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