(SBU) Portuguese interim response to demarche on sharing

UNCLAS LISBON 002648 SIPDIS FOR CA/P/IP SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC CMGT CVIS PTER PGOV PREL PO SUBJECT: (SBU) Portuguese interim response to demarche on sharing terrorist screening information pursuant to HSPD-6 REF: (a) STATE 101569; (b) LISBON 1628 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Consul General and ACS Specialist met with Manuel Grainha do Vale, MFA Americas Division Deputy Director, on September 30 to deliver the demarche regarding the HSPD-6 proposal to share terrorist screening information. We left the proposal with him in hard copy as a diplomatic note. We also requested appropriate dates for a visit by a DOS team to discuss HSPD-6 accession. Grainha do Vale promised to coordinate a response with relevant GOP ministries. END SUMMARY ¶2. (SBU) During the course of the meeting, ConGen underscored the USG interest in resuming discussions with the GOP regarding the HSPD-6 Agreement proposal first presented to them in June 2007 by a visiting Department team. He acknowledged that at that time the GOP was constrained by a very heavy EU presidency schedule that did not allow engaging in active negotiations. Former CA/P/IP Director Alcy Frelick raised HSPD-6 again in a follow up visit to Lisbon in February 2008, after the Portuguese EU Presidency. She reaffirmed the USG commitment to the process and provided GOP officials a revised version of the draft Agreement. To date, the GOP has not made any comments nor has it expressed any interest to engage in negotiations despite further Embassy entreaties. ¶3. (SBU) ConGen emphasized the relevance and importance of an HSPD-6 information sharing agreement at this time, noting that Portuguese willingness to move forward on this would fulfill the requirement contained in the 9/11 Act mandating sharing of terrorist information for Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries. (Note: Portugal will host a DHS-led team the first week of November conducting a review of its compliance with VWP rules.) ¶4. (SBU) Grainha do Vale's only comment was to note that some GOP officials with whom he has previously discussed the proposed HSPD-6 Agreement provisions are of the opinion that the PNR and Prum Treaty are more comprehensive instruments because they cover a greater number of security-related issues. In their view, the aim of the Agreement is redundant if not useless because sharing terrorist information is already covered by the above referred instruments. ¶5. (SBU) Nonetheless, Grainha do Vale assured us that he would forward our message to his colleagues from the Ministries of Justice and Internal Affairs who would be involved in any negotiations. He also promised to canvas them for possible dates to receive an HSPD-6 team from Washington. We will advise the Department as soon as we receive any response from the MFA. Stephenson