeting, noting that Lock had significant experience with exercise development and implementation. Mathews queried why the request in para 2.(b) above was forthcoming at such a late date, especially a request for a completed exercise scenario in less than five working days. Nevertheless, Mathews undertook to look into what the GOA might be able to do on short notice. He asked for additional information on what the Department is seeking regarding the scenario. On the final point, 2.(c),Mohan noted that Australia had already committed to host a GI meeting in 2009, suggesting the GOA may be unable to host an EPG, at least next year. ¶4. ACTION REQUESTED: Department is requested to provide responses to Mathews questions below about what is required regarding provision of an exercise scenario, preferably by Department's COB October 27 (owing to other work demands on both Mathews and Lock during the next two weeks),namely: a) What is the aim of the exercise scenario or need being addressed? b) What elements would the U.S. like Australia to focus on in developing the exercise scenario, e.g., do you want a presentation on how to plan an exercise generally (i.e., discussing an exercise management model) or do you want a scenario focusing on either prevention, response or consequence management. If the latter, then which aspect? CLUNE