PSI FIFTH ANNIVERSARY: OFFICIAL INVITATION FROM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 STATE 023568 SIPDIS SIPDIS BERN ALSO FOR LIECHTENSTEIN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KNNP KSTC PARM PREL XX SUBJECT: PSI FIFTH ANNIVERSARY: OFFICIAL INVITATION FROM U/S ROOD REF: 07 STATE 164778 OBJECTIVES AND ACTION REQUESTS -------------- ¶1. As promised in reftel, below is the official U.S. invitation to the events we are hosting in Washington on the fifth anniversary of the President's announcement of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI). We would like all PSI endorsing states to be represented at these events. In particular, our goal is for delegations to the May 28 Senior-Level Meeting to be headed by an official equivalent to a Deputy Foreign Minister, who is involved in decision-making on nonproliferation policies. ¶2. Addressees are requested to deliver the invitation letter from Acting Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security John Rood under appropriate letterhead to his counterpart in host government Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and urge host government's participation in the PSI Fifth Anniversary events at an appropriate senior level. No original will be sent. Posts are also encouraged to distribute the information to other host government ministries involved in counterproliferation and export controls (to include experts from defense, legal, law enforcement and customs, operational and intelligence communities). The Department will also distribute the invitation materials to host government embassies in Washington. ¶3. Posts are also requested to be prepared to assist participants from capitals in obtaining any required U.S. visas on an expedited basis. If host government indicates it cannot complete registrations by e-mail, please contact the POCs below and we will e-mail the registration forms for post to pass to host government. In addition, if host government requests or asks about travel funding, please contact the POCs below along with your recommendations. We have a limited amount of funding available to provide airfare and hotel room if a country cannot otherwise be appropriately represented at the events. ¶4. Action Request for Baku and Bandar Seri Begawan: A PSI outreach demarche is being transmitted to your Posts septel to urge Azerbaijan and Brunei to make a definite endorsement of the PSI. Please provide the invitation below to them only STATE 00023568 002 OF 006 after they provide an endorsement. In the absence of a formal endorsement, they will be invited to attend the second day of the event only, as described below. ¶5. The U.S. is interested in giving an official speaking role to a number of countries during the two days of PSI meetings on May 28 and 29. We have begun approaching counterpart PSI experts about this, and will send further information and requests to specific countries separately. ¶6. In advance of the meeting, the United States will also be undertaking outreach to key governments that have not yet endorsed the PSI Statement of Interdiction Principles. We will appreciate similar outreach by partner countries, particularly participants in the PSI Operational Experts Group. REPORTING DEADLINE AND POC -------------- ¶7. All action addressees are requested to deliver the documents below to host governments by March 15, and report delivery by March 22. E-mail replies are acceptable, but we do need confirmation from every post that host governments have received this invitation. Points of contact for the PSI 5th Anniversary events are Jane Purcell (202-647-6186, purcelja@state.gov) and Carlos Guzman (202-647-6320, guzmancs@state.gov). The Department greatly appreciates Embassies' assistance. INVITATION LETTER -------------- ¶8. Begin text of PSI invitation letter from U/S Rood: (Insert appropriate salutation) May 2008 marks the fifth anniversary of President Bush's announcement of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) in Krakow, Poland. Since that time, the PSI has achieved tremendous success and has become a key tool in our efforts to interdict shipments of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery vehicles, and related items. It is with great pleasure that I officially invite your government to attend the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) Fifth Anniversary events of May 27-29, 2008, in Washington, DC. Following a reception on the evening of Tuesday, May 27, I will chair a Senior-Level Meeting on Wednesday, May 28, open only to PSI endorsing states. The focus of this meeting STATE 00023568 003 OF 006 will be to review the Initiative's results and successes over the last five years and look at ways to continue strengthening the PSI for the future. On Thursday, May 29, Patricia A. McNerney, Acting Assistant Secretary for the International Security and Nonproliferation Bureau of the U.S. Department of State, will chair a PSI Outreach Workshop. This workshop will be open to both PSI endorsing states and states considering endorsement. It will provide detailed information on the broad range of PSI activities and share best practices and tools that have been developed to assist countries with implementing their commitment to the PSI Statement of Interdiction Principles. We encourage participation in this workshop by experts in the defense, legal, law enforcement and customs, operational and intelligence communities. I look forward to your government's participation in all these events, as well as that of all the over 85 PSI endorsing states. Your government's presence will demonstrate support for the PSI's goals, and your participation will help to strengthen the PSI effort as we look to the future. Sincerely, John C. Rood Acting Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security