PSI: ANNOUNCEMENT AND INVITATION TO ATTEND PSI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 07 STATE 084305 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MNUC PARM PREL KNNP MO XD XF XG XI ZK ZR AS AR NZ SUBJECT: PSI: ANNOUNCEMENT AND INVITATION TO ATTEND PSI EXERCISE LEADING EDGE 2010 SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST -------------- ¶1. In keeping with the PSI goal to improve interdiction cooperation and capabilities through the conduct of international PSI exercises, we wish to inform all addressees about the upcoming US-UAE hosted PSI Exercise Leading Edge 2010, and invite them to participate or observe selected phases. PSI exercise Leading Edge will take place in UAE, 25-28 January, 2010. Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Jordan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, UAE, Yemen, Djibouti, Morocco, Libya, Tunisia, and Afghanistan have endorsed the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) Statement of Interdiction Principles and are therefore welcome to fully participate. Egypt, Lebanon, Pakistan and India are encouraged to endorse the PSI and are welcome to observe all parts of the exercise. A key aspect of the Initiative is its exercise & training program to practice WMD-related interdiction actions and provide opportunities to network with international counterparts and share best practices. ¶2. Leading Edge is a USCENTCOM and USG Interagency (IA) supported multilateral PSI exercise designed to develop WMD interdiction capabilities with partner nations to deter and disrupt illicit transfers of WMD-related material, technology, expertise, and equipment, to include addressing the challenges of suspect material inspection, seizure, and disposition. The goals of Exercise Leading Edge are to hone USG/USCENTCOM interdiction processes, demonstrate the benefits of PSI participation for regional partners and explore partner nations' interdiction processes. Leading Edge 2010 will be executed in two phases. Phase I executed 18-20 January 2010 will be a US-only distributed table top exercise for the USG IA at multiple locations to explore and exercise US-only command and control issues associated with PSI related interdictions. Phase II, co-hosted with the UAE, will be conducted in UAE 25-28 January, 2010. Phase II consists of three parts. Part 1 is a multilateral ship boarding field training exercise to demonstrate/share boarding, search and seizure capabilities/best practices with participants from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, STATE 00084305 002 OF 007 and UAE. Part 2 is a port exercise to demonstrate customs/law enforcement capabilities and technologies used to identify and seize proliferation cargo; build a professional partnership among customs and law enforcement personnel; and learn about port and vessel operational issues from industry representatives. Part 3 is a Table Top Exercise (TTX) that will examine legal authorities currently available to PSI partners for interdiction, detention, seizure, and disposition under port-state and customs/law enforcement control and identify seams and gaps in legal authorities that may require further national action. Parts 2 and 3 of Phase II are open to full participation from all addressed nations. ¶3. Posts are requested to draw from the points in paragraph 7 in discussions with appropriate host government officials and to encourage host government increased involvement in PSI activities, including exercise Leading Edge 2010; para 7 below may be left as a non-paper. In addition, if host government requests or asks about travel funding, please contact the USCENTCOM POC below along with your recommendations. USCENTCOM has a limited amount of funding available to provide airfare and hotel room for military related personnel if a country cannot otherwise be appropriately represented at the exercise. ¶4. U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) countries have already received an official invitation to participate (BAH, KUW, OMN, QAT, UAE) or observe (IRQ, SAU, YEM, EGP, JOR, LEB, AFG, KAZ, KYR, PAK, TAJ, TUR, UZB) in Exercise Leading Edge, from Commander U.S. Central Command, General David H. Petraeus in late February and a letter of Modification from Director, Strategy, Plans, and Policy, U.S. Central Command, Major General Allardice, announcing a date change for the exercise from October, 2009 to January, 2010. The distinction between participant and observer in the Central Command invitation letters is specific to Part 1 of Phase II (the field training exercise). All PSI endorsing nations are invited to fully participate in Parts 2 and 3 of Phase II and observe Part 1 with their full team. PSI endorsing nations are encouraged to send country specific playing teams consisting of 3 to 5 experts from the customs/law enforcement, legal (customs and/or law of the sea/ship boarding),and operational (maritime