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DE RUEHC #3576 3111742
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O P 071724Z NOV 07
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0000
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 0000
INFO RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY 0000
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS STATE 153576 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CI KNNP MNUC PARM PREL
SUBJECT: PSI: CHILE'S PARTICIPATION IN THE PSI OPERATIONAL 
EXPERTS GROUP (OEG) 
 
¶1.  This is an action request please see paragraphs 2-11. 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
¶2.  Department requests embassy approach the GOC to determine 
its interest in becoming a participant in the PSI Operational 
Experts Group (OEG).  If the GOC decides it is willing and 
able to accept the long-term commitment of support and 
resources to fully support participation in the PSI OEG, the 
USG will work with the other nineteen OEG partners on GOC's 
behalf to gain their inclusion in the OEG. 
 
¶3.  There are a limited number of states that can participate 
in the OEG if it is to remain an effective, action-oriented 
group working on behalf of the broader PSI community of more 
than 80 nations.  If the GOC is willing to fully accept the 
rigors of OEG participation, we would look to it as a 
regional 
leader of the PSI to help carry PSI-related information to 
other 
regional participants; to conduct outreach to garner 
additional 
PSI Statement of Interdiction Principles endorsing states; 
and, at some future point to host a Regional OEG (ROEG) 
meeting or other regional PSI event. 
 
OBJECTIVES 
---------- 
¶4.   Department instructs Embassy to pursue the following 
objectives: 
 
-- Determine GOC interest in becoming a full and active 
partner in the PSI Operational Experts Group (OEG). 
 
-- Make very clear to GOC that agreeing to participate in the 
PSI OEG will require a long-term commitment that can at times 
be resource intensive (manpower, exercise participation, 
travel to 3-4 OEG meetings annually, occasional 
PSI workshops, etc. and requires a level of participation as 
outlined in background paragraph 8. 
 
-- Inform the GOC that, if it decides to participate in the 
OEG, the USG will work on its behalf with the other nineteen 
OEG partners to gain GOC participation starting with the 
February 4-6, 2008 OEG meeting to be held in London, United 
Kingdom. 
Washington has received positive signals from the British and 
Canadian 
PSI OEG delegations that they would support an invitation to 
Chile. 
If Chile agrees, Washington does not expect any problems 
including 
Chile in the OEG. 
 
-- For embassies London and Ottawa only: Inform the 
appropriate British 
and Canadian officials that we are approaching Chile on 
possible OEG 
participation and will notify them on the Chilean response. 
 
REPORTING DEADLINE 
------------------ 
 
¶5.  Embassy should report results of efforts by cable before 
November 16, 2007. 
 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
¶6.  There are a limited number of states that can participate 
in the OEG if it is to remain an effective action-oriented 
group working on behalf of the broader PSI community of more 
than 85 nations.  The GOC's active support for the PSI, its 
strategic importance in Latin America, and the GOC's 
demonstrated commitment during SOUTHCOM exercise Panamax 07 
has 
prompted the USG decision to invite the GOC to participate in 
the PSI OEG. 
 
¶7.  The OEG is currently a group of 20 nations working to 
improve interdiction methodologies; plan and execute PSI 
exercises; improve national capacities for interdiction of 
OEG and non-OEG states; identify national and international 
legal positions to ensure all actions taken in interdictions 
will be consistent with national and international law and 
frameworks; and enhance the interoperability of PSI 
participants.  The twenty PSI OEG states currently include 
Argentina, Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, 
Greece, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, 
Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Turkey, the 
United Kingdom, and the United States. 
 
¶8.  The decision to join the OEG should not be made lightly. 
The schedule of meetings, exercises, and other events is 
significant in terms of a state's resources of manpower, 
travel money, and time. 
 
-- OEG meetings are held approximately quarterly around the 
world.  For example, the last three OEG meetings were held in 
Montreal, Canada (December 2006), Auckland, New Zealand 
(March 2007), 
and Rhodes, Greece (October, 2007).  The next OEG meeting 
will be held 
in London, United Kingdom in February 2008. Participating OEG 
states are 
expected to attend each meeting with a sufficiently robust 
delegation of 
operational experts from various ministries. 
 
