SINGAPORE HOSTS EU-ASEAN MEETING REGARDING CHEMICAL,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SINGAPORE 001168 SENSITIVE SIPDIS Dept for ISN/ECC Rachel Owen E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KNNP PARM AORC PREL PTER SN SUBJECT: SINGAPORE HOSTS EU-ASEAN MEETING REGARDING CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, RADIOLOGICAL, AND NUCLEAR THREAT INITIATIVE ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The European Union (EU) hosted a one-day conference in Singapore on November 23 regarding its outreach to Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to address potential chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats and an EU proposal to establish a CBRN Center of Excellence (COE) in ASEAN. Representatives from the European Commission led the meeting with officials from nine ASEAN countries. Each ASEAN member outlined their current efforts to address CBRN threats and areas where they could benefit from foreign assistance and capacity building. The EU explained its COE proposal but appeared to be seeking consensus from ASEAN to decide when, where and how the first phase of establishing a COE should begin. Movement forward on establishing a COE will likely be slow until an ASEAN member steps forward to lead such an initiative. End Summary. EU Hosts ASEAN CBRN Meeting in Singapore -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The European Union (EU) held a meeting in Singapore on November 23 with nine Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members to share the outcomes from recent EU visits to the region and discuss a proposed chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) Center of Excellence (COE) for Asia. Officials from the European Commission (EC) led the meeting and were joined by officials from supporting organizations like UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research (UNICRI). Participants included approximately 23 representatives from ASEAN member countries, except Brunei, representing a range of agencies and ministries from their governments that are responsible for health, nuclear, environmental and security issues. Emboffs from Singapore, the regional EXBS Advisor from Kuala Lumpur, and an officer from the U.S. Department of Energy joined the meeting as observers. EU's Vision for a Regional Center of Excellence -------------- -- ¶3. (SBU) The EU representatives acknowledged the need to expand CBRN response capabilities in Southeast Asia and proposed creating a related Center of Excellence (COE) and knowledge-sharing network for the region. The geographic location of the COE is still to be determined, but the EU hopes to set the concept in motion in 2010. There are no plans for dedicated "brick and mortar" facilities. Instead, the functions of the COE would be accomplished through existing facilities in ASEAN. The EU anticipates that the rollout of programs to address each area (i.e., chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear) would be done in phases. The first phase would likely focus on biological threats because the EU would like to tap the existing programs and momentum already in place in ASEAN. Nuclear safety would probably come at a much later phase. UNICRI itself or UNICRI's Joint Research Center would be the implementer for the COE. ¶4. (SBU) The EU has the authority to fund a COE through its Instrument for Stability, which includes mandates to address global and trans-regional threats. The EU has approximately 25-30 million euros to fund a CBRN Center of Excellence, but the EU representatives indicated that it would dedicate 5 million euros in the first phase of such an initiative. It was not clear whether that money would be used to fund more than one COE. The EU has plans to target other regions besides Southeast Asia, such as the Middle East and sub-regions of Africa. Potential International Support -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The EU stated in its presentations that the United States, Japan and Australia have expressed interest in supporting the COE concept and some funding may already be available through complementary programs run by various donor governments. However, participation, or lack of participation, at the November 23 meeting reflected some of the implementation and coordination challenges that exist with such a multilateral program in ASEAN. Japan sent a letter of support to the EU for the meeting on 23 November, but could not send a representative to the meeting, according to an EC official. Likewise, the EU invited the ASEAN Secretariat, but the Secretariat did not have the manpower to send a participant. According to EC official Philippe Van Amersfoort, ASEAN has many donors but there is no tracking or coordination among the donors to find ways to initiate complementary programs. This lack of donor coordination is problematic when trying to determine proper support for efforts like the COE, he added. ASEAN Member CBRN Activities and Needs -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Each of the ASEAN members, including Burma, made SINGAPORE 00001168 002 OF 002 presentations or brief remarks on aspects of their CBRN-response systems and outlined areas where they require more outside assistance. Singapore described their Security Sensitive Materials (SSM) task force which is an interagency body headed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Singapore has established protocols to prevent or isolate any potential CBRN incident. For example, trucks carrying hazardous materials can only enter at one land checkpoint and can only travel in certain zones of the city-state. Malaysia described its infectious disease response efforts, which have included establishing a biosafety committee and building a mobile biosafety level 3 laboratory. Cambodia noted that while it needs assistance in building capacity to respond to CBRN threats, it also still requires assistance dealing with light arms trade. Burma did not make a presentation, but officials from the Department of Atomic Energy in the Ministry of Science and Technology said that their access to technology to deal with CBRN incidents is limited so they require help with capacity building and hope to learn from an EU-ASEAN partnership on how to respond to CBRN threats. ¶7. (SBU) Each ASEAN member, including the most economically advanced countries, suggested at least one area where they see value from added CBRN capacity building in the region. The participants were generally supportive of the EU COE idea. However, no ASEAN member stepped forward to offer to host a COE and there was little discussion of how, in practical terms, such a COE and network might begin to build on existing bilateral or regional programs. The November 23 meeting provided a useful outline of the EU proposal, but progress on the COE was not substantially advanced at the meeting and will likely continue to be slow. ¶8. (U) Regional EXBS Advisor Mike McNamara cleared this message. SHIELDS