Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08STATE31961
2008-03-27 22:31:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

PSI: SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY 2008 UK-HOSTED PSI

Tags:  KNNP MNUC PARM PREL 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #1961 0872236
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 272231Z MAR 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI PRIORITY 0486
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 5410
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 3619
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 0717
RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA PRIORITY 9122
RUEHKU/AMEMBASSY KUWAIT PRIORITY 3288
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 6012
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 8265
RUEHMK/AMEMBASSY MANAMA PRIORITY 4270
RUEHMS/AMEMBASSY MUSCAT PRIORITY 0505
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 0026
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 7897
RUEHYN/AMEMBASSY SANAA PRIORITY 6781
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 3425
RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW PRIORITY 0491
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 5198
UNCLAS STATE 031961 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM PREL
SUBJECT: PSI: SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY 2008 UK-HOSTED PSI
OUTREACH MEETING FOR GULF - LEVANT PSI PARTNERS IN LONDON

REF: A. STATE 031896

B. STATE 031939

SUMMARY

UNCLAS STATE 031961

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM PREL
SUBJECT: PSI: SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY 2008 UK-HOSTED PSI
OUTREACH MEETING FOR GULF - LEVANT PSI PARTNERS IN LONDON

REF: A. STATE 031896

B. STATE 031939

SUMMARY


1. REFTELS A or B (different address groups) reported on the
latest Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) Operational
Experts Group (OEG) meeting hosted by the Government of the
United Kingdom on February 4-6, 2008 in London. Following
the OEG meeting, the UK Ministry of Defense hosted an
outreach event for Gulf / Levant PSI partners.
Representatives from six of the seven invited countries in
the region participated: Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman,
United Arab Emirates (UAE),and Yemen. The purpose of the
meeting was to facilitate deeper understanding of PSI among
partner countries in this region and to encourage increased
participated in PSI activities.

2. Information contained in this cable is provided for
Posts, information and is not to be passed to governments
that attended the Outreach Meeting. A follow-on cable will
provide a non-paper to pass to host nation governments of all
PSI-endorsing states to keep them abreast of developments in
the PSI community.
END SUMMARY

BACKGROUND


3. Meeting summary: UK hosted an Outreach Meeting in London
on February 7, 2008 for PSI-endorsing states in the Gulf
/Levant region. The meeting provided an overview of recent
developments in the PSI community, reviewed legal aspects of
PSI, shared insights into governmental decision-making
processes for interdictions and summarized the intent and
upcoming activities of PSI exercises. The meeting concluded
with a description of a table top exercise.



4. The UK provided a comprehensive overview of PSI, covering
everything from the PSI Statement of Interdiction Principles
to insights from legal, law enforcement, operational and
intelligence experts. New Zealand shared its own experience
with organizing to support the PSI commitment, which
culminated in the development, testing and implementation of
a PSI Model National Response Plan. A published copy of the
Model National Response Plan, which includes the concurrence
of 19 of the 20 participating countries in the Operational
Experts Group (OEG) was distributed to each attending
delegation.

5. Poland and the U.S. provided briefings on PSI exercises,
including the benefits gained to national governments from
participating in and observing PSI exercises as well as the
specific lessons learned through participation. Some of
those lessons included improving practical inter-ministerial
cooperation and decision-making, enhancing regional
cooperation and improving abilities to implement relevant UN
Security Council Resolutions (i.e., 1540, 1718, 1737, and
1747).

6. The U.S. provided an overview of the legal aspects of
PSI, including the basic premise that all PSI actions are
undertaken on a voluntary basis by participating states in a
manner consistent with national authorities and international
legal frameworks.

7. All delegations were encouraged to attend the PSI 5th
Anniversary event to be held in Washington on May 28-29,

2008. Formal invitations are expected to be sent by early
March, 2008.

8. The U.S. announced a workshop for Middle East PSI
partners that will take place in June, 2008.

9. Please slug responses for OSD GSA (Beth Flores) and
State/ISN/CPI (Carlos Guzman). USG POC for PSI Operational
Experts Group issues is Beth Flores, OSD/GSA. USG POC for
operational legal matters is Chip Wedan, DOD/OGC. USG POC for
PSI policy issues is Carlos Guzman, State/ISN/CPI.
RICE