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Brian McCuen  11/28/2006 09:00:55 AM  From  DB/Inbox:  Search Results

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S E C R E T        BERLIN 02785

SIPDIS
CX2BERLN:
    ACTION: GA
    INFO:   CONS RSO LEGAT ECON CHRON POL JIS AMB DAO DCM
            DAOBONN PAO ECONMIN
CXBERLIN:
    ACTION: GA
    INFO:   CONS RSO LEGAT ECON CHRON POL JIS AMB DAO DCM
            DAOBONN PAO ECONMIN

DISSEMINATION: GA
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: DCM:JMKOENIG
DRAFTED: GA:MKOUMANS
CLEARED: EMIN:RFC GA:DS PMIN:JB LEGAT:RT JIS:DM RSO:JH

VZCZCRLI927
OO RUEHC RUEHZL RUCNFRG RUEAWJA RUEAHLC RUEATRS
DE RUEHRL #2785/01 2640846
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 210846Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5362
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 BERLIN 002785 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR NSC, DHS, STATE (S/CT AND EUR) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/2016 
TAGS: PTER PGOV PREL KHLS CVIS TBIO GM EU
SUBJECT: U.S.-GERMAN COUNTERTERRORISM STRATEGY: SEIZING THE 
OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE OUR COOPERATION 
 
REF: A. BERLIN 2058 
 
     ¶B. BERLIN 2654 
     ¶C. BERLIN 2303 
     ¶D. BERLIN 1995 
 
Classified By: DCM John M. Koenig for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1. (S) Summary.  The discovery this summer of the plot to 
bomb German trains, coming on top of terrorists' plans in the 
UK to blow-up transatlantic flights, has created an opening 
for the German government to move on further counterterrorism 
initiatives.  Interior Minister Schaeuble's trip to 
Washington September 25-26, followed by Germany's assumption 
of the EU and G-8 Presidencies January 1 offers opportunities 
for the U.S. to work with Germany to set out common 
priorities and achieve specific objectives.  Interior 
Minister Schaeuble too wants to build on the solid 
cooperation that now exists in fighting terrorism and has 
told his staff he wants real progress in his upcoming visit. 
Improved terrorist information-sharing tops his list for 
steps to improve U.S./German collaboration.  Besides boosting 
bilateral cooperation, we should use Schaeuble's visit and 
the upcoming German presidencies to  set the stage for better 
coordination and progress on a range of G-8 and EU 
initiatives as Germany prepares to assume the twin 
presidencies in January 2007.  Specific areas Mission 
suggests we pursue as part of a strategy of working with 
Germany bilaterally and as a partner in building stronger 
cooperation within the G-8 and the EU are: 
 
-   Data exchange agreements 
 
-   Cooperation in fighting terrorists' use of the Internet 
 
-   Strengthened cooperation against bioterrorism 
 
-   Counterterrorism cooperation with Germany and a group of 
similar-minded countries in the EU by means of linking into 
what they agreed in the Pruem agreements.  End Summary. 
 
------------------------------- 
BILATERAL PROGRESS WITHIN REACH 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) German Interior Minister Schaeuble's primary goal in 
Washington, according to his Diplomatic Advisor Lothar 
Freischlader, is expanding terrorist data exchange.  British 
officials briefed Schaeuble in London August 16 on the role 
of U.S.-UK cooperation in preventing the airplane bomb plot. 
The briefing convinced Schaeuble that Germany has to deepen 
cooperation with the U.S., Freischlader said.  Having the 
Minister in Washington and so favorably inclined is an 
opportunity not to be missed.  The Embassy has consistently 
pushed for more information exchange (ref A) and visiting DHS 
Counselor Rosenzweig September 5 called sharing terrorist 
data DHS's first priority (ref B).  While we have had good 
informal information exchanges with many German federal and 
state agencies, they are often based on professional 
relationships Mission personnel have built up over the years. 
 Up to now, the most forthcoming response we have had from 
German officials at the director-general level was a call for 
experts to meet; lower level staff sometimes rehash German 
concerns about data protection and pour cold water.  U.S. 
officials should seek Schaeuble's commitment in Washington to 
agree to a systematic and robust exchange of terrorist 
watch-list data (HSPD-6).  Experts may still need to meet on 
implementation details but Schaeuble should instruct his 
staff that they are to discuss how, not whether, to make 
information sharing possible. 
 
¶3. (S) Post has also long sought the sharing of terrorists' 
fingerprint data (ref A).  FBI Director Mueller raised this 
issue with Schaeuble's deputy, August Hanning, in Berlin 
September 19 (ref C).  Senior MOI officials repeatedly tell 
us systematic fingerprint sharing presents more of a 
challenge, mostly due to German and EU rules and public 
concerns over data privacy.  Regardless, given the persuasive 
power of the successful dismantling of the UK bomb plot, 
Schaeuble should hear whatever we can tell him about how 
fingerprint data sharing enabled victories in the war on 
terrorism.  We should tell Schaeuble we are prepared to begin 
deeper information sharing with watchlist data, but the 
future of terrorism prevention depends on greater resort to 
biometrics. 
 
