MAY 2009 PSI OUTREACH MEETING: SAVE THE DATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 132722

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MNUC PARM PREL KNNP XL XM
SUBJECT: MAY 2009 PSI OUTREACH MEETING: SAVE THE DATE
NOTICE

REF: A. STATE 068499

B. STATE 048221

C. STATE 029766

SUMMARY
--------------


1. The U.S. will host a Proliferation Security
Initiative (PSI) Operational Experts Group (OEG)
meeting and a PSI Outreach meeting on May 12-14,
2009 in Miami, FL. The OEG meeting will take place
on May 12-13, and the Outreach meeting will take
place on May 14. In an effort to implement the
principles expressed in the Washington Declaration
adopted by PSI partners at the PSI Fifth Anniversary
Senior-Level Meeting in Washington, DC on May 28, 2008,
the U.S. will also invite PSI-endorsing countries from
the Western Hemisphere to attend this OEG (Belize,
Chile, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and The
Bahamas),along with additional countries from the
region that endorse the PSI before the meeting.
A networking reception for all delegates to both
meetings will take place on the evening of May 13.
The OEG will explore global and regional dimensions of
the PSI and WMD-related interdictions, and will provide
participants with an opportunity to exchange ideas with
international counterparts in the policy, operational,
legal, law enforcement, and intelligence communities.
The Outreach meeting on May 14 will be open to all
invited non-endorsing countries in the Western
Hemisphere. The purpose of the Outreach meeting is to
provide information about the PSI, and encourage
countries to endorse the PSI Statement of Interdiction
Principles. It will follow up on the PSI Outreach
Workshop held in Washington DC on May 29, 2008
(refs A and B).

END SUMMARY.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTION REQUEST
--------------


2. Key U.S. objectives for the OEG and Outreach
meetings are:

-- improve understanding of global and regional security
issues related to countering trafficking in WMD, their
delivery systems, and related materials;

-- increase partners' PSI-related knowledge and
capabilities;

-- provide information on PSI operational concepts and
capacity-building opportunities;

-- encourage the endorsement of the PSI Statement of
Interdiction Principles by additional states.


3. Embassies are requested to notify host governments of
the upcoming meetings and urge their representation at an
appropriate level. Non-endorsing countries are encouraged
to attend the Outreach meeting on May 14 and the
networking reception on the evening of May 13. Countries
that endorse the PSI Statement of Interdiction Principles
prior to May 12 will be invited to attend the OEG meeting
on May 12-13. Please forward any host government questions

STATE 00132722 002 OF 003


or suggestions to Washington for reply.

REPORTING DEADLINE AND POC
--------------


4. All action addressee embassies are requested to
deliver the "save the date" non-paper in para 5 below
to host governments by January 14, 2009, and report
delivery by January 16, 2009. Please slug responses for
ISN and T. Email replies to POCs are acceptable,
following delivery of below non-paper. Non-substantive
delivery messages and any questions may be directed to
Carlos Guzman (202-647-6320),guzmancs@state.(sgov).gov
and Beth Flores (703-692-0147),beth.flores@osd.(smil).
mil. The department appreciates Embassies' assistance.

BACKGROUND
--------------


5. Begin text of U.S. non-paper:

We wish to inform your government that the United States
will host a Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI)
Operational Experts Group (OEG) meeting on May 12-13,
2009 and a PSI Outreach meeting on May 14, 2008 in Miami,
FL. The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) and U.S.
Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) will co-host the OEG
meeting. This message is to encourage your government to
"save the date" so that your government can be
appropriately represented at the meetings. Additional
registration details will follow in a subsequent message.

Countries interested in improving international
cooperation address the proliferation challenge are
invited to attend the PSI Outreach meeting on May 14.
This Outreach meeting will be open to countries that have
not yet endorsed the PSI but would like to learn more.
Discussions will focus on the global and regional aspects
of the WMD proliferation challenge and provide useful
information on PSI fundamentals in the operational and
legal arenas. Additionally, a networking reception for
all OEG and Outreach delegates will take place on the
evening of May 13.

The objectives of the PSI Outreach meeting are:

-- to provide additional information on the PSI;

-- to improve understanding of global and regional
security issues related to trafficking in WMD,
delivery systems, and related materials;

-- to explore operational concepts to stop trafficking
in WMD, their delivery systems, and related materials
using law enforcement, customs, legal, military, and
diplomatic means;

-- to provide partners with networking and
capacity-building opportunities related to
air/land/maritime interdiction of WMD-related cargoes
going to and from state and non-state actors of
proliferation concern.

Countries that have endorsed the PSI Statement of
Interdiction Principles prior to May 12, 2009, will be
invited to attend the OEG meeting on May 12-13. The OEG
is a forum for government experts from various agencies
to share practical information on WMD proliferation,
develop ideas and mechanisms to improve capabilities to
interdict illicit WMD-related shipments, and explore
related concepts in the legal, law enforcement, and

STATE 00132722 003 OF 003


intelligence arenas. The United States and other PSI
partner states around the world would welcome your
government's participation in the PSI. By endorsing
the PSI, your government would send a clear signal of
your country's political commitment to stop WMD
proliferation, which will act as a deterrent to
proliferators who may seek to traffic in WMD and
missile-related items in the Western Hemisphere and
around the world. Participating in the PSI will
provide opportunities for your government to strengthen
its capabilities to stop trafficking in WMD and related
items, thereby protecting legitimate trade from
exploitation by proliferators. Participation in the
PSI also provides secondary benefits by helping to
improve efforts to stop all illegal trafficking and
transshipments. PSI endorsement does not impose any
binding obligations on a state - all participation
is voluntary.

In early 2009, we will issue a formal invitation to your
government, including a preliminary agenda, information
on registration, hotel accommodations, and other details
about the meeting.

The United States, working with PSI partners around the
world, is pleased to host this event. We are looking
forward to your government's participation.

End of U.S. non-paper.
RICE