CARIBBEAN-U.S. TECHNICAL SECURITY COOPERATION MEETING

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARAMARIBO 000149 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAR JROSHOLT; MFORTIN BRIDGETOWN FOR USAID JGOGGIN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MARR SNAR MASS MOPS PREL XL NS SUBJECT: CARIBBEAN-U.S. TECHNICAL SECURITY COOPERATION MEETING REF: STATE 44630 ¶1. (U) Summary. The May 20 Caribbean-U.S. Technical Security Cooperation Meeting in Paramaribo, Suriname, concluded on a highly positive note, as U.S. and Caribbean representatives agreed to initiate a formal dialogue to develop and institutionalize a joint regional security strategy. Caribbean participants welcomed our desire to ensure this "citizen safety" initiative reflects a true two-way partnership, co-responsibility, and a clear understanding of the need to address root causes as well as symptoms of the broad range of security challenges we face. Delegations agreed to convene a working group in the coming weeks to develop a joint strategy and action plan for the dialogue. The U.S. Delegation extended an offer to host the first formal meeting of the Caribbean-U.S. Dialogue on Security Cooperation in Washington, D.C. later this year. End Summary. ¶2. (U) The U.S. delegation, lead by U.S. Ambassador to Suriname Lisa Bobbie Schreiber Hughes and State/WHA Senior Security Advisor Giovanni Snidle, included robust interagency participation (State, DHS, AID, DOJ, OSD, SOUTHCOM, JIATF-S). The Caribbean participants included senior representatives of member governments as well as regional security organizations: CARICOM's Implementing Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) and the Regional Security System (RSS). Astona Brown, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of National Security, Immigration and Foreign Affairs, St. Kitts and Nevis, co-chaired the meeting with Ambassador Schreiber Hughes. ¶3. (U) The U.S. delegation noted the Administration's request of an additional $30 million from Congress as "earnest" money in what we hoped would become, after consultation with Congress, a multi-year, multi-dimensional network of partnerships in the Caribbean to protect the safety of our citizens. Following a review of regional threats, U.S. participants reviewed a number of existing regional security initiatives and noted that their acceleration would enable a stronger joint partnership. The Caribbean countries provided several recommendations for the United States to consider for greater training and capacity building. (Note: With the addition of the $30 million announced by the President, the total request to Congress is $45 million. End Note.) ¶4. (U) Brown responded that CARICOM is interested in institutionalizing the dialogue on CARICOM-U.S. security cooperation. She said she was pleased the United States is talking to them as an equal partner, and listening to their views. She thanked the United States for its contributions to the region over the years, as well as for this new effort to institutionalize, strengthen, and formalize the cooperation that already exists. She agreed to the U.S. proposal to stand up a working group composed of the CARICOM "Bureau" of Security Ministers as well as The Bahamas, Dominican Republic, and the United States to define a joint regional security strategy. The working group will convene on a to-be-determined date in June or July 2009 to define the areas of cooperation and to advance a joint security plan, agenda, and regional action plan for the Caribbean-U.S. Dialogue on Security Cooperation that will be held in Washington, DC, later this year. In addition, Brown welcomed the opportunity to use the Caribbean-U.S. Dialogue on Security Cooperation as a mechanism to engage additional partners, such as the United Kingdom, Inter-American Development Bank, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and the Organization of American States, in order to broaden the region's security cooperation partnerships. ¶5. (U) During the May 20 meeting, the Caribbean delegation briefed their strategic vision for the region. The U.S. delegation emphasized the need to accelerate a number of regional initiatives, which will enable a stronger joint partnership. The Caribbean countries provided several recommendations for the United States to consider for greater training and capacity building. One identified goal included development of a well defined regional security strategy and plan, which would include efficient maritime and aerial responses to regional threats, strong criminal justice systems, effective mechanisms to counter gangs, violent crime, illegal trafficking in persons, firearms and drugs, and provide for justice sector reform. Key strategies include the pooling of regional resources, holding a unified focus on shared and emerging threats, and standardizing levels of proficiency of human resources. They suggested that enhancing U.S. cooperation with CARICOM on information and intelligence sharing, including integrated ballistics imaging (RIBIN),electronic fingerprint sharing (AFIS), as well as increasing opportunities for Caribbean region access to the U.S. international security cooperation instruments of the PARAMARIBO 00000149 002 OF 003 Department of State and Department of Defense would be of interest to them. A number of concrete projects were identified in which they welcomed U.S. resources or assistance. ¶6. (U) Caribbean delegations received positively U.S. delegation's proposal and suggested timeline for advancing this process, and our suggestion that the working group comprise: the U.S., the CARICOM "Bureau of Security Ministers" (Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados),The Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic. Working group participants will include prosecutors and investigators charged with ensuring security in the region. The Caribbean representatives provided detailed examples of projects already identified by the region and welcomed U.S. assistance in deepening this regionally based security cooperation, especially at the policy and technical levels. Specific areas that are already targeted include regional training on port, airport, customs, and border security, as well as on forensics, counterterrorism and intelligence. The group discussed ways to strengthen a dedicated Caribbean Regional Law Enforcement Training Institution, and one representative proposed that a U.S. International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) be placed in the region or that ILEA instructors visit the region. Other suggestions included using local