PROPOSAL FOR NADR-FUNDED SOUTH ASIA SECURITY DIALOGUE

UNCLAS DHAKA 000064 SIPDIS DEPT PASS TO S/CT SETH BAILEY AND EMILY GOLDMAN SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER ASEC IN BG SUBJECT: PROPOSAL FOR NADR-FUNDED SOUTH ASIA SECURITY DIALOGUE REF: 08 STATE 128554 ¶1. (U) The following is a proposal for a regional counterterrorism program to be funded with two-year FY'09 foreign assistance funding per Reftel: ¶2. (U) Project Title: South Asia Security Dialogue ¶3. (U) Implementing Agency: Local think tank ¶4. (SBU) Program Description: The South Asia Security Dialogue would bring together regional civil society leaders, government officials and law enforcement agency representatives for two security dialogues organized by a Bangladeshi think tank. The program would be perfectly timed to support incoming Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's call for greater regional cooperation on counterterrorism. Coming in the aftermath of the Mumbai terrorist attack, it also would be an excellent forum for policy-makers to respond to growing calls for a regional approach to security issues. ¶5. (SBU) Because of lingering distrust, neighboring countries in South Asia have not done nearly as much as they could in working together to fight the growing regional threat of transnational terrorism. A security dialogue involving stakeholders from all walks of society throughout the region would help create an environment in which South Asian law enforcement agencies and governments could better work together to deter extremists from engaging in international terrorist acts. Research papers that would be presented at the security dialogues would be used by governments to devise cooperative, regional strategies to respond jointly to the transnational threat of terrorism in South Asia. The dialogues would provide a forum for South Asian experts to discuss security policy and legislation, capacity building of and cooperation between intelligence agencies/police, money laundering, and radicalization of youth. ¶6. (SBU) The project would include two separate security dialogues. The initial one would include perhaps 15 to 20 participants from India and Bangladesh and perhaps other South Asian countries; the second would include representatives from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and perhaps other South Asian countries. A Bangladeshi think tank would be the lead organizer and would host at least one dialogue. ¶7. (SBU) Estimated Budget: The two security dialogues would cost an estimated $50,000 each, roughly broken down into $33,000 for direct conference costs, including publications, and $17,000 for conference secretariat costs. ¶8. (U) Coordinating Office: Political Section of Embassy Dhaka ¶9. (U) Embassy point of contact: Political Officer Dan Biers, State Department; biersdl@state.gov; 88-2-885-5500, extension 2306.