CANADA-U.S. BILATERAL CONSULTATIVE GROUP FOLLOW UP

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 OTTAWA 000470 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PREL CA SUBJECT: CANADA-U.S. BILATERAL CONSULTATIVE GROUP FOLLOW UP ¶1. (U) Action request: This is an action request, see para four items 3, 9, and 10, and para 5. ¶2. (SBU) Summary: One of the commitments at the January 2008 U.S.-Canada Bilateral Consultative Group meeting on counter-terrorism (BCG) was to develop a mechanism for tracking the action items that came out of the forum. We now have an agreed list. End Summary ¶3. (SBU) During an April 3 meeting to discuss follow-up to the January 16-17 Bilateral Consultative Group (BCG) meeting in Washington, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Senior Policy Advisor Neil Brennan confirmed that DFAIT's Senior Coordinator for International Crime and Terrorism, Mark Moher, remained very interested in maintaining momentum on the issues from the BCG and ensuring that it was not merely an annual event but more importantly an ongoing process that broadly improves coordination and cooperation. REVIEW OF BCG FOLLOW UP ITEMS -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Brennan said that Canada had adopted the list that we presented at the conclusion of the BCG, with several slight changes to ordering. The agreed action list, with notes on where individual issues stand, is as follows: Item 1: Broaden inter-agency testing of U.S.-Canada Counterterrorism Defense Plan (CT CDP) (both sides) Brennan indicated that Canada was not aware of any progress on the issue yet. DFAIT understands that there will be table top exercises (TTX) to work through the procedures for implementing the plan, but has not heard of any actual planning. Poloff subsequently informed Brennan -- following discussions with NORTHCOM -- that NORTHCOM and CANSOFCOM reps met February 5-7 and developed a way ahead on the CT-CDP. The next step is to ensure all of the appropriate bilateral agencies that have a role are aware of the plan and their respective counterparts. CANSOFCOM told NORTHCOM that its officials had already briefed the Privy Council, DFAIT, and the Department of Public Safety. There will be bilateral briefings and a TTX TTX in Embassy Ottawa May 28-29. Item 2: Finalize and agree on MOU on CT Research and Development (both sides) Negotiations in Washington in early March yielded an agreed final version of the MOU. The text now needs to move through the clearance process so both sides can sign and put it into force. �0A;Item 3: Ensure mechanisms are in place for passing information on Iraqi Foreign Fighters (U.S.) Brennan indicated that DFAIT remained unclear as to whether and how the USG might be passing information on Iraqi Foreign Fighters. Item 4: Ensure embassies in Middle East are communicating on Iraqi Foreign Fighter issues (both sides) Brennan said DFAIT would like to send our briefing from the BCG to its embassies as background, both to alert them to the issue and to elicit reporting. Action request #1: Request Department pass electronically what can be shared on Foreign Fighters to Embassy for delivery to DFAIT in order to help advance this issue. Clarity on what help Canada could provide and whether the primary U.S. concern currently was foreign fighters going into Iraq would be helpful. Item 5: Enhance sharing of information and developments on Hezbollah in Latin America (both sides) QHezbollah in Latin America (both sides) Brennan said that DFAIT had directed its missions to explore this issue further since the BCG. Brazilian counterparts were "adamant" that there was no Hezbollah presence in Brazil. Canada will continue to develop its ability to analyze and work the issue. Item 6: Further develop information-sharing and coordination OTTAWA 00000470 002 OF 003 on CT capacity building programs globally and in the Western Hemisphere in particular (both sides) Brennan said that DFAIT appreciated our suggestions on where Canada could contribute to ongoing programs in the hemisphere, and where they can complement our efforts, part of an enhanced dialogue established since the BCG. Canada currently has two projects through the OAS' CICTE: a capacity building program on Document Security and Fraud Prevention in El Salvador for Central America, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico; and, a workshop for Caribbean Countries on Terrorism Financing in the Caribbean. It will also fund one project on ID theft and law enforcement in Central America through the OAS' Hemispheric Security Group, and additional projects