Cablegate: T Letter of Thanks to Fco Director-General Leslie

VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #0510 2071808
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 251804Z JUL 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 8789

UNCLAS STATE 080510

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM PREL UK
SUBJECT: T LETTER OF THANKS TO FCO DIRECTOR-GENERAL LESLIE
FOR HER ROLE IN PSI 5TH ANNIVERSARY

REF: STATE 023568

1. SUMMARY: FCO Director General for Defence and
Intelligence Mariot Leslie led a panel on ways to continue
strengthening the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) at
the Senior-Level Meeting for all PSI endorsing states held
May 28, 2008, in Washington, DC, on the occasion of the PSI's
Fifth Anniversary. This panel addressed current
proliferation challenges and raised ideas for improving PSI
cooperation and participation to address them. It included
statements and presentations by representatives of Turkey,
New Zealand, Croatia, Lithuania, and Kazakhstan. The PSI
Senior-Level Meeting was attended by representatives of 85
countries, almost all of the 92 states that have endorsed the
PSI.

2. ACTION REQUESTED: Embassy is requested to deliver under
appropriate cover the following letter from Acting Under
Secretary John Rood to FCO Director General Leslie, thanking
her for her leading role in the PSI Fifth Anniversary
Senior-Level Meeting. The State Department does not plan to
release the text of this message but has no objection if HMG
wishes to do so. There will be no signed original.

3. Begin text of letter:

Dear Ms. Leslie:

On behalf of the U.S. Government, I want to thank you for
introducing and leading the panel "Looking Ahead: Continuing
to Strengthen PSI" at the May 28, 2008 Senior-Level Meeting
of Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) participants in
Washington DC. Your leadership of the panel made an
important contribution to the success of the meeting.

I believe the PSI Fifth Anniversary Senior-Level Meeting was
very successful in reaffirming the strong commitment of the
PSI partner states to respond to the WMD proliferation
challenge. It also provided the participants from 85
countries an opportunity to strengthen communication with one
another. We hope this event will result in expanded
participation in PSI activities, particularly on a regional
basis. The United States recognizes that the United Kingdom
plays a significant role in the PSI, and we greatly
appreciate your Government's continued efforts and
contributions to advancing the PSI goals.

Sincerely,

John C. Rood
Acting Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and
International Security

End text of letter.

4. POINTS OF CONTACT: Washington points of contact on the
PSI are Jane Purcell, e-mail: PurcelJa@state.gov,
202-647-6186; and Carlos Guzman, e-mail: GuzmanCS@state.gov,
202-647-6320. Department appreciates Post's assistance.
RICE

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