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PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #0470/01 0982141
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 072141Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7641
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USNORTHCOM PRIORITY
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RUEILB/NCTC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY 0011
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 OTTAWA 000470
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL CA
SUBJECT: CANADA-U.S. BILATERAL CONSULTATIVE GROUP FOLLOW UP
1. (U) Action request: This is an action request, see para
four items 3, 9, and 10, and para 5.
2. (SBU) Summary: One of the commitments at the January 2008
U.S.-Canada Bilateral Consultative Group meeting on
counter-terrorism (BCG) was to develop a mechanism for
tracking the action items that came out of the forum. We now
have an agreed list. End Summary
3. (SBU) During an April 3 meeting to discuss follow-up to
the January 16-17 Bilateral Consultative Group (BCG) meeting
in Washington, Department of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade Senior Policy Advisor Neil Brennan
confirmed that DFAIT's Senior Coordinator for International
Crime and Terrorism, Mark Moher, remained very interested in
maintaining momentum on the issues from the BCG and ensuring
that it was not merely an annual event but more importantly
an ongoing process that broadly improves coordination and
cooperation.
REVIEW OF BCG FOLLOW UP ITEMS
-----------------------------
4. (SBU) Brennan said that Canada had adopted the list that
we presented at the conclusion of the BCG, with several
slight changes to ordering. The agreed action list, with
notes on where individual issues stand, is as follows:
Item 1: Broaden inter-agency testing of U.S.-Canada
Counterterrorism Defense Plan (CT CDP) (both sides)
Brennan indicated that Canada was not aware of any progress
on the issue yet. DFAIT understands that there will be table
top exercises (TTX) to work through the procedures for
implementing the plan, but has not heard of any actual
planning. Poloff subsequently informed Brennan -- following
discussions with NORTHCOM -- that NORTHCOM and CANSOFCOM reps
met February 5-7 and developed a way ahead on the CT-CDP.
The next step is to ensure all of the appropriate bilateral
agencies that have a role are aware of the plan and their
respective counterparts. CANSOFCOM told NORTHCOM that its
officials had already briefed the Privy Council, DFAIT, and
the Department of Public Safety. There will be bilateral
briefings and a TTX TTX in Embassy Ottawa May 28-29.
Item 2: Finalize and agree on MOU on CT Research and
Development (both sides)
Negotiations in Washington in early March yielded an agreed
final version of the MOU. The text now needs to move through
the clearance process so both sides can sign and put it into
force.
Item 3: Ensure mechanisms are in place for passing
information on Iraqi Foreign Fighters (U.S.)
Brennan indicated that DFAIT remained unclear as to whether
and how the USG might be passing information on Iraqi Foreign
Fighters.
Item 4: Ensure embassies in Middle East are communicating on
Iraqi Foreign Fighter issues (both sides)
Brennan said DFAIT would like to send our briefing from the
BCG to its embassies as background, both to alert them to the
issue and to elicit reporting.
Action request #1: Request Department pass electronically
what can be shared on Foreign Fighters to Embassy for
delivery to DFAIT in order to help advance this issue.
Clarity on what help Canada could provide and whether the
primary U.S. concern currently was foreign fighters going
into Iraq would be helpful.
Item 5: Enhance sharing of information and developments on
Hezbollah in Latin America (both sides)
QHezbollah in Latin America (both sides)
Brennan said that DFAIT had directed its missions to explore
this issue further since the BCG. Brazilian counterparts
were "adamant" that there was no Hezbollah presence in
Brazil. Canada will continue to develop its ability to
analyze and work the issue.
Item 6: Further develop information-sharing and coordination
OTTAWA 00000470 002 OF 003
on CT capacity building programs globally and in the Western
Hemisphere in particular (both sides)
Brennan said that DFAIT appreciated our suggestions on where
Canada could contribute to ongoing programs in the
hemisphere, and where they can complement our efforts, part
of an enhanced dialogue established since the BCG. Canada
currently has two projects through the OAS' CICTE: a capacity
building program on Document Security and Fraud Prevention in
El Salvador for Central America, the Dominican Republic, and
Mexico; and, a workshop for Caribbean Countries on Terrorism
Financing in the Caribbean. It will also fund one project on
ID theft and law enforcement in Central America through the
OAS' Hemispheric Security Group, and additional projects on
port security in Jamaica and cyber-security in the
hemisphere. DFAIT will continue to share its programming
with us and invites us to continue to share our information
with it to enhance synergy and collaboration.
