VISITING TEAM ADVANCES HSPD-6 IN NORWAY

C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000665 SIPDIS DEPT FOR CA/P/IP DIANE BEAN DEPT FOR CA/P/IP PETER THOMPSON DEPT FOR CA/P/IP MARY DOETSCH E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2018 TAGS: ASEC CMGT CVIS PGOV PREL PTER NO SUBJECT: VISITING TEAM ADVANCES HSPD-6 IN NORWAY REF: A) 06 STATE 53614 B) 06 OSLO 554 C) STATE 101569 D) OSLO 557 Classified By: Consul Rodger Deuerlein for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In a December 5th meeting at the MFA, a joint Department and TSC negotiating team gave a comprehensive overview of HSPD-6 to an inter-agency group of Norwegian officials. The GON was receptive and indicated that the meeting clarified many issues for them, which would permit them to further examine the topic. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Following an informative briefing at Post for the country team, the visiting DOS-TSC team, accompanied by Consul and Vice Consul, presented an in-depth review of HSPD-6 at the MFA for GON officials, including representatives from MFA, MOJ, and the Police Security Service (PST). The DOS-TSC team's review covered model agreement text as well as operations under HSPD-6. The operational briefing also included a simulated demonstration of the Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB) query system available to foreign HSPD-6 partners. ¶3. (C) The Norwegian side, led by MFA Legal Department director Jens Eikaas, focused primarily on the functionality of the system, particularly on the issues of information sharing and database permissions (i.e., the GON's ability to get GON-supplied lookouts subsequently removed from the TSDB). The PST representative was especially interested in the database as a tool for screening asylum seekers, of which Norway has an increasing number. ¶4. (C) The Norwegians also had questions related to the possibility of having a binding agreement, which is normally required under Norwegian law. Eikaas stated that a formal inter-ministerial authorization would be required for his team to begin negotiations, but that this process would not be a lengthy one. The entire process would be even faster, however, if the agreement were negotiated on an agency-to-agency basis. ¶5. (C) One factor that may affect any timetable for HSPD-6 in Norway is pending legislation relating to the use of police databases. One member of the GON team suggested these new rules, which implement EU directives, would need to be a settled matter prior to finalizing HSPD-6. ¶6. (C) The Norwegians did not indicate at this meeting the approximate number of terrorist-related records they might provide under an HSPD-6 arrangement; nor did they say whether there might be restrictions on the nationality of the record subjects. ¶7. (SBU) Overall, Post is encouraged by the outcome of this long-awaited meeting and is especially thankful to the HSPD-6 team for their visit and expertise, which we believe will serve as a catalyst for moving this issue forward with the GON. WHITNEY