VZCZCXRO1581
PP RUEHGR
DE RUEHKG #0843/01 1511723
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 311723Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY KINGSTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4850
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0095

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KINGSTON 000843 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR ISN - JANE PURCELL) 
WHA/CAR - RANDALL BUDDEN 
T 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AORC ETTC KNNP PARM PREL PTER XL XM JM
SUBJECT: JAMAICA HOSTS WORKSHOP ON IMPLEMENTING UNSCR 1540 
IN THE CARIBBEAN 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  The first outreach event on implementing United 
Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1540 (2004) in 
the Caribbean was held in Kingston, Jamaica on May 29-30, 
¶2007.  Representatives from 11 Caribbean states attended. 
The workshop was successful in increasing participants' 
knowledge of UNSCR 1540 requirements, how to prepare reports 
and action plans, and the availability of implementation 
assistance.  Department officers Jane Purcell, ISN/CPI, and 
Lloyd Moss, POL/ECON Kingston, participated for the USG.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  The UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (ODA), the European 
Union, Canada and Norway sponsored the UN Workshop on 
Implementing UNSCR 1540 in the Caribbean, which was hosted by 
Jamaica.  UNSCR 1540 places binding obligations on all UN 
Member States to adopt and enforce appropriate laws to 
prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction 
(WMD), their means of delivery, and related items.  In April 
2006, the UN Security Council extended the mandate of its 
1540 Committee for two years in UNSCR 1673, and decided to 
intensify outreach efforts to promote the Resolution's full 
implementation. 
 
Workshop Sessions 
----------------- 
 
¶3.  The workshop began with a presentation on the status of 
1540 reporting and implementation, both globally and 
specifically in the Caribbean, given by 1540 Committee Expert 
Gunterio Heineken.  Only half of the 16 Caribbean states have 
submitted their first report to the 1540 Committee.  Heineken 
pointed out that a report is necessary in order for a state 
to assess its implementation needs and make an appropriate 
assistance request. 
 
¶4.  A panel on 1540 implementation and assistance planning, 
chaired by 1540 Committee Expert Rick Cupitt, included 
presentations by representatives from Jamaica, Germany, 
Canada, the UK, and the United States.  Cupitt also led a 
briefing for reporting states on how to create an action 
plan, while Heineken led a briefing on how to write a report 
for states that have not yet submitted their baseline report. 
 Cupitt also presented a strawman template for assistance 
requests and sought attendees' comments on it. 
 
¶5.  Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), regional 
organizations, and international organizations made 
presentations on their roles related to 1540 implementation, 
their capabilities to provide assistance to states, and the 
importance of acceding to the various treaties and 
conventions relating to non-proliferation, nuclear security, 
and nuclear terrorism. 
 
Key Points on Assistance 
------------------------ 
 
¶6.  The major emphasis of the workshop was on assistance. 
Participants asked what conditions were attached to 
assistance and what the 1540 Committee did with assistance 
requests.  The 1540 Committee emphasized its role as a 
clearinghouse.  It would distribute requests to potential 
donors and give advice to states seeking it, but would not 
itself make a formal request of any particular donor and did 
not make judgments about assistance requests. 
 
¶7.  There were varying views on the potential role of CARICOM 
in 1540 implementation.  The 1540 Committee and the 
Organization of American States (OAS) representative 
expressed the opinion that CARICOM should play a key role in 
helping Caribbean states work in cooperation on 1540 
implementation.  Some participants commented that a CARICOM 
security center had recently been established in Trinidad. 
The UK Acting High Commissioner in Jamaica (DCM equivalent), 
however, commented privately that CARICOM was not likely to 
do much in regard to 1540 implementation.  CARICOM was 
invited to speak at the workshop, but a schedule conflict 
prevented it from attending.  A Jamaican MFA official who had 
previously worked at CARICOM made a presentation about 
CARICOM's potential role.  She stated that CARICOM focuses on 
economic development but does have a security component, and 
has begun working on counter-terrorism.  CARICOM could 
provide assistance related to 1540, but would require 
additional funding and manpower contributions to do so. 
 
