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PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHOT #1954/01 2951838
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221838Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6749
INFO RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEILB/NCTC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY 0008
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS OTTAWA 001954 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER PREL CA
SUBJECT: GOC RESPONSE RE 2008 US-CANADA BILATERAL 
CONSULTATIVE GROUP MEETING 
 
REF: STATE 133852 
 
¶1. (SBU) In response to reftel demarche regarding the 
upcoming Bilateral Consultative Group (BCG) meeting in 
Washington, Deputy Director for Counterterrorism Yves 
Beaulieu and Policy Advisor Neil Brennan from the 
International Crime and Terrorism Division of the Department 
of Foreign Affairs and International Trade made suggestions 
and comments on our agenda (see paras 2 and 3).  In general, 
the GOC is in agreement with our list of topics, however. 
The GOC team would nonetheless like to know what general 
priorities General Dailey sees for the relationship, but 
added that it is still too early to assign leads in the 
various areas.  Also, the GOC team wants a meeting that is 
not too mechanical in flow -- e.g. lead, response, on to the 
next item -- and would like it to be more open in terms of 
discussion and a flow of ideas, with the option of hovering 
on an item if it deserves more attention. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  January 16 
 
-- Most GOC participants will fly to Washington on the 
evening of 16 January.  Senior Coordinator for International 
Crime and Terrorism Mark Moher will come down either the 
evening of the 15th or the morning of the 16th.  Moher   4 
will be available for a heads of delegation meeting on the 
afternoon of the 16th.  (Note:  Beaulieu was not sure if this 
will be the first time that General Dailey and Moher will 
meet; they may also meet on the margins of the G-8 meeting in 
Berlin November 5-8.  If it is the first time, Moher would be 
available for lunch, if we are so inclined.  End note); 
 
-- The GOC team likes the idea of doing a focused threat 
briefing (primarily who and what) on the afternoon of January 
16 to allow for a more frank and detailed discussion, in 
contrast to last year; 
 
-- The GOC team agrees to a final discussion of the text of 
the Joint Declaration and promised to convey its views soon. 
The team is still not sure of the level of signing of the 
Joint Declaration on the Canadian side but continues to see 
this document as a deliverable for the BCG; 
 
-- Beaulieu suggested for the pre-meeting a quick review of 
the outstanding proposals from the last meeting, and raised 
the issue of a brief discussion of key regional issues such 
as Iran in this small venue before the larger group convenes. 
 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  January 17 
 
--  The GOC proposes the following for the meeting flow: 
 
a.  Principals present policy implications of the earlier 
threat assessment (modification of our #1); 
 
b.   Outstanding Issues (our #2): 
 
* Beaulieu said we need to go over these and see where they 
stand.  He could only remember the invitation to participate 
in US training courses (e.g. FSI), but noted that this did 
not pan out; 
 
* GOC team would like to be realistic about accomplishments 
and our level of cooperation and to avoid only considering 
this list when it is time for the next BCG; if that is what 
we have done, the team would welcome a discussion of how 
better to follow-up. 
 
c.  Follow-up on Bioterrorism Engagement (our #3):  The GOC 
team sees this as one of the more successful bilateral 
programs and wants us to update where things stand and how we 
keep it progressing; 
 
d. Cooperative Counterterrorism Research and Development (R & 
D) (our #4):  Beaulieu noted that last year we spent ninety 
minutes in plenary discussing this topic, and recommended 
that we limit this to a very brief overview presentation on 
current activities and future challenges by representatives 
current activities and future challenges by representatives 
of the two programs and that there be a breakout session at 
some point to permit more detailed discussions at the working 
level, on which the group could receive a briefing at the end 
of the session; 
 
-- NEW ISSUE: Perspectives on G8 Roma Lyon Process.  The GOC 
team is interested in our priorities, how we will work with 
Japan, etc., and would welcome a discussion on how we will 
approach this, to include Critical Infrastructure Protection, 
PPP, and Cyber proposals; 
 
-- NEW ISSUE: Geographic and Regional Issues -- Western 
Hemisphere and Asia.   Because of Canada's new focus on the 
hemisphere, the GOC would welcome a discussion of CT issues 
in the region.  Because of the criticality of Afghanistan, 
the GOC team also wants to compare notes on Afghanistan and 
Pakistan.  Beaulieu noted that we would need to limit the 
Afghanistan discussion to a few focused issues; 
 
e. U.S.-Canada Counterterrorism Concerns (our #5): 
 
* Beaulieu emphasized that the GOC does not want to repeat 
what is already under discussion in other fora (e.g. border 
control, passports, visas, etc.); 
 
* The GOC team would rather open this up for specific 
concerns from both sides.  If we stick to the issues we are 
proposing they would like add a few of theirs. 
 
f.  Strategies and Options for Dealing with Terrorist 
Financing (our #6) 
 
* The GOC team proposed making this less operational and more 
strategic in focus than what we proposed; 
 
* The GOC team would like to see presentations by FINTRAC and 
FINCEN on their strategic approaches; 
 
* The GOC team wants to include a G-8 discussions update if 
there are issues remaining after fall meetings. 
 
g.  TOPOFF 4: Exchange of views on the completed exercise 
(our #7) 
 
h.  Briefing on USG Regional Strategic Initiative (our #8) 
 
i.  Recent Developments in National Security Issues (CHANGE 
to our #9 away from changes to their organization in the 
direction of policy changes) 
 
* Canadian Anti-terrorism Act review; 
 
* Canadian issue of Security Certificates. 
 
j.  Radicalization and Outreach (our #10) 
 
* GOC team recommended discussion at a higher, strategic 
level, perhaps including the RCMP's new unit to work with 
minority communities; 
. 
* Challenges and Responses; 
 
* Lessons learned. 
 
k.  U.S.-Canada cooperation to promote capacity building and 
assistance programs (#11) 
 
* GOC team proposed a focus on places where there is a clear 
need for us to work together, not just compare notes on where 
we are working individually. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Administrative and Technical Issues 
 
-- Beaulieu recommended that, if we are to host a dinner, it 
be on the evening of January 17.  This would "capture" the 
GOC participants and ensure that they do not start leaving on 
the afternoon before the session concludes; 
 
-- Beaulieu said one of the interagency team wanted to ensure 
that Iran fits prominently in the program, and asked for our 
views on which block would provide enough time; 
 
-- Beaulieu suggested that Director Moher would also benefit 
from meetings in Washington with CIA, FBI, NCTC, noting that 
Moher could possibly come down a day early for these; 
 
-- The team asked to know soonest if the meeting will be held 
in Washington, D.C. or outside the city in order to plan 
travel now. 
 
Visit our shared North American Partnership blog (Canada & Mexico) at 
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap 
 
WILKINS