RIYADH EAC ON 14 SEPTEMBER 2008

S E C R E T RIYADH 001416 NOFORN SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/EX, NEA/ARP, S/CT, DS/IP/NEA, DS/ITA, D, P, M, CA, AND INR E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2018 TAGS: AMGT ASEC CASC PGOV PREL PTER SA SUBJECT: RIYADH EAC ON 14 SEPTEMBER 2008 REF: A. STATE 159075 ¶B. STATE 026504 ¶C. STARR/WELCH MEMORANDUM (DATED 05/29/2008) Classified By: DCM David Rundell for reasons 1.4 (b),(c) and (d) ¶1. (S) BEGIN SUMMARY: On Sunday, August 17, the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) convened a meeting of the Emergency Action Committee (EAC) to discuss the return of family members to Post. The EAC determined that the Mission had met its obligation to fully update the Crisis and Emergency Planning Application (CEPA) and that the security environment allows for the return to Riyadh and Dhahran of adult dependents who have completed an approved security awareness course. The committee also developed a timeline for the reintroduction of, first, non-school age children and, eventually, all family members to Riyadh and Dhahran. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (S) On Sunday, August 17, the DCM convened a meeting of the EAC to review the Embassy's security posture and to discuss next steps to return adult family members to the Mission. BPM and RSO reported no new specific and/or credible threats to the Mission and members agreed that the Embassy's existing security posture remains appropriate to the current security environment. Also present in the meeting were POL, ECON, PA, CONS, LEGAT, ATO, MSG, DAO, MGT, OPM-SANG, and MED. ¶3. (S) Members of the EAC unanimously agreed that the local security situation allows for the return of adult dependents to Riyadh and Dhahran, per the recommendation of Diplomatic Security in REF C. The Acting RSO noted that the Mission successfully met the first requirement DS established: 100% completion of the CEPA update mission-wide. The unanimous consensus of the committee was that Post is ready for the immediate return of adult dependents. ¶4. (S) The group recognized the importance of security training, as proposed by DS Director Starr in the May memorandum. However, due to the difficulty in obtaining slots in the FACT course, Post requests that alternatives be explored. The possibility of waivers for agencies with similar training to the FACT course was discussed, as well as the possibility of DS elements providing training at post. The U.S. Department of Defense's Military Training Mission in Riyadh offered to include U.S. Mission dependents in the security training program it currently offers to its own employees in Riyadh. If this DoD security training program is comparable to the FACT course, DS and the Department may find it to be an allowable alternative when slots in the FACT course are unavailable. ¶5. (S) The Committee proposed a timeline for the gradual reintroduction of families to Post. If the threat level remains unchanged, Post believes non-school age children should return in early 2009. Should the threat level continue unchanged, Post proposes that a decision on the return of school age children be taken in the spring of 2009 so that children could return to begin the 2009 school year next September. FRAKER