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 SINGAPORE 00000331 002 OF 002 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 SHIELDS