--------------------- 
GERMAN G-8 PRESIDENCY 
--------------------- 
 
¶4.  (C) German officials repeatedly state they are not 
looking to launch a raft of new initiatives in their G-8 
Presidency.  Their general goal is to advance initiatives 
already launched and see that past commitments are met, but 
they named bioterrorism as one topic on which they would 
focus.  Therefore there is an opportunity to work closely 
with Germany to ensure forward movement in ongoing G-8 
efforts in defending against bioterrorism.  One area on the 
counterterrorism front where German officials see need for an 
initiative, however, regards terrorists' use of the Internet. 
 The Germans, with the UK, France, and Russia, have 
previously put forward a proposal in the G-8 which Post 
understands raised constitutional/legal difficulties for the 
U.S. 
 
¶5.  (S) German officials tell us Schaeuble was struck by the 
role of the Internet in this summer's failed German train 
bombing plot.  Internet sites radicalized the plotters and 
taught them how to make their suitcase bombs, German 
officials report.  The German press reports Arabic-language 
Internet monitoring is a priority for Schaeuble's 50 million 
Euro budget increase for the domestic security service (BfV). 
 German officials told visiting S/CT Counterterrorism 
Coordinator Crumpton Sept. 6 Germany is aware of U.S. First 
Amendment concerns and is prepared to water down the proposal 
to satisfy U.S. and Canadian objections.  The MFA's 
counterterrorism office Director Matthias Sonn added there 
would be no U.S. action required other than sharing "best 
practices."  We may have other ideas we might pursue with 
Germany or how countries could work together to deal with the 
problems resulting from terrorists' use of international 
communications systems.  We might also review past G-8 
agreements/initiatives to see which need bird-dogging or 
fresh impetus during Germany's presidency. 
 
-------------------- 
GERMAN EU PRESIDENCY 
-------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) Likewise, Germany's record as a force for greater 
cooperation among EU members, and German officials' repeated 
statements that counterterrorism cooperation in the EU cannot 
be allowed to fall to the lowest common denominator, suggests 
opportunities under the German EU Presidency.  German 
officials told Amb. Crumpton Germany will push for progress 
on the EU's 45-item action plan, but plans no major new EU 
counterterrorism initiatives.  This again gives us the chance 
to influence German thinking by encouraging them to 
concentrate on those items most in the U.S. interest. 
Minister Schaeuble, like his predecessor Otto Schily, has 
focused on deepening EU counterterrorism cooperation with 
those who are ready and willing.  One example is the set of 
so-called Pruem agreements that envision nearly instantaneous 
law enforcement data sharing -- including biometrics -- 
between select EU partners.  Germany's and Schaeuble's 
objective is clear and commendable, as long as other partners 
like the U.S. are not left out.  Germany should be sensitive 
to U.S. concerns that EU initiatives, while laudably designed 
to tighten cooperation within the 25 member states, should 
not come at the cost of more complex sharing with the U.S. 
Schaeuble the transatlanticist should be particularly 
responsive to this U.S. concern.  Post has transmitted the 
text of the Pruem agreements to Washington.  We might look 
into the agreements to see whether there are aspects where it 
might be advantageous for the U.S. somehow to "join." 
 
¶7. (C) Another subject we should raise more explicitly with 
German officials is the EU Third Pillar privacy directive, 
which the EU may take steps to implement during Germany's 
presidency.  This is a key example of an EU initiative that 
has potential negative impact on current EU member state law 
enforcement and judicial information sharing with the U.S. 
It will be important to make the U.S. message clear not only 
in Brussels but with key member states and the German EU 
Presidency.  Separately, Germany, along with a few other EU 
member states, has taken a special interest in further reform 
of the UN Security Council Resolution 1267 Al-Qaida Sanctions 
Committee, but Germany claims its proposals are not as 
objectionable to the U.S. as those of others.  We should use 
German EU chairmanship and its chairing periodic U.S.-EU 
meetings to our advantage in this setting as well.  There may 
also be an opportunity to use the German EU Presidency, given 
Germany's stance and efforts against the PKK, to give impetus 
to other key EU member states to similarly target PKK 
fundraising and logistical support. 
 
------------ 
OTHER ISSUES 
------------ 
¶8. (C) The areas listed above seem, from the viewpoint of 
Mission Germany, the items on which we should concentrate our 
efforts with the Germans through the first half of 2007. 
There are other areas where German progress will be important 
in the international fight against terror, however, which we 
should continue to support/emphasize in our dealings with 
German officials and politicians.  Germany is revising and 
expanding a number of counterterrorism laws (ref. D), which 
again shows Schaeuble's commitment to address the threat 
Germany faces and utilize the opening they feel they have at 
the moment with the public.  German interlocutors have told 
us they want to work with us on other bilateral and 
multilateral efforts in 2007, i.e., joint biometric 
"registered traveler" program for Frankfurt airport, 
personnel exchanges between the U.S. National 
Counterterrorism Center NCTC and its German equivalent GTAZ, 
and greater dialogue between U.S. Department of Homeland 
Security and the German Interior Ministry on biometric travel 
documents.  The Embassy will work these issues, but suggests 
Washington agencies may wish to consider the items listed in 
the paras above as the areas on which we should concrete our 
efforts. 
TIMKEN JR