-- Most states' delegations average 8-10 members. 
 
-- Three PSI OEG-planned exercises are held annually, as well 
as 
a number of regional exercises in various parts of the world. 
OEG participants are expected to at least send appropriate 
operational expert observers, if not contribute assets to the 
OEG-planned exercises.  Regional exercises and Regional OEG 
(ROEG) meetings do not require all OEG partners' attendance, 
but most OEG states send at least observers to support their 
partner nations and keep abreast of the latest information. 
 
-- PSI OEG sponsored workshops are held approximately 
annually.  OEG participants are expected to attend these 
workshops with a sufficient number of appropriate experts to 
add value to the workshop on their nation's specific issues. 
The last three workshops have included a UK-hosted maritime 
industry workshop in London on September 25-26, 2006; a 
U.S.-hosted air cargo industry workshop in Los Angeles on 
September 14-15, 2005; and a Danish-hosted shipping container 
security workshop in Copenhagen on August 3-4, 2004. 
 
-- Additional PSI background information can be obtained at 
the State Department PSI web site 
(http://www.state.gov/t/isn/c10390.htm) which contains a 
complete list of past OEG meetings, exercises, and workshops 
as well as the key PSI documents and other information.  The 
Canadian web site (http://www.proliferationsecurity.info) 
provides links to other PSI participating nation's web sites. 
 
¶9. OEG Delegation Composition:  It is important to ensure the 
OEG remains a forum for experts to gather and share 
capabilities and operational lessons and techniques. 
Therefore, we firmly believe OEG delegations should be led by 
Ministry of Defense (MOD) officials, military officers, or 
law enforcement community equivalent personnel due to the 
operational nature of PSI activities.  Also, the importance 
of the Head of Delegation (HoD) and delegation member 
continuity to 
the OEG process is critical.  The most effective OEG states 
are those 
whose HoDs have retained that position for a lengthy period. 
Most 
states have historically sent delegations to the OEG led by a 
1-star 
military officer, a MOD civilian equivalent (although 
delegations from 
some smaller countries are led by a Colonel or equivalent), 
or an 
equivalent representative from the law enforcement community 
as head of 
delegation.The delegations typically include the following 
types of experts: 
 
-- Operational law representative, such as a Lieutenant 
Colonel or Colonel (O-5 or O-6) military lawyer and/or 
equivalent rank law enforcement lawyer. 
 
-- Operational intelligence representative such as a defense 
or law enforcement official of O-5 or O-6 level rank or 
equivalent. 
 
-- Additional operational officials from law enforcement, 
customs, border security, military, foreign ministry, and 
intelligence agencies. 
 
-- Military exercise, legal, law enforcement, and 
intelligence 
expertise in the delegation is needed because OEG meetings 
include 
break-out groups in these areas that meet simultaneously. 
 
Note: The PSI OEG was explained to Chilean representatives 
during 
the June 2007 U.S.-Chile Defense Consultative Commission in 
Washington. 
Captain George Brown (Chilean MOD) and local embassy 
representatives 
attended and told OSD reps that discussion of possible OEG 
participation 
was taking place among various ministries in Santiago. 
 
¶10.  The USG would like the GOC to increase its participation 
in the PSI.  As a first step, GOC participation in the OEG 
would be welcome.  But, we would also envision the GOC 
acting as a regional leader for the initiative, conducting 
regional 
outreach efforts to garner additional PSI Statement of 
Interdiction Principles endorsing states, and possibly 
hosting a regional exercise or meeting.  If GOC is willing to 
undertake this role, the USG and other OEG members stand 
ready 
to assist its efforts and would work with it to help prepare 
for 
the London OEG meeting in February, 2008. 
 
¶11.  For Embassies Ottawa and London only.  If Chile desires 
to join 
the PSI OEG, Washington expects to work with the British and 
Canadian 
PSI OEG delegation experts to prepare Chile for the London 
meeting in 
February 2008. 
 
POINT OF CONTACT 
---------------- 
¶12.  Please contact ISN/CPI Carlos Guzman at 202-647-6329 or 
email GuzmanCS@state.gov for further information. 
RICE