GICNT: UNITED STATES REQUESTS INFORMAL MEETING

UNCLAS STATE 058370 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM PREL PTER KGIC SUBJECT: GICNT: UNITED STATES REQUESTS INFORMAL MEETING WITH FRANCE REF: 2008 STATE 085520 ¶1. This is an action request (see paragraph 4). ¶2. SUMMARY: Department requests that Embassy Paris request a 15 minute informal meeting of ISN Acting Assistant Secretary Eliot Kang and his delegation with interlocutors of the Government of France on Monday, June 15 on the margins of the GICNT Plenary Meeting. END SUMMARY. ¶3. BACKGROUND: In October 2008, then Acting Assistant Secretary Patricia McNerney raised the proposal in reftel with French Director of Disarmament and Nuclear Nonproliferation, Martin Briens. Thomas Guibert, Christine Baimere, and Frederic Marriotte from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed to U.S. interlocutors a strong interest in hosting a Global Initiative workshop on nuclear forensics in the September/October 2009 timeframe on the margins of a 9 December 2008 EU symposium in Paris. U.S., French and EU colleagues have worked closely on nuclear forensics issues in the International Technical Working Group on Nuclear Smuggling (ITWG),and at the annual ITWG in Vienna June 29th, the ITWG will initiate a technical review of the national nuclear forensics library concept. The United States believes that holding a GICNT workshop on nuclear forensics in France in September/October 2009 would be ideal. ¶4. ACTION: Department requests that that Embassy Paris request a brief meeting with France at The Hague on the margins of the 2009 GICNT Plenary Meeting. The U.S. Head of Delegation, Acting Assistant Secretary for International Security and Nonproliferation C.S. Eliot Kang, will represent the United States at the bilateral meeting, to be held at the location deemed most appropriate by the French delegation. ¶5. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this meeting is to: - Thank the Government of France for its thorough support of the GICNT and recognize France as a major player in the Initiative. - Thank France for its GICNT outreach efforts, and encourage France to continue these efforts. - Request to follow up on France's previous agreement with Washington to host a GICNT workshop this fall on nuclear forensics. ¶6. REPORTING DEADLINE: Department requests that Post schedule this meeting with the Government of France and confirm with U.S. Embassy The Hague (Denny Merideth, AA/S Kang's control officer) not later than June 10, 2009. ¶7. POINTS OF CONTACT: Department greatly appreciates Post's assistance. All cables associated with the GICNT should be slugged to the Department for ISN/WMDT and the relevant regional bureaus. E-mails regarding the GICNT may be sent to . CLINTON