GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO COMBAT NUCLEAR TERRORISM:

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SINGAPORE 000331

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

EAP/MTS - MCOPPOLA
NEW DELHI FOR JEHRENDREICH

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM KNNP ETTC PREL SN
SUBJECT: GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO COMBAT NUCLEAR TERRORISM:
SINGAPORE CONCERNED ABOUT RESOURCE DEMANDS

REF: PRESCOTT/COPPOLA EMAIL 03/05/09


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: EconPol Counselor conducted a joint
demarche April 7 with representatives from the Russian
Federation, Japanese and Australian missions to urge the GOS
to endorse the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism
(GICNT). The GOS assembled a group representing six
different agencies to hear the demarche, signaling growing
interest in the initiative. However, the GOS remains
concerned about the resource requirements participation would
place on their already taxed agencies. GOS officials seemed
to understand the features of GICNT that distinguish it from
other programs such as the Proliferation Security Initiative
(PSI),but asked about benefits to Singapore, such as any
"real-time" intelligence sharing GICNT might facilitate. The
GOS requested additional information that might help them
determine the manpower, monetary and other demands of GICNT,
to ensure that if they did join they could contribute in a
meaningful way. End Summary.


2. (SBU) EconPol Counselor conducted a joint demarche April
7 with Dr. Vladimir Shin, First Secretary, Embassy of the
Russian Federation, as well as officials from the Japanese
and Australian missions, to deliver the talking points
provided in ref A email and urge the GOS to endorse the
Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT).
Twenty GOS representatives from the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Home Affairs,
Ministry of Environment and Water Resources (MEWR),National
Environment Agency (NEA),and Singapore Customs participated.
The GOS officials expressed appreciation for the joint
presentation, which conveyed a multilateral perspective on
the benefits of GICNT, why Singapore would be an important
GICNT partner, and how GICNT complements rather than
duplicates other programs such as the Proliferation Security
Initiative (PSI). The GOS officials seemed receptive in
principle to the idea of endorsing the Global Initiative, but
conveyed concerns and requested additional information.


3. (SBU) Lynette LONG Li Shen, Deputy Director of the
Counterproliferation and International Security Branch at MFA
and head of the GOS delegation, told embassy representatives
that Singapore has no substantive objections to endorsing
GICNT and supports its goals. Long said that the GOS'
primary concern with joining the initiative relates to the
manpower and other resource demands it might impose on its
lightly staffed agencies. Singapore takes its international
commitments seriously and would not want to endorse the
initiative without ensuring it can contribute in a meaningful
way, Long added. GOS agencies also asked several questions
aimed at determining how participation would benefit
Singapore and asked whether GICNT facilitates any "real-time"
intelligence sharing.


4. (SBU) An official from NEA noted that Singapore is
reviewing the benefits of ratifying the Convention for the
Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism and the Convention
on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. He asked
whether endorsing GICNT would put pressure on Singapore to
ratify those conventions. However, he subsequently asked
whether GICNT offers capacity-building activities that would
help Singapore meet the standards required to become a state
party to those conventions. (Note: Separately, a MEWR
official told Econoff that Singapore might approach the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for support and
assistance in implementing those conventions. End note.)


5. (SBU) As anticipated, GOS officials asked how GICNT
differs from PSI, in which Singapore is already a member.
EconPol Counselor and Dr. Shin highlighted the role GICNT can
play to cover areas not addressed by existing nuclear
nonproliferation frameworks, noting that PSI, for example, is
focused specifically on interdiction. Dr. Shin also pointed
out that GICNT provides a unique forum to interact with the
IAEA, which has observer status in the initiative. The GOS
officials seemed to take the points on board and appeared to
understand the broader goals of GICNT.


6. (SBU) GOS officials' response to the demarche and the
nature of the questions asked suggested that Singapore might
be closer to endorsing GICNT than it has been previously.
Still, they asked a number of questions aimed at gaining a

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reassurance that participation will not become overly
burdensome for agencies that have already committed their
limited staff to other initiatives like PSI. Along those
lines, GOS officials requested: information regarding the
numbers of GICNT meetings and workshops they would have to
attend each year; readouts from the most recent plenary
meetings; examples of outcomes or benefits derived from
joining GICNT; and temporary access to the GI Information
Portal to preview the types of material that would be
available there. Post will follow up on the GOS requests and
report any further developments regarding GICNT.

Visit Embassy Singapore's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/singapore/ind ex.cfm
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