BUILDING SUPPORT FOR POTENTIAL USG SECURITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 108057 SENSITIVE C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (SENSTIVE CAPTION ADDED) SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID GB PREL KPAO SUBJECT: BUILDING SUPPORT FOR POTENTIAL USG SECURITY ASSISTANCE TO CEEAC STATE 00108057 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: This is an action request; see paragraph 7. The Department requests posts to inform Economic Community of Central African States (French acronym: CEEAC) governments of the Presidential Determination and to ask your host government to assist CEEAC to respond promptly to our forthcoming questionnaire, which is required before we can negotiate and finalize a reliable and enforceable end-use, retransfer, and security agreement. End Summary. BACKGROUND -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Providing security assistance to an international organization like CEEAC is generally a multi-step process: first, the President makes a determination that the furnishing of defense articles and defense services will strengthen the security of the United States and promote world peace; next, the USG and the international organization negotiate and conclude an end-use, retransfer, and security agreement; and finally, a case-by-case determination is made to provide specific defense articles or services to the organization. The U.S. is not committing anything for CEEAC support at this time. ¶3. (SBU) For CEEAC, the first step was completed on September 7 when President Obama made a Presidential Determination (PD) that "the furnishing of defense articles and defense services to the Economic Community of Central African States will strengthen the security of the United States and promote world peace." ¶4. (SBU) Before we can begin negotiating an end-use, retransfer, and security agreement, the USG needs information on CEEAC's authority, reliability, access, and enforcement mechanisms. On October 23, Embassy Libreville will receive a cable that will include this questionnaire to be delivered to CEEAC. Responses to this questionnaire will be used to determine if the United States and CEEAC may enter into a reliable and enforceable end-use, retransfer, and security agreement. This agreement is a required step before the U.S. may grant certain defense articles or defense services to CEEAC, including to the CEEAC Standby Brigade or other appropriate CEEAC entities. ¶5. (SBU) The USG intends to provide targeted assistance to CEEAC to increase peacekeeping and crisis response capacity, enhance maritime security, strengthen interoperability, and improve our mil-to-mil cooperation. The AU's African Peace and Security Architecture incorporates the notion of managing conflict at all stages: conflict prevention, conflict response, and post-conflict reconstruction. As such, the AU has developed the African Standby Force (ASF) as a key element of its vision for quickly responding to potential conflict, disaster, and other crises. The ASF consists of five multi-dimensional standby brigades broken out into Africa's five sub-regions, including CEEAC. The United States is pursuing or has already concluded similar agreements with the AU, SADC, and ECOWAS. ¶6. (SBU) Obtaining the authority to provide certain defense articles and defense services to CEEAC is necessary for the USG to implement its policy of support for the AU and its sub-regional organizations as they pursue peace and security on the African continent. OBJECTIVES AND TALKING POINTS -------------- ¶7. (U) In order to encourage CEEAC to complete the necessary steps to make this assistance possible, the Department requests that you draw upon the points below at your discretion for use with the press and host government interlocutors to inform CEEAC member states of the PD and to ask your host government to assist CEEAC in responding promptly to our forthcoming questionnaire that is required before we can negotiate and finalize a reliable and STATE 00108057 002.2 OF 002 enforceable end-use, retransfer, and security agreement with CEEAC. Translated talking points in French, Spanish, and Portuguese will be provided by e-mail to posts. -- On September 7, President Obama made a Presidential Determination (PD) concerning the Economic Community of Central African States (French acronym: CEEAC). -- This decision demonstrates U.S. interest in providing certain defense articles or defense services to CEEAC, including to the CEEAC Standby Brigade or other elements of CEEAC. -- The USG intends to further its policy of supporting Africa's peace and security institutions. The PD for CEEAC is similar to PDs for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS),Southern African Development Community (SADC),and the African Union (AU). The provision of defense articles and defense services to CEEAC is a part of the USG's long-term strategy of seeking to support Africa's peace and security agenda, including support for the regional standby brigades to increase peacekeeping capacity, enhance maritime security, strengthen interoperability, and improve our mil-to-mil cooperation. -- Before this can be put into practice, CEEAC must complete additional steps, including the conclusion of an end-use, retransfer, and security agreement with the United States. -- Negotiating an acceptable end-use, retransfer, and security agreement can be a long and complex process. The American Embassy in Libreville will deliver a written questionnaire to CEEAC regarding its authority, reliability, access, and enforcement mechanisms that will require a written response from the appropriate CEEAC authority. The Department needs this information to determine whether the U.S. and CEEAC can enter into a reliable and enforceable agreement. -- While there is no official deadline to provide the information, the appropriate CEEAC authority's prompt response to this questionnaire will greatly facilitate the conclusion of this agreement and any subsequent provision of assistance. -- CEEAC members are requested to assist and encourage CEEAC to respond promptly to the U.S. questions. -- Any assistance ultimately provided to CEEAC or its Standby Brigade will be considered on a case-by-case basis and must also comply with all relevant existing legal obligations, including, where appropriate, current or future restrictions applicable to CEEAC members. -- (if needed) The U.S. is not committing any specific support toward CEEAC at this time. End talking points. POINTS OF CONTACT -------------- ¶8. (U) Embassy should report results of efforts by cable PM/RSAT Amy Van Buren, PM/PPA Rachel Schaab, or AF/RSA Julie Chalfin by November 6. CLINTON