LOGISTICAL INFORMATION -------------- ¶9. Begin text of logistical information sheet for PSI 5th Anniversary Invitations: Logistical Information Sheet for PSI 5th Anniversary Events Registration: To register for any or all of the PSI 5th Anniversary events, begin by sending an e-mail to: PSIConf@qualitysupport.com . Use the subject line "(Name of Country) - Registration for PSI Fifth Anniversary" on your e-mail. Include in the e-mail the name of your country, your name, the name of the ministry or other government organization where you work, your e-mail address, and the number of attendees to be registered. The meeting organizer will then e-mail to you the meeting registration form and a link to on-line hotel registration. If you do not have access to e-mail, contact your local U.S. Embassy and provide a FAX number, and the registration forms can be FAXed to you. There is no fee for these events. STATE 00023568 004 OF 006 Visas: For countries where a U.S. visa is required, please submit the U.S. visa application form to your local U.S. Embassy as early as possible. You may contact your local U.S. Embassy for guidance or assistance with visa processing. Agenda and Structure: The PSI 5th Anniversary events will commence with a reception in the garden of the Hilton Washington Hotel (or indoors in case of inclement weather) from 6-8 pm on Tuesday, May 27. On Wednesday, May 28, the PSI Senior-Level Meeting will begin at 8:30 am (check-in and breakfast begins at 7:30 am) and will continue until 4:30 pm (tentative agenda attached). On Thursday, May 29, the PSI Outreach Workshop will begin at 9:00 am (check-in and breakfast begins at 8:00 am) and will continue until 5:30 pm (tentative agenda attached). Delegation size and composition: There are no specific limitations on the size of a country's delegation. We suggest countries be prudent in sizing their delegations sufficiently to support their head of delegation. We encourage broad participation by senior policy makers, ministry officials, and diplomats stationed in the United States. We ask that all participants be either involved in nonproliferation/ export controls/interdictions or report the meeting results to those who do. Location: All PSI 5th Anniversary events will be held at the Hilton Washington Hotel, 1919 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 20009. The Hilton Washington is located four blocks north of the Dupont Circle Metrorail station. Accommodations: The Hilton Washington is offering PSI 5th Anniversary participants the government rate of U.S. $201 per night per room plus 14.5% tax from May 24 - June 1. On-line hotel registration can be completed along with the meeting registration. All participants from outside Washington are encouraged to stay at the Hilton Washington. The hotel's website includes information on directions, local transportation, and local attractions. Participants are responsible for their own accommodations costs (unless special arrangements are made in advance with the U.S. Government). Meals: Appetizers, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages will be served at the reception on the evening of Tuesday, May 27. The PSI meetings on May 28 and 29 will include continental breakfast, luncheon, snacks and beverages. Working language: The official working language during the events will be English. There will be no translation STATE 00023568 005 OF 006 services. Personal interpreters for attendees must be registered as participants. Additional meeting room: One small meeting room at the hotel will be available for side meetings if requested. Weather: Late May in Washington offers a good probability of ideal temperature. Temperatures are likely to be between 60-85 degrees F (15-29 degrees C). Rain is possible at any time, including thunderstorms. Electricity: Electricity sockets in the United States are set at 110 Volts and 60 cycles, and fit electric plugs with two flat blades, with or without a third cylindrical grounding pin. Electrical appliances from outside the United States generally need a power converter and an adaptor for use in U.S. sockets. Point of Contact: The points of contact for the PSI 5th Anniversary events are: Jane Purcell, phone: 202-647-6186, e-mail: PurcelJa@state.gov, and Carlos Guzman, phone: 202-647-6320, e-mail: GuzmanCS@state.gov. End logistical information sheet. Tentative Agendas -------------- ¶10. Begin tentative agendas for PSI 5th Anniversary events: May 28 PSI 5th Anniversary Senior-Level Meeting: Draft Agenda 07:30 - 08:30 - Check-in, continental breakfast 08:30 - 08:45 - Welcome from Chairman 08:45 - 09:45 - Taking stock: the first five years of PSI 09:45 - 10:00 - Break 10:00 - 10:30 - Keynote address by senior USG official 10:30 - 12:00 - Looking ahead: continuing to strengthen PSI 12:00 - 12:15 - Break 12:15 - 1:15 - Luncheon address 1:15 - 3:00 - Efforts to strengthen international frameworks 3:00 - 3:15 - Break STATE 00023568 006 OF 006 3:15 - 3:45 - Expanding distribution of PSI information 3:45 - 4:15 - Discussion 4:15 - 4:30 - Closing summary by Chairman May 29 PSI Outreach Workshop: Draft Agenda 08:00 - 09:00 - Check-in, continental breakfast 09:00 - 09:30 - Overview of PSI 09:30 - 10:15 - Current proliferation threats and challenges 10:15 - 10:30 - Break 10:30 - 11:00 - The Operational Experts Group: working on behalf of all PSI partners 11:00 - 11:30 - The PSI exercise program 11:30 - 12:00 - PSI legal lessons learned 12:00 - 1:15 - Lunch 1:15 - 2:15 - Organizing for PSI 2:15 - 3:15 - Walk-through of an interdiction scenario 3:15 - 3:30 - Break 3:30 - 4:00 - How export controls support PSI 4:00 - 4:30 - Capacity-building for PSI partners (including UNSCR 1540 and available training assistance) 4:30 - 4:45 - Upcoming calendar of PSI events 4:45 - 5:30 - Q&A session End cable. RICE