SUCCESSFUL RECEIPT OF CLASS POUCH IN LAHORE -- LESSONS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LAHORE 000002 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ADCO ADPM AMGT PK SUBJECT: SUCCESSFUL RECEIPT OF CLASS POUCH IN LAHORE -- LESSONS LEARNED AND NEXT STEPS REF: 09 ISLAMABAD 2938 SUMMARY ¶1. On December 19, 2009, Consulate General (ConGen) Lahore received and processed through the Allama Iqbal International Airport its first-ever classified pouch shipment. The shipment was a learning experience for both the ConGen staff and the airport staff and we believe it paved the way for smoother future operations. Key points included: requesting use of the domestic cargo gate in our diplomatic note; seeking only two tarmac passes; and giving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) at least ten days' notice. ConGen Lahore looks forward to the opportunity to regularize inbound and outbound classified pouch operations in Lahore. End summary. BACKGROUND ¶2. Because of lack of human resources and low volume of classified shipments, Lahore has traditionally relied on classified pouch receipt through Embassy Islamabad. Recently, with Post upgraded to Consulate General status, many additional American staff members including an Information Systems Officer, and the start of construction and other sensitive projects, the volume of classified shipments increased. Additionally, the Government of Pakistan (GOP) has curtailed Embassy Islamabad's ability to send and receive classified pouches, reftel. Lahore, as the second largest city in Pakistan, is the home of Allama Iqbal International Airport (LHE). LHE receives daily flights from Bangkok, a classified pouch hub, two direct flights per week from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK),and is being vetted by the Traffic Safety Administration for direct flights to JFK. ¶3. On December 5, 2009, ConGen Lahore received word of an urgent shipment of construction materials that would arrive in Karachi and would be trucked to Lahore (a 20+ hour overland route with dubious security). ConGen Lahore staff decided that this would be the perfect test case for a classified pouch shipment arriving direct to Lahore. ConGen Lahore researched with post contacts, including those responsible for classified pouch shipments at Embassy Islamabad and ConGen Karachi, in order to know how to proceed. SUCCESSFUL FIRST RECEIPT OF CLASSIFIED SHIPMENT ¶4. On December 8, 2009, the ConGen Lahore Regional Security Office (RSO) sent a letter to the MFA Deputy Chief of Protocol (DCP),copying the Airport Security Force (ASF),the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA),and Deputy Collector of Customs (DCC), asking the requirements for establishing regular classified pouch operations. The MFA did not respond directly to Post, but did send letters of instruction to various GOP offices, including those copied on the original letter. Neither the MFA nor the ConGen sent a letter to the Ministry of Defense (MOD), which was an oversight on both parts, because the MOD is the decision maker for both tarmac access and airport security support. ¶5. On December 14, 2009, ConGen Lahore sent the DCP diplomatic note 388, requesting tarmac access for a classified shipment receipt on December 19, 2009. On December 16, 2009, ConGen Lahore conducted a table top practice exercise to plan contingencies for the classified pouch receipt and chose Dec 18 at 17.00 as its go/no go decision time. Having received positive responses from contacts at the CAA and ASF, through back channel connections to the MOD, ConGen Lahore decided to go ahead with the shipment, and notified Embassy Bangkok accordingly. ¶6. On December 19, 2009, seven ConGen staff members successfully facilitated the arrival of seven crates (900 kilograms) of classified materials. Lack of experience in this kind of shipment meant that the clearance process took more than three hours and quite a bit of conversation and negotiation, but the shipment was finally released. LAHORE 00000002 002 OF 002 LESSONS LEARNED ¶7. ConGen Lahore's Information Systems Officer must send a diplomatic note to the MFA DCP a minimum of ten days in advance of the planned classified diplomatic pouch run. The MFA is required to coordinate with the MOD and other entities, and effectively getting the word through the whole chain takes at least ten days. These diplomatic notes should also request use of the domestic cargo gate, in order to avoid the Customs Office getting involved in a shipment over which it has no jurisdiction. ¶8. ConGen Lahore's Management and Regional Security Officers must work in conjunction with Embassy Islamabad to ensure that MOD gets looped into the communication and approval process and that the Customs Office receives an information-only copy of approvals. ConGen Lahore will include this as a specific request in future classified pouch diplomatic note requests and has begun conversations with the MFA DCP to ensure that ConGen Lahore correctly understands and engages the correct decision makers. ¶9. Diplomatic notes should request two, and only two, tarmac passes, one for a cleared American ConGen staff member and one for an LE staff expeditor. Post vehicle tarmac access is not required and a more limited request should be easier for LHE security officials to approve and support. ¶10. The diplomatic courier should stay in Lahore to clear the accompanied baggage cargo, using the cargo baggage receipts he/she received at check in of the cargo. The daily Thai Air flight schedule allows the courier to bring inbound cargo, assist in the clearance process, stay overnight and depart with outbound cargo the following day. If the courier is not able to stay overnight, the courier must/must pass baggage claim tags and passport and visa copies to a cleared American ConGen staff member during the tarmac transition. NEXT STEPS ¶11. OBO has notified ConGen Lahore of an additional urgent classified pouch shipment. Post will try to receive that shipment on January 16 and also process an outbound shipment on January 17, 2010. ¶12. ConGen Lahore will coordinate a meeting with MFA Camp Office Lahore, the CAA and ASF to ensure a smoother process for the incoming shipment and discuss the possibility of a regular inbound and outbound schedule. ConGen Lahore will create a diplomatic pouch standard operating procedure and checklist that will be used to document and improve the process, working closely with Embassy Islamabad and Embassy Bangkok. ConGen Lahore greatly appreciates the support of Embassy Islamabad and Embassy Bangkok received to date. ¶13. ConGen Lahore points of contact are Management Officer Melinda Pavek (pavekmm@state.gov),Regional Security Officer Bill Wommack (wommackw@state.gov) and Information Systems Officer Tangela Torain-Myers (Torain-MyerT@state.gov). CONROY