VZCZCXRO6713
PP RUEHAST RUEHBW RUEHMJ
DE RUEHC #1946/01 0872204
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 272158Z MAR 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 STATE 031946 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
BERN FOR LIECHTENSTEIN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM PREL
SUBJECT: PSI: TALKING POINTS FOR FEBRUARY 2008 LONDON, 
OPERATIONAL EXPERTS GROUP (OEG) MEETING 
 
REF: A. STATE 031896 
     ¶B. STATE 031939 
 
 SUMMARY 
 
¶1.  REFTELS A or B (different address groups) reported on the 
latest Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) Operational 
Experts Group (OEG) meeting hosted by the Government of the 
United Kingdom on February 4-6, 2008 in London. Although 
participation in these meetings is limited (currently 20 
countries) to hold streamlined discussions, the work of these 
meetings is undertaken on behalf of all PSI participants 
(i.e., the more than 85 countries that have endorsed the PSI 
Statement of Interdiction Principles).  Therefore, we would 
like to continue to share key insights from the latest 
meeting with those countries that have endorsed the PSI, do 
not have the opportunity to attend the Operational Experts 
Group (OEG) meetings, and with which we want to deepen our 
operational cooperation. 
 
¶2. Posts are requested to provide a summary of the February 
2008 OEG meeting results to host government officials from 
relevant agencies such as Ministries of Defense, Law 
Enforcement Agencies (including Customs, Border Guards, 
etc.), and Intelligence Agencies. 
 
END SUMMARY 
 
OBJECTIVE 
 
¶3.  To inform PSI-endorsing states of the latest developments 
in PSI resulting from the February 4-6, 2008 PSI OEG meeting 
held in London, United Kingdom.  Post may draw from the 
background paragraph, which may be left as a nonpaper. 
Additional meeting materials for posts' reference only can be 
provided by State/ISN/CPI (Carlos Guzman) upon request 
(GuzmanCS@state.gov). 
 
REPORTING DEADLINE: Not applicable. 
 
BACKGROUND 
 
¶4.  BEGIN NON-PAPER ON THE FEBRUARY 2008 PSI OEG MEETING 
HOSTED BY THE UNITED KINGDOM: 
 
-- The Government of the United Kingdom hosted the sixteenth 
 
STATE 00031946  002 OF 004 
 
 
PSI Operational Experts Group (OEG) meeting on February 4-6, 
¶2008.  These meetings currently include delegates from 20 PSI 
partner countries that are establishing a PSI exercise 
program and developing operational concepts in support of the 
Initiative and on behalf of the more than 85 PSI participants. 
 
-- This meeting covered a broad range of topics, including 
reviewing the first five years of PSI and identifying 
challenges for the future; outreach to non-OEG PSI partners; 
and enhancing the operational momentum of PSI.  The agenda 
also included presentations and discussions the 2005 Protocol 
to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts 
Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation (SUA), the 
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) amendment 
process, an update on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), 
industry outreach, the U.S.-hosted PSI fifth anniversary 
event planned for May 28-29 in Washington, and PSI exercises. 
 
-- THE OEG PROCESS 2005 SUA PROTOCOLS.  OEG participants 
heard a UK presentation on its experience establishing a 
Competent Authority for obtaining flag-state consent for 
at-sea boarding's under the SUA Protocol, including the 
parallels with the system already in place for granting 
boarding consent under counternarcotics legislation. 
 
--  ICAO AMENDMENTS.  Australia provided an update on the 
progress made by ICAO on the proposal to create a new 
transport offense for the transport of WMD and related 
materials by air.  A draft text was being considered by a 
special sub-committee at an ICAO meeting in Montreal in 
mid-February. 
 
--  NATIONAL COUNTERPROLIFERATION STRUCTURES.  Canada 
provided an update on its national counterproliferation 
coordination structure. Turkey briefed on the establishment 
of a national Naval CBRN detection team, which would be used 
to augment maritime boarding teams. Singapore briefed on the 
changes to their Strategic Goods (Control) Act which came 
into effect in January 2008 to allow all items controlled 
under the four international export control regimes to be 
covered in its national legislation. 
 
-- OUTREACH. In a Tour de Table, delegations briefed on the 
outreach activities they had undertaken recently, and their 
future plans. 
 
-- PROLIFERATION FINANCE. The UK provided an update on the 
work being undertaken by the Financial Action Task Force 
(FATF) on Proliferation Finance, including an effort to 
develop a typology for Proliferation Finance, which was due 
to be finalized in June 2008; this would form the starting 
 
STATE 00031946  003 OF 004 
 
 
point for future guidance. In the longer term, FATF would 
undertake work on broad-based prohibitions, which would be 
informed by the conclusion of the work on typologies. 
Furthermore, the Plenary meeting of FATF in February 2008 
would discuss adding Proliferation Finance to the Task 
Force's regular mandate. 
 
-- PSI MODEL NATIONAL RESPONSE PLAN. New Zealand distributed 
final copies of the Model PSI National Response Plan that can 
be used to help PSI countries assess how they can organize 
themselves, what they need to improve their internal 
capabilities to implement PSI and conduct interdictions, or 
what issues they would have to address in order to contribute 
to PSI activities. 
 
-- PSI EXERCISES. The UK introduced the lessons database that 
would be used to document the PSI Exercise Program and help 
guide and prioritize focus areas of future exercises. The US 
introduced incorporation of PSI into existing exercises to 
efficiently strengthen non-proliferation, national capacity 
and promote outreach. Australia gave a presentation on the 
use of table top exercises. NZ gave a presentation on their 
forthcoming exercise MARU to be held in Auckland from 15-19 
September 2008. Japan and Poland debriefed their recent 
exercises Pacific Shield and Eastern Shield. 
 
-- INDUSTRY OUTREACH. Poland, Norway and Denmark gave 
presentations on their recent activities in outreach to their 
national industries.  Representatives from three industry 
organizations ) Lloyds Maritime Intelligence Unit, the 
International Maritime Organization (IMO), and Hutchinson 
Ports (UK) LTD - provided insights into their respective 
organizations in an effort to build understanding and trust 
between PSI-endorsing governments and industry organizations. 
 
-- France will host the next PSI OEG meeting in Paris on 
September 24-26, 2008. 
 
-- The U.S. gave a presentation on the forthcoming 5th 
Anniversary meeting of PSI in Washington on May 28 and 29, 
¶2008. The first day will be a substantive conference for all 
PSI-endorsing states, with participation at the deputy 
foreign minister level. The second day will comprise a PSI 
outreach workshop for PSI-endorsing and non-endorsing states 
at the expert level. 
 
 
END NON-PAPER ON THE FEBRUARY 2008 PSI OEG MEETING 
HOSTED BY THE UNITED KINGDOM. 
 
POINTS OF CONTACT 
 
STATE 00031946  004 OF 004 
 
 
 
¶5.  Please slug responses for OSD GSA (Beth Flores) and 
State/ISN/CPI (Carlos Guzman). USG POC for PSI Operational 
Experts Group issues is Beth Flores, OSD/GSA. USG POC for 
operational legal matters is Chip Wedan, DOD/OGC. USG POC for 
PSI policy issues is Carlos Guzman, State/ISN/CPI. 
RICE