¶8.  The OAS representative stated that the OAS has already 
made commitments to combating terrorism and WMD 
 
KINGSTON 00000843  002 OF 003 
 
 
proliferation, and has programs underway in areas such as 
Biosecurity.  A Jamaican official commented privately that 
the OAS cannot help Jamaica in legislative areas because it 
uses a civil law system incompatible with Jamaica's common 
law system.  But she acknowledged that the OAS could help 
Caribbean states in other areas. 
 
Views of Participants 
--------------------- 
 
¶9.  Host country Jamaica was well-represented at the workshop 
and was the most forthcoming in expressing its views.  In 
accordance with UNSCR 1540 para. 4, Jamaica had presented its 
first report, but did not yet have implementing legislation 
in place.  Working on national legislation and regulations 
was Jamaica's current priority.  Jamaica did not need 
assistance with drafting legislation and indeed found that 
many legislative models were not suited to Jamaica's common 
law legal system.  Once Jamaica begins administering 
1540-related laws, it believes its assistance needs will 
become clear, and then it will seek assistance.  Examples 
given of Jamaica's possible assistance needs were border 
control measures, identification and detection, and 
consequence management.  Jamaica's maritime borders and 
territory are monitored by its Coast Guard, so the Coast 
Guard would require assistance.  Jamaica complained that some 
unnamed donors were unwilling to provide assistance that 
would be used by armed forces, and also that Jamaica mostly 
needed training but donors were trying to provide equipment 
instead.  The U.S. representative highlighted that the United 
States has many appropriate training courses available. 
Canada showered praise on the DOE/NNSA training courses it 
had received from the United States. 
 
¶10.  The Antiguan representative seconded Jamaica in saying 
there were "horror stories" of foreigners providing advice on 
drafting legislation that turned out to be unsuited, 
unnecessary,  or excessive for the recipients.  Jamaica 
clarified that it sought not model legislation but to see 
examples of other countries' legislation as best practices. 
 
¶11.  The Bahamas asked whether a country would be compliant 
with 1540 if it implemented most but not all of the 
requirements.  Cupitt replied that every provision of 1540 
was an obligation, but it was recognized that not every 
requirement was a priority for every country.  Countries 
should try to identify gaps and work to make improvements. 
The U.S. representative added that the 1540 Committee was 
very sensitive to this question and was not trying to point 
out noncompliance.  Instead, the Committee was encouraging 
all countries to implement the Resolution to the best of 
their abilities over the long term, and was encouraging 
countries to provide assistance to other countries that did 
not have sufficient resources of their own. 
 
¶12.  The relevance of UNSCR 1540 and the threat of WMD 
proliferation to the Caribbean region was never disputed, 
although Jamaica noted that Caribbean states focus more 
attention on more immediate security concerns.  It was noted 
that the Caribbean is a major transshipment region and is 
very vulnerable to potential disaster that could result from 
illicit introduction of WMD-related agents or materials into 
the region.  States expressed the view that 1540 
implementation priorities for the region were legislation and 
enforcement of controls on imports and transshipments.  The 
U.S. representative pointed out that the transshipment issue 
includes cargoes shipped on vessels registered in Caribbean 
states. 
 
¶13.  The Trinidadian representative commented at the end that 
the workshop had been useful in focusing them and showing 
them a clear way forward.  The Barbados representative 
seconded that the workshop had been very informative and 
helpful. 
 
Attendees 
--------- 
 
¶14.  List of participating countries:  Antigua and Barbuda, 
Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Dominica, Dominican Republic, 
Germany, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Russia, Saint Lucia, 
Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, and United 
States.  Haiti, Russia and the UK were represented by embassy 
officials resident in Jamaica. 
 
¶15.  Participating international organizations and NGOs: 
 
KINGSTON 00000843  003 OF 003 
 
 
Organization of American States/Inter-American Committee 
against Terrorism (OAS/CICTE), UN 1540 Committee, including 
Chairman Peter Burian, UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, 
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Organization for 
the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), IATA, CTBTO, and 
Centre for International Trade and Security (CITS). 
HEG