law enforcement or Ministry of Defense) communities. Observer nations and any country unable to send this team make up will still be involved with every aspect of TTX play in a larger multinational team. The Government of UAE is also intending to issue official STATE 00084305 003 OF 007 invitations to regional partners and select other nations to attend and participate in the exercise. ¶5. FOR EMBASSIES BEIRUT, CAIRO, NEW DEHLI, AND ISLAMABAD. Washington is seeking to ensure Lebanon, Egypt, India, and Pakistan take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about the PSI by attending the exercise Leading Edge as observers. Pakistan's CJCS has already accepted USCENTCOM's invitation. Posts are requested to invite these host governments to send a delegation to attend exercise. Additionally, and in advance of the exercise, Washington would like these countries to endorse the PSI Statement of Interdiction Principles (SOP) (the text of which is available at http://www.state.gov/t/isn/c27726.htm. At posts discretion, posts are requested to approach appropriate levels of host government and urge endorsement of the PSI. In particular, please inform host governments that PSI endorsement is a condition for full participation in PSI exercises. Posts may draw from points in paragraph 7 and 8, which also may be left as non-papers. Posts may also leave the sample diplomatic note in paragraph 9 with host government. -------------- REPORTING DEADLINE AND POCS -------------- ¶6. All action addressees are requested to deliver the documents below to host governments by 21 August, 2009, and report delivery by 28 August, 2009. Replies by email are acceptable but must be received to below POC,s NLT 28 August 2009. Points of contact are Sean Pascoli (USCENTCOM CCJ7 Exercise Planner pascolsw@centcom.mil 813-827-4074) for matters pertaining overall exercise planning and logistics, Mike Perron (DHS/U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 202-344-2501, Michael.a.perron@dhs.gov) for matters pertaining Phase II PORTEX AND TTX planning, and Carlos Guzman (202-647-6320, GuzmanCS@state.sgov.gov. The Department greatly appreciates Embassies' assistance. Please also continue to report reactions as received. End action request. -------------- NONPAPER -------------- ¶7. Begin points/non-paper: STATE 00084305 004 OF 007 -- We value our close collaboration on many nonproliferation issues and look forward to working together to deepen our Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) cooperation. -- On April 5, 2009, in Prague, President Obama expressed his support for the PSI. The USG is committed to making PSI a durable and effective initiative over the long term by improving states' capabilities to stop illicit shipments of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD),their delivery systems, and related materials worldwide. The USG views this effort as a joint endeavor among PSI partners. -- In keeping with our shared desired to prevent WMD-related proliferation, we wish to inform you of the upcoming US-UAE hosted PSI Exercise, Leading Edge 10, and invite you to participate. -- Exercises are a key component of the PSI. They help states improve their WMD related interdiction capabilities. -- PSI participants, including Middle East, Maghreb, and Central Asia regional partners, are being invited to participate in the PSI Exercise Leading Edge 2010 to work with other PSI participants to further develop and improve capabilities to stop shipments of WMD, their delivery systems, and related materials from being transferred to and from states and non-state actors of proliferation concern. -- Exercise Leading Edge 2010 will be conducted in the UAE from 25 to 28 January 2010 in three parts. -- Part 1 is a Gulf Cooperation Council focused multilateral field training exercise to demonstrate/share boarding, search and seizure capabilities/best practices. -- Part 2 is a port exercise to demonstrate customs/law enforcement capabilities and technology used to identify and seize proliferation cargo; build a professional partnership among customs and law enforcement personnel; and learn about port and vessel operational issues from industry representatives. -- Part 3 will culminate Phase II and Exercise Leading Edge with a Table Top Exercise (TTX) that will examine legal authorities currently available to PSI partners for interdiction, detention, seizure, and disposition under port-state and customs/law enforcement control STATE 00084305 005 OF 007 and identify seams and gaps in legal authorities that may require further national action. -- For Part 3, PSI endorsing nations are encouraged to send country specific playing teams consisting of 3 to 5 experts from ministries involved in international security-related decision-making, nonproliferation, and export controls (to include international and customs law, operational intelligence, law enforcement and customs operations, military