Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09USUNNEWYORK601
2009-06-17 22:15:00
UNCLASSIFIED
USUN New York
Cable title:  

NATIONAL COUNTER-TERRORISM CENTER DIRECTOR MEETS

Tags:  PREL PREF CT 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0018
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0601 1682215
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 172215Z JUN 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6736
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

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