on port security in Jamaica and cyber-security in the hemisphere. DFAIT will continue to share its programming with us and invites us to continue to share our information with it to enhance synergy and collaboration. Item 7: Share best practices on counter-radicalization and coordinate counter-radicalization vocabulary (both sides) Brennan said that Canada appreciated the analytical products shared during and after the BCG on radicalization and would appreciate any further products we can share in the future. It will reciprocate when it has products that would be of interest to the U.S. Item 8: Further coordination on G-8 Roma/Lyon process and consult in advance of meetings (both sides) Brennan said that Canada appreciated the current level of consultation, especially on cyber-security. Item 9: Consider U.S. invitation to review functioning of Regional Security Initiative (Canada) Brennan said that Canada remained interested in consultations aimed at developing a fuller understanding on Canada's part of how the RSI works and what aspects of it could apply to improve Canadian CT architecture. Action request #2: Please advise if there is a venue with dates for Canadian officials to review the RSI with counterparts in S/CT. Item 10: Consider joint U.S.-Canada projects/training/exchanges on countering terrorist financing (both sides) Brennan said that DFAIT appreciates the invitations we have offered for Canada to send experts to participate in joint training and capacity building on CT financing projects. Although Canadian officials have not yet been able to participate, he expressed the hope that we will continue to make these approaches. Canada appreciated the opportunity we have provided over the past two years to send officers to attend the FSI course on Combating Terrorist Financing (PE141). He also suggested that this is a course that Canada may want to develop in its professional studies program and wondered if we could share our curriculum with Canada. Action request #3: Please advise whether we can share our curriculum for this or other pertinent courses with DFAIT. Please advise of other courses that our Canadian colleagues could attend. Item 11: Focus on getting a better picture of money flows in the Americas (both sides) Brennan said that Canada was interested in continuing to develop this connection but was not aware of any breakthroughs. Item 12: Develop info-sharing mechanism when bio-terrorism QItem 12: Develop info-sharing mechanism when bio-terrorism center stands up (U.S.) Brennan said that Canada was anxious to develop this when we are ready. Item 13: Consider three project proposals for collaboration on bio-terrorism preparedness in Western Hemisphere: a. Opportunities for Western Hemisphere experts to OTTAWA 00000470 003 OF 003 visit U.S. and Canadian research facilities (agro and bio-terrorism) b. Exploring ways to work together under the auspices of the OAS to support Western Hemisphere agro-terrorism and food defense exercises c. Co-sponsorship of a capacity building/training program on bioterrorism preparedness for public health and safety officials in the Western Hemisphere (both sides) Brennan said that Canada was pleased with the level of interaction on this issue. There is a draft agenda on the item c, a training program in the hemisphere that would then clear the way for work on a and b. Brennan said that Canada can help fund this program, but believes it will be difficult to get the right experts to participate from Canada. He said that Canada could fund experts from the U.S. if they are not available in Canada. Once the training program is complete, there will be an opportunity to identify the right counterparts in the hemisphere to engage for further programming. ¶5. (SBU) Two other items that Brennan raised: -- Joint Declaration: Senior Coordinator for International Crime and Terrorism Mark Moher provided a proposed draft of the Joint Declaration on Counter-Terrorism in January following the BCG meeting. DFAIT has not heard back from us on this. Action request #4: Please provide an update on the status of the Joint Declaration. -- Quarterly Connectivity: Director for International Crime and Terrorism Evelyn Puxley separately told poloff that Moher would be interested in a quarterly DVC or teleconference with Ambassador Dailey to discuss BCG follow-up and other issues in our shared agenda. Action request #5: Request S/CT explore the possibility of hosting a DVC with our Canadian counterparts. Embassy has both secure and non-secure DVC capabilities. Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada WILKINS