NATIONAL COUNTER-TERRORISM CENTER DIRECTOR MEETS

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000601 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PREF CT SUBJECT: NATIONAL COUNTER-TERRORISM CENTER DIRECTOR MEETS WITH THE UN,S COUNTER-TERRORISM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The U.S. National Counter-Terrorism Center,s (NCTC) Director, Michael Leiter, met with Mike Smith, the Executive Director of the UN,s Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) in New York on June 5. Director Leiter conveyed to Smith that the NCTC is currently trying to convince other U.S. Federal Agencies such as USAID and the Department of Agriculture for example, to include counter-terrorism as an aspect of their overall missions. Leiter,s objective in meeting with Smith was to determine ways the NCTC can assist the UN with its counter-terrorism agenda and vice versa. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) Leiter started out by asking Smith to provide an overview of CTED,s mission. Smith answered that the UN is an ideal venue to portray terrorism as a totally unacceptable phenomenon. Smith emphasized that the UN can make this argument much better than states can make it bilaterally. In reaction, Leiter pressed Smith on whether CTED and its mission are well received by Member States. Smith said that CTED is well received but also said he is careful during his visits to tailor his comments to the specific country and to be mindful that some countries are sensitive to the words &counter-terrorism8. For example, he said that during a recent CTED visit to Niger he stressed that the word counter-terrorism does not necessarily have to be used by the government, but that the government must be aware of its actions/inactions that can enhance or facilitate an act that constitutes terrorism. Smith referred to President Obama,s recent speech in Cairo as a good example of discussing terrorism without using the word terrorism. ¶3. (U) Smith told Leiter that the UN has limited resources and that CTED has an operating annual budget of only $8 million USD. He said that he has tried to make a positive difference, focus on the areas where he can have the most impact and is working hard to avoid overlap within the UN system. Citing the region of South Asia as needing the most assistance, he said that CTED is organizing a regional workshop for police officers in Bangladesh next fall. Referring to the Jakarta Center in Indonesia as a beacon for training and instruction for local law enforcement officials on counter-terrorism issues, Smith said that South Asia also needs such a center. Leiter acknowledged CTED,s efforts and said that he would be working with USUN and the U.S. Department of State to ensure that CTED,s work represents a force multiplier of U.S. efforts to fight terrorism. RICE