GICNT: AUSTRALIAN PARTICIPATION AT SEOUL; PLANNING

UNCLAS CANBERRA 000321 SIPDIS SENSITIVE C O R R E C T E D COPY CAPTION STATE FOR ISN/WMDT AND EAP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KGIC MNUC PARM PREL PTER AS SUBJECT: GICNT: AUSTRALIAN PARTICIPATION AT SEOUL; PLANNING FOR "BLUE GLOW" REF: A. CANBERRA 286 ¶B. STATE 22354 ¶C. STATE 18574 ¶D. STATE 21325 ¶1. (U) This is an action request -- please see para 4 below. ¶2. (SBU) Further to information in Ref A regarding GOA participation in two Seoul-hosted events under the auspices of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT), the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) furnished us on March 30 with the name of the GOA participant in the April 14-15 Workshop. Australia will be represented by Mr. Martin McGavin, Manager of the Radiation Emergency Operations Unit, Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA),who will speak on radiation emergency response under the Technical Session III of the Workshop. A synopsis of his presentation will be sent directly to MOFAT. DFAT conveyed regrets from the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ASN0) that, owing to the press of other business, it was unable to send a representative to attend the Workshop in Seoul at that time. Mr. Mohan Mathews, the GICNT action officer at DFAT, reconfirmed his attendance at the April 16 Exercise Planning Group (EPG) in Seoul (Ref A),and requested more details about the U.S. presentation at the EPG, entitled "Shifting from EPG to Activity Coordination Group." ¶3. (SBU) Mathews also briefed us on Australian preparations for its CICNT Seminar and DISCEX "Blue Glow," to take place in Canberra during May 7-8, 2009. The principal aims of the seminar and discussion exercise were to: (a) improve accounting and security of radiation sources, and (b) reinforce existing response networks. Mathews urged strong participation from U.S. agencies, especially the Department of State, noting that so far, only two Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) participants had registered for the event. A description of the event and online registration is available through the Global Initiative Information Portal. Mathews noted a less obvious agenda was to further GI outreach in the region by seeking to attract more Southeast Asian countries to participate in GI. The GOA had extended invitations to several SEAsian states but had not yet received responses. ¶4. (SBU) ACTION REQUESTED: Embassy would appreciate whatever details ISN/WMDT can provide regarding the U.S. presentation at the EPG in Seoul, entitled "Shifting from EPG to Activity Coordination Group." In addition, Embassy flags for ISN's attention DFAT's appeal for State Department representation at the Canberra May 7-8 Seminar and Discussion Exercise "Blue Glow," and requests advice whether the Department plans to send any representatives. RICHE