interdiction policy/processes, border security, international trade and finance, exercise planning, and policy/diplomacy communities). Observer nations and any country unable to send this team make up will still be involved with every aspect of TTX play in a larger multinational team. -- We invite you to attend the exercise and seek your decision to participate, preferably with representation by appropriate officials described above. -- If you agree, U.S. officials will provide you more details on PSI Exercise Leading Edge 2010. For planning purposes, nations specifically invited to participate in Part 1 by CDR USCENTCOM and all other nations planning to materially support Part 1 with Naval assets, boarding teams, or related equipment, etc. should send 1 or 2 representatives to the Leading Edge Final Planning Conference in UAE 3-5 November and should arrive no later than 24 January 2010 for exercise execution. -- We believe that your government's decision to actively participate in PSI exercise Leading Edge 2010 would deepen (INSERT HOST COUNTRY NAME) regional counter-proliferation cooperation, intensify your participation in PSI, and strengthen your position as a regional leader. ¶8. Begin points FOR Lebanon, Egypt, India, and Pakistan ONLY: -- Many other countries in the region have endorsed PSI, including Afghanistan, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Jordan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Yemen, Morocco, and Libya. -- In the six years since the inception of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI),95 countries from every region of the world have endorsed the PSI Statement of Interdiction Principles. STATE 00084305 006 OF 007 -- As a result, the PSI has become the hallmark of strong nonproliferation credentials. -- On April 5 in Prague, President Obama expressed his support for the PSI. The Obama Administration is committed to strengthen and expand the PSI, to ensure it remains effective over the long term in improving states' capabilities to stop illicit shipments of WMD, their delivery systems, and related materials worldwide. -- The PSI Statement of Interdiction Principles does not entail any legal or operational obligations. Nonetheless, endorsement of the Statement of Principles provides a clear indication of a country's strong nonproliferation credentials, and also acts as a strong deterrent to proliferators seeking to abuse states' sovereign territory by trafficking WMD and missile-related materials and items. -- Endorsement of the PSI is a signal that a state takes its UN obligations seriously, including those in UNSCR 1540. This resolution identified the proliferation of WMD as a threat to international peace and security. It also identified cooperative efforts as one way in which states could implement their obligations to counter WMD and missile proliferation. -- Active participation in the PSI can assist countries with fortifying their economic systems and assets (such as ports, industries, etc.) against exploitation by illicit traffickers of WMD and related items, as well as other illicit materials. -- To date, the PSI partner countries have conducted over 37 operational interdiction training exercises (air, maritime, and ground) involving more than 70 nations. These exercises are a key element of the PSI in increasing the interoperability of PSI participants, improving interdiction decision-making processes and procedures, and enhancing the interdiction capacities of all participating states. The PSI partner states continue to work together by sharing information, conducting exercises, and carrying out interdictions that improve our ability and readiness to disrupt and counter proliferation activities. -- We welcome your Government's participation in the PSI. -- We urge your government to endorse the PSI Statement of Interdiction Principles through a diplomatic note to the United States or another PSI partner state prior to STATE 00084305 007 OF 007 Exercise Leading Edge, which will give you the opportunity to participate actively in this and future PSI exercises. End Points/Nonpaper. -------------- SAMPLE DIPLOMATIC NOTE -------------- ¶9. Begin text of sample diplomatic note endorsing the PSI: The Government of (country) welcomes and fully supports the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) and the 4 September 2003 Statement of Interdiction Principles (SOP). This endorsement reflects (country's) willingness to cooperate in preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD),their means of delivery and related materials. (Country) is committed to upholding the PSI SOP and looks forward to participating, to the extent possible, in future PSI-related activities. (Additional language on your government's commitment to non-proliferation and particular efforts your government would like to undertake, etc., may be inserted as desired.) End Sample Diplomatic Note CLINTON