BAHAMAS APPROVES PSI SHIP-BOARDING AGREEMENT

UNCLAS NASSAU 000471 SIPDIS DEPT FOR L-OES/L-T/WHA-CAR/ISN-CPI SECDEF FOR ISP/CNT JOINT STAFF FOR J3/J5/LC COMDT COGARD FOR CG-0941/CG-531/CG-ACO-I DIRJIATF SOUTH FOR J2/J3/J5 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KTIA KNNA EWWT MARR PARM PGOV PHSA PREL BF SUBJECT: BAHAMAS APPROVES PSI SHIP-BOARDING AGREEMENT REF: A. NASSAU 359 ¶B. STATE 48221 ¶C. DAN O'CONNOR E-MAIL/ATTACHMENT DATED JUNE 17 ¶1. (U) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed Post via diplomatic note dated June 13 that the GCOB had approved the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) reciprocal ship-boarding agreement preliminarily concluded by the U.S. and Bahamian delegations on April 30-May 1, 2008 in Nassau (reftel a). The anticipated confirmation came after Ambassador Siegel was informed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Brent Symonette in a May 30 conversation that action would be taken on PSI at the forthcoming Cabinet session scheduled for June 3, and after an MFA official involved in the negotiations confirmed to PolOff June 13 that formal confirmation of a positive Cabinet decision was imminent. ¶2. (U) The MFA dipnote stated that the text of the agreement as negotiated was approved for signature by the GCOB and specified acceptance of the word "Guided" in preambular paragraph nine and removal of square brackets in Article 1(5) and Article 7(2)(b). The note also requested Post's assistance to convey to the technical team the GCOB's request for a final text for signature, in electronic and hard copy. Post is in discussions with WHA and GCOB regarding the modalities of the signing in Nassau based on the later of two dates proposed by the MFA, and will reply accordingly. COMMENT: The conclusion of the PSI agreement after years of painstaking negotiations is a major accomplishment for Post, for all those involved in the negotiations, and for the GCOB. END COMMENT. SIEGEL