Item 7: Share best practices on counter-radicalization and
coordinate counter-radicalization vocabulary (both sides)
Brennan said that Canada appreciated the analytical products
shared during and after the BCG on radicalization and would
appreciate any further products we can share in the future.
It will reciprocate when it has products that would be of
interest to the U.S.
Item 8: Further coordination on G-8 Roma/Lyon process and
consult in advance of meetings (both sides)
Brennan said that Canada appreciated the current level of
consultation, especially on cyber-security.
Item 9: Consider U.S. invitation to review functioning of
Regional Security Initiative (Canada)
Brennan said that Canada remained interested in consultations
aimed at developing a fuller understanding on Canada's part
of how the RSI works and what aspects of it could apply to
improve Canadian CT architecture.
Action request #2: Please advise if there is a venue with
dates for Canadian officials to review the RSI with
counterparts in S/CT.
Item 10: Consider joint U.S.-Canada
projects/training/exchanges on countering terrorist financing
(both sides)
Brennan said that DFAIT appreciates the invitations we have
offered for Canada to send experts to participate in joint
training and capacity building on CT financing projects.
Although Canadian officials have not yet been able to
participate, he expressed the hope that we will continue to
make these approaches. Canada appreciated the opportunity we
have provided over the past two years to send officers to
attend the FSI course on Combating Terrorist Financing
(PE141). He also suggested that this is a course that Canada
may want to develop in its professional studies program and
wondered if we could share our curriculum with Canada.
Action request #3: Please advise whether we can share our
curriculum for this or other pertinent courses with DFAIT.
Please advise of other courses that our Canadian colleagues
could attend.
Item 11: Focus on getting a better picture of money flows in
the Americas (both sides)
Brennan said that Canada was interested in continuing to
develop this connection but was not aware of any
breakthroughs.
Item 12: Develop info-sharing mechanism when bio-terrorism
QItem 12: Develop info-sharing mechanism when bio-terrorism
center stands up (U.S.)
Brennan said that Canada was anxious to develop this when we
are ready.
Item 13: Consider three project proposals for collaboration
on bio-terrorism preparedness in Western Hemisphere:
a. Opportunities for Western Hemisphere experts to
OTTAWA 00000470 003 OF 003
visit U.S. and Canadian research facilities (agro and
bio-terrorism)
b. Exploring ways to work together under the auspices
of the OAS to support Western Hemisphere agro-terrorism and
food defense exercises
c. Co-sponsorship of a capacity building/training
program on bioterrorism preparedness for public health and
safety officials in the Western Hemisphere (both sides)
Brennan said that Canada was pleased with the level of
interaction on this issue. There is a draft agenda on the
item c, a training program in the hemisphere that would then
clear the way for work on a and b. Brennan said that Canada
can help fund this program, but believes it will be difficult
to get the right experts to participate from Canada. He said
that Canada could fund experts from the U.S. if they are not
available in Canada. Once the training program is complete,
there will be an opportunity to identify the right
counterparts in the hemisphere to engage for further
programming.
5. (SBU) Two other items that Brennan raised:
-- Joint Declaration: Senior Coordinator for International
Crime and Terrorism Mark Moher provided a proposed draft of
the Joint Declaration on Counter-Terrorism in January
following the BCG meeting. DFAIT has not heard back from us
on this.
Action request #4: Please provide an update on the status of
the Joint Declaration.
-- Quarterly Connectivity: Director for International Crime
and Terrorism Evelyn Puxley separately told poloff that Moher
would be interested in a quarterly DVC or teleconference with
Ambassador Dailey to discuss BCG follow-up and other issues
in our shared agenda.
Action request #5: Request S/CT explore the possibility of
hosting a DVC with our Canadian counterparts. Embassy has
both secure and non-secure DVC capabilities.
Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada
WILKINS