USG-SAUDI MOI PARTNERSHIP

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 RIYADH 000474 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR P, NEA/ARP AND DS, CENTCOM FOR POLAD AND J5, DOE FOR DAS WBRYAN E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/29/2014 TAGS: ECON ENRG EPET IR IZ MARR MCAP MOPS OVP PGOV PK, PREL, PTER, SA, YM SUBJECT: USG-SAUDI MOI PARTNERSHIP REF: A. RIYADH 408 ¶B. 08 RIYADH 1778 Classified By: Ambassador Ford Fraker for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. The USG has formally stood up a new Security Assistance Organization in Saudi Arabia - Office of Program Management-Ministry of Interior (OPM-MOI). Partnered with the Saudi MOI, OPM-MOI built upon a previous USG-conducted vulnerability assessment of Saudi oil production facilities and has begun evaluating MOI training facilities. Bilateral cooperation on the protection of Saudi critical infrastructure, as previously reported, is of immense importance to ensure sufficient energy supplies are available to the U.S. and global economies. MOI has also approached us seeking USG assistance to expand OPM-MOI's mandate by enhancing MOI's overall professional capacity. In addition to protecting a vital energy supply, OPM-MOI offers a tremendous venue to strengthen the U.S.-Saudi relationship which then allows a broadening of Saudi support on a range of bilteral and multilateral issues. END SUMMARY. OPM-MOI's MISSION -------------- ¶2. (U) OPM-MOI is an interagency Security Assistance Organization (SAO). It is now the third USG SAO in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, alongside the U.S. Military Training Mission partnered with the Saudi Ministry of Defense and Aviation, and the Office of the Program Manager-Saudi Arabian National Guard, partnered with the Saudi Arabian National Guard. The latter two SAOs date back decades. What is unique of OPM-MOI, compared to these two other SAOs, is that it is DOS-led and involves more than just a DOD component. ¶3. (SBU) OPM-MOI is under DOS leadership, includes both DOE and DOD operational components, is integrated into Embassy Riyadh, and is under COM authority. OPM-MOI is expected to eventually be joined by DHS and U.S. Coast Guard as additional component members. OPM-MOI will provide a cradle to grave program for the development of the Saudi MOI's personnel of all ranks. This organization, to be fully funded by the SAG, was established by the formal Technical Cooperation Agreement (TCA) signed by the Secretary of State and Minister of Interior, and now also Second Deputy Prime Minister, HRH Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in May 2008 to partner with the Saudi MOI in protecting the Kingdom's critical infrastructure. Both OPM-MOI senior leadership and working level staff are now in place in the Kingdom, and operations have begun in conjunction with establishing OPM-MOI's full logistical, staffing and support structure. OPM-MOI has a senior Foreign Service Officer, a retired U.S. Army Major General, serving as the Program Manager. An active duty U.S. Army Brigadier General heads the DOD component tasked to train MOI's Facilities Security Force (FSF),and a senior DOE Liaison heads the Industrial Security component tasked with assessing security at Saudi energy production sites and assisting MOI in enhancing its protective capabilities at these sites. Saudi border, maritime, nuclear, cyber and internal security are planned to eventually be programs under OPM-MOI's mandate as it develops its relationship with MOI. MOI - THE BIGGEST DOG -------------- ¶4. (C) MOI is the largest and most domestically influential Saudi ministry. While nominally third in the MOI leadership hierarchy, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Naif (MbN),the son of Min Int Prince Naif, is the de facto MOI chief. MbN is held in RIYADH 00000474 002 OF 003 high regard by Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and well-respected by the Saudi populace for his effective work in beating down Al Qaeda in the Kingdom and running an effective deradicalization program which has gained wide local and tribal support. MbN has repeatedly stated the importance to the global economy of preventing terrorists from attacking Saudi oil facilities, asserting the Saudi goal is to prevent attacks from ever being carried out, and looking to the USG to be an active partner in achieving this goal. Embassy Riyadh, including FBI, DHS, GRPO and OPM-MOI have thus developed extremely close working relationships with various MOI departments. The result is operations in the USG interest can be conducted in a highly effective and cooperative manner within the Kingdom. ONGOING PROJECTS -------------- ¶5. (C) As OPM-MOI moves forward, there remain various logistical and technical issues to be resolved within the interagency, and bilaterally with the Saudis. The major USG-SAG issue is amending the TCA to allow the Saudis to fund all USG direct-hire positions. After intense, but highly cooperative, negotiations, it appears this may be resolved through an exchange of letters between the Department and MOI. We are also working contractual funding issues (Project Specific Agreements and Letter of Offer and Acceptance) with MOI. We expect these to be settled in April. This in turn would resolve the pending interagency funding/logistical issues. ¶6. (C) While OPM-MOI is only just now off the ground, the Saudis have come to us seeking quick assistance in developing their own capacity and expanding the OPM-MOI mandate. We are working within the interagency to: - Provide U.S.-based English language/management training for select MOI officers; - Assist in hiring bilingual AmCit contractors to work the foreign military sales and contractual issues for MOI; - Advise on which private infrastructure protection products are most suitable to their needs; - Develop a U.S. educator/trainer program linked to U.S. universities for MOI officers and NCOs; - Send a young, high-caliber MOI member on an exchange to a U.S. military service academy; - Construct an internal MOI department tasked with professional leadership development of MOI staff. Additionally, Embassy Riyadh will host a bilateral working group conference on April 19-21, in preparation for the second Joint Commission for Critical Infrastructure Protection session later this year. COMMENT - A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY -------------- ¶7. (C) COMMENT. OPM-MOI offers us tremendous opportunities with Saudi Arabia, the de facto leader of the Muslim world. Commercially, U.S. companies have the potential of achieving hundreds of millions to billions of dollars in long-term contracts. OPM-MOI will employ hundreds of AmCits in the Kingdom as trainers, educators, facilities evaluators and support staff, allowing U.S. working level relationships to be expanded within MOI. Successfully implementing this critical infrastructure program will allow us to become closer to the most powerful and influential Saudi ministry. In addition to the critical infrastructure protection advantages OPM-MOI will provide us, it will give us greater influence on a host of regional, economic, political and RIYADH 00000474 003.3 OF 003 security issues involving Saudi Arabia. END COMMENT. FRAKER