CANADA TO SPONSOR UNSCR 1540 SEMINAR FOR CARICOM

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000237 SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN/CPI - T. WUCHTE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PARM ETRD KSTC XL HA DR CA SUBJECT: CANADA TO SPONSOR UNSCR 1540 SEMINAR FOR CARICOM MEMBER STATES IN MAY REF: STATE 27289 ¶1. (U) This is an action request for ISN/CPI -- see para 5. ¶2. (U) In response to reftel demarche, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) Senior Policy Officer David MacDuff expressed Canada's appreciation for the U.S. decision to provide both legislative drafting support and a regional coordinator to help CARICOM members states comply with UNSCR 1540 requirements. For its part, MacDuff said, Canada plans to sponsor a seminar in May on the implementation of export controls and integration of the newly developed legislative and legal framework into CARICOM member state legal systems. ¶3. (U) According to MacDuff, the upcoming seminar will be billed as a follow-up to the February 2008 meeting of Caribbean states that the Washington-based Stimson Center, Canada, and other underwriters funded to encourage Caribbean states' buy-in to UNSCR 1540. Canadian and Stimson Center officials expect to complete the seminar design soon, he added. The next step will be to seek Canadian government approval for approximately USD 30,000 of the estimated USD 50,000 cost of the seminar, with Stimson and other donors paying the rest, MacDuff noted. ¶4. (U) MacDuff commented that, according to the Italians, the Dominican Republic and Haiti have not yet complied with initial UNSCR 1540 reporting requirements. Canadian and Stimson Center planners would need this "baseline information," he remarked, in order to design a useful seminar. MacDuff asked whether the U.S. intends to take additional action to encourage the Dominican Republic and Haiti to complete their reports well in advance of the seminar. Barbados, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago have completed their reports, he confirmed. ¶5. (U) Action request: please advise whether the USG intends to take additional, near-term action to urge the Dominican Republic and Haiti to complete outstanding UNSCR 1540 reporting requirements, and whether the USG would be interested in conducting joint demarches with Canada. Also, please advise whether we support/encourage the Canadian proposal to organize the upcoming seminar. Visit Canada,s North American partnership community at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap / BREESE