UNITED NATIONS PROPOSES REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 001033 SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/INSB AND S/CT E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/10/2029 TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PTER XD XG AS BG SUBJECT: UNITED NATIONS PROPOSES REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER Classified By: A/DCM Jon Danilowicz. Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d) Summary -------------- ¶2. (C) The Executive Director for the United Nations Counter-terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) informed the local Counter-terrorism Action Group (CTAG) that a CTED sponsored three-day regional workshop for police officials and prosecutors held in Dhaka had been a success. All eight South Asian nations provided representatives to the workshop and Sri Lanka had expressed interest in hosting the next CTED training event. Australia's Counter-terrorism Coordinator briefed the CTAG on a proposal to establish a regional law enforcement training center, located in Bangladesh, and modeled on a similar center in Jakarta. CTAG member were generally supportive and proposed conducting a feasibility study. A regional training center could fit well with Regional Security Initiative (RSI) objectives for South Asia. End Summary. CTED Workshop a Positive Experience -------------- ¶3. (SBU) During his recent visit, Mike Smith, the Executive Director for CTED, briefed the local CTAG on a CTED-sponsored regional training for police and prosecutors, which took place in Dhaka from November 8-10. Denmark and Australia provided funding for the workshop. The workshop's objective was to initiate a constructive dialogue among the participants, which included one prosecutor and senior police official each from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. Smith noted that the participating prosecutors entered into substantive discussions more quickly than their police counterparts did. Based on the success of this workshop, Sri Lanka expressed interest in hosting a follow-on CTED sponsored training event. Regional Training Center Proposal -------------- -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Visiting Australian Counter-terrorism Coordinator Ambassador Bill Paterson briefed the CTAG, along with Smith, on a proposal to establish a regional police training center in Bangladesh, modeled on the Jakarta Center for Law Enforcement Cooperation (JCLEC). (Note: The concept paper has been sent to Dept via e-mail). The A/DCM noted that the United States could also share its experience establishing the International Law Enforcement Academies (ILEA). CTAG participants generally supported the idea of a regional training center. A smaller group of CTAG members will meet separately to discuss funding a feasibility study to look into the possibility of establishing the center. Paterson estimated the feasibility study cost as $100,000 - 150,000USD. Paterson suggested that interested donors could pool their resources in order to share the cost of the study. The European Union may take a leading role in the endeavor. (Note: Paterson briefed Ambassador Moriarty, along with the Australian and British High Commissioners, on the proposed regional center the night prior to the CTAG. End Note.) Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) Establishing a regional law enforcement center could fit well with the RSI objectives for South Asia. The center could also complement our bilateral law enforcement development efforts, such as hosting ATA-funded training and the upcoming launch of a 1207 community policing project implemented by DOJ-ICITAP. Bangladesh already has experience with successfully operating a regional training center. The Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operation Training is a center of excellence for UN peacekeeping operation pre-deployment training that has trained military and civilian personnel from countries throughout Asia, including Vietnam, China, Nepal, and Malaysia. We would welcome Dept's feedback on this initiative, including the possibility of the USG providing funding for the feasibility study. MORIARTY