RESPONSE TO GICNT WORKSHOP AND EXERCISE PLANNING

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 000698 SIPDIS ISN/WMDT FOR T.LOWE, M.TERHAAR E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2019 TAGS: MNUC MCAP PARM PINR PREL PTER KGIC KS IS SUBJECT: RESPONSE TO GICNT WORKSHOP AND EXERCISE PLANNING DEMARCHE REF: A. STATE 18574 ¶B. STATE 21325 ¶C. STATE 22354 Classified By: Political Counselor Marc Sievers, reasons 1.4 (b),d) ¶1. (C) Summary: The GOI takes its obligations as a partner nation of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) seriously, and is interested in participating in the GICNT workshop and Exercise Planning Group (EPG) meeting hosted by the Republic of Korea in Seoul, April 14-16. However, MFA officials note these meetings fall during the last days of the Passover holiday. They requested further information regarding the composition of other partner nation delegations in order to determine whether the meetings merit an expert's attendance from Jerusalem. Separately, the GOI plans to host a GICNT workshop in November focusing on legal and forensics aspects of nuclear terrorism. End summary. ¶2. (C) Per reftels, polmiloff joined Counselor Chungnam Park from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea and Counselor Yuri Rudakov from the Embassy of the Russian Federation on March 24 in briefing MFA Arms Control Department Director Rodica Radian-Gordon and her colleague Israel Tikochinski on the GICNT workshop and EPG meeting in Seoul, April 14-16. ¶3. (C) Radian-Gordon stressed that the GOI takes its obligations as a GICNT partner nation seriously, and therefore is interested in participating in the April meetings in Seoul. However, she noted that the meetings fall on the last days of Passover (Note: The GOI will be closed from April 8-15). As any GOI expert would be reluctant to travel during this religious holiday, she requested further information regarding other partner nation delegations to determine whether the meetings merited sending an expert from Jerusalem. Otherwise, she suggested the Israeli embassy in Seoul would cover the meetings. Park offered to check with Seoul on the composition of partner nation delegations, and pass these details to the GOI. ¶4. (C) Separately, Tikochinski noted GOI plans to host a GICNT workshop in November, following UN First Committee work. He said the workshop would most likely focus on legal and forensics aspects of nuclear terrorism. ********************************************* ******************** Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv ********************************************* ******************** CUNNINGHAM