universities, such as the University of West Indies system, for computer-based or distance learning programs. Another stressed the importance of the United States assisting CARICOM Training Centers of Excellence with temporary instructors rather than sending people to the United States due to the prohibitive costs involved. ¶7. (U) Another area of cooperation addressed was instituting and/or upgrading regional information sharing mechanisms. They highlighted the importance of upgrading the advance passenger information system (APIS) and advance cargo information system (ACIS). Several remarked that U.S. assistance in setting up a Regional Integrated Ballistics Network (RIBIN) as well as an integrated criminal records system would be of use. One delegate proposed that the region move beyond eTrace to RIBIN. ¶8. (U) The Caribbean representatives provided a number of examples of how the United States could augment existing plans to expand the region's law enforcement capabilities. Representatives listed justice protection and improved management of high risk witnesses as one of their priorities. They noted deficiencies in nations' investigative and forensic capacities, and said they planned to set up regional homicide and kidnapping investigative units as well as regional forensic units to fill this gap. As systemic corruption in some nations' security forces is a concern, they also discussed the establishment of a regional polygraph team that could be deployed to member states. Reduction of homicides and firearm related injuries is also a priority. Delegates touched upon the importance of enhancing anti-money laundering activities through financial information sharing and civil forfeitures. They expressed interest in U.S. technical assistance in harmonizing regional legislation, including setting up extradition treaties, civil forfeiture, wiretap, counterterrorism, cyber security legislation, and examining enhancements to criminal procedure codes. The Caribbean delegates also raised the issue of criminal deportees, suggesting a regional deportation coordination strategy. The Barbados delegate cited CARICOM-sponsored study by Jamaican official Anne-Marie Barnes entitled, ""Beyond Boundaries: A Comparative Study on Criminal Deportation"; a recent academic paper that claimed a direct link between the rising crime and increased numbers of criminal deportations to the region. (Note: Embassy Port of Spain received five copies of the 100+ page report and will send to Washington for further dissemination. End Note.) ¶9. (U) USAID proposed complementary and well-funded programs for a range of crime prevention actions, primarily through a concentrated focus on at-risk youth, to include remedial education, early anti-gang interventions and first-time offender diversion programs, workforce development and job-training, along with reform and restructuring of the justice systems, especially that dealing with juveniles and rehabilitation efforts with ex-offenders. The Caribbean participants responded very positively to the U.S. side's vision of a balanced approach to crime and security that highlights prevention, rehabilitation, and justice sector reform as one that offers the best likelihood of long-term sustainability through addressing a critical aspect of spiraling crime and violence, that being disaffected and alienated youth. ¶10. (SBU) COMMENTS: The meeting was an important step forward in response to President Obama's call at the 5th Summit of the Americas (Port of Spain, April 2009) for initiatives to address common PARAMARIBO 00000149 003 OF 003 development and security concerns in the region. U.S. delegation was struck by the high degree of preparation for the talks by the Caribbean delegation, and by their uniformly positive and constructive approach. As they discussed a broad spectrum of law enforcement, defense, and development concerns, Caribbean participants avoided exaggerated focus on contentious issues (e.g. criminal deportations) that in the past have hindered security conversations. This suggests a new appreciation of the importance of establishing long-term security consultations and an efficient partnership with the U.S. that can strengthen countries' ability, in real time, to address pressing issues of citizen safety. ¶11. (SBU) (Comment-continued) This new tone would seem to augur well for efforts by U.S. agencies that, in years past, attempted unsuccessfully to reach common ground on a variety of issues with Caribbean counterparts. Our receptivity to key Caribbean concerns could substantially widen a moment of opportunity that has been created, and leverage a degree of common cause we have found elusive in the past. One of the most effective ways of doing so would be development of a new arrangement on deportees, consistent with U.S. policy and practice and the parameters set by the CARICOM Heads of Government April 4-5 Communiqu. A proactive approach would be unexpected, and positively received, effectively steering this issue in a more pragmatic direction. It would also pay big confidence-building dividends as we contemplate some of the most far-reaching cooperation ever with the Caribbean. ¶12. (SBU) (Comment - continued) The U.S. interagency community should consider responding expeditiously to Caribbean requests for training and technical assistance through existing interagency programs currently planned or available. In defining the President's $45 million request to Congress for the Caribbean, we should closely respond to legitimate Caribbean requests made at the meeting on training, technical assistance, and law enforcement and defense assistance. ¶13. (U) (Ambassador's Comment.) The Government of Suriname showed its commitment to the Caribbean-U.S. Dialogue on Security Cooperation by hosting the May 20 meeting. As this interagency initiative progresses, we look forward to contributing to the process and encourage the interagency security community to ensure that the Dialogue's first host nation, Suriname, be afforded all appropriate opportunities offered by this new initiative. If possible, we suggest offering Suriname a place on the working group. As CARICOM Secretary General Carrington noted during the May 21 meeting of the Council of Ministers Responsible for National Security and Law Enforcement, (Suriname) ... "became a member of the Community later than most but has certainly been one of the most active and committed member states of CARICOM." (End Ambassador's Comment.) Certainly this is the case with respect to security initiatives. End Comments. ¶14. (U) The delegation cleared on this cable. SCHREIBER HUGHES