VZCZCXRO8308
PP RUEHIK RUEHPOD RUEHYG
DE RUEHBS #0133/01 0291713
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 291713Z JAN 09
FM USEU BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI PRIORITY
RUEHMS/AMEMBASSY MUSCAT PRIORITY
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY
RUEHYN/AMEMBASSY SANAA PRIORITY
RUEHJI/AMCONSUL JEDDAH PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUENAAA/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RXFPSH/SHAPE SHAPE BE PRIORITY
RUZBDAA/FIFTH FLEET INTEL MANAMA BA PRIORITY
RULSJGA/COMDT COGARD WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAORC/US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHMS/USDAO MUSCAT MU PRIORITY
RUEHNR/USDAO NAIROBI PRIORITY
RUEHRH/USDAO RIYADH SA PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BRUSSELS 000133 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE DEPARTMENT PM FOR CAPT. JEFFREY FREDERICK, EEB FOR 
DORIS HAYWOOD, EUR FOR PETER CHISHOLM AND NATHANIEL DEAN, L 
FOR ASH ROACH, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FOR DAVID 
GORDNER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EWWT EAID PHSA PTER XI XO XW ZR EUN
SUBJECT: WORKING WITH THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION ON 
COUNTER-PIRACY CAPACITY BUILDING: REQUEST FOR GUIDANCE 
 
REF: USEU BRUSSELS 1566 
 
¶1.  (U)  This is a request for guidance.  See paragraphs 2 
and 6. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Summary:  On January 22, USEU facilitated a 
videoconference with representatives of the European 
Commission to discuss the Critical Maritime Routes 
initiative, which is designed to provide capacity building 
support to combat piracy and other illegal maritime 
activities.  The Commission is currently considering the 
recommendations of a team of experts dispatched to the Horn 
of Africa region late last year and is planning a validation 
workshop on March 9-10 to discuss these recommendations with 
EU Member States and regional states.  USEU requests guidance 
on which focus areas we should encourage the Commission to 
pursue, whether the USG is considering a similar contribution 
to regional capacity building, and in which areas we might 
most profitably work together.  End Summary. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  On January 22, USEU facilitated a videoconference 
with representatives of the European Commission to discuss 
the Critical Maritime Routes initiative.  As reported REFTEL, 
the initiative will provide support to combat piracy and 
other illegal maritime activities in the Malacca Straits and 
the Horn of Africa regions, although our interlocutors 
acknowledge that the Horn of Africa is in particular need. 
In late 2008, a team of experts traveled to Djibouti, Saudi 
Arabia, Yemen, and the IMO in London to assess the 
feasibility of particular project areas.  That team has made 
a series of recommendations, which are now under discussion 
for inclusion in the Stability Instrument's Indicative 
Program for 2009-2011.  After the Indicative Program is 
approved this spring, the External Relations 
Directorate-General will turn responsibility for 
implementation over to EuropeAid, another directorate of the 
Commission.  EuropeAid will develop Annual Action Programs, 
guided by the recommendations of the Indicative Program. 
Planning should take place during the spring and summer, with 
implementation to begin in late 2009.  The Indicative Program 
currently includes a budget for 2009-2011 of 14 to 18 million 
euros. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  The team of experts sent to the Horn of Africa 
region considered potential support in a number of areas, 
including: risk management, operational cooperation, legal 
frameworks, institution and capacity building, trainng and 
research, and the provision of equipmen.  Under these broad 
categories, the Commission is contemplating a number of 
project ideas, including: establishing a network of regional 
research institutes to start an open system of information 
sharing on maritime safety and security; promoting the 
Container Traffic and Tracking System; supporting the 
establishment of a documentation and training center for the 
Horn of Africa; promoting the Marine Electronic Highway; 
providing Class B Automatic Identification System 
transponders for use on small ships; and facilitating 
cooperation and capacity building on hazardous and noxious 
substances.  In addition, the Commission suggested that it 
could assist in the establishment of a regional agreement on 
countering piracy in the Western Indian Ocean.  The EU role 
would be to provide know-how on issues such as maritime 
surveillance, satellite imagery, and container trafficking 
control.  (The Commission is also considering using other 
 
BRUSSELS 00000133  002 OF 003 
 
 
initiatives under the Stability Instrument to combat piracy 
finance and to stem human smuggling between Yemen and 
Somalia.) 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  The Commission will hold a validation workshop on 
March 9-10 with representatives of Member States and the 
countries visited by the team of experts.  This workshop will 
identify the most relevant recommendations of the experts, in 
addition to taking into account the outcomes of the IMP 
Djibouti Conference and of the UK-organized Sana'a Conference. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Comment and request for guidance:  The inclusion 
of the Critical Maritime Routes initiative in the Stability 
Instrument's Indicative Program should keep the EU involved 
in counter-piracy beyond the December 2009 end-date for 
Operation Atalanta.  There is still time for us to influence 
the Commission's approach.  While the Commission did not 
invite U.S. participation in the March 9-10 conference, USEU 
believes they would welcome our input before that conference 
convenes.  USEU requests guidance on which focus areas we 
should encourage the Commission to pursue, whether the USG is 
considering a similar contribution to regional capacity 
building, and in which areas we might most profitably work 
together.  USNATO representatives note that the Commission's 
initiative does not appear immediately to intersect with 
current NATO programs or initiatives, but recommend we 
continue to monitor this initiative and others for possible 
areas in which NATO and the EU could cooperate and benefit 
from each others' work.  Both organizations share an interest 
in improving maritime situational awareness and 
counter-piracy capacity building in the Horn of Africa 
region, and NATO is continuing to examine what role it might 
play in this area. End Comment and request for guidance. 
 
¶7.  (U)  Participants in the videoconference included: 
 
Robert Blackstone, USEU Political Section 
Margaret Caton, USEU Economic Section 
Kathleen Conway, USEU Customs and Border Protection 
Jeffrey Workman, USNATO Political Section 
Capt. (USN) James Russell, USNATO Office of the Defense 
Adviser 
Doris Haywood, Bureau of Economic, Energy and Business Affairs 
¶J. Ashley Roach, Office of the Legal Adviser 
Peter Chisholm, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs 
Nathaniel Dean, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs 
Lt. Cdr. (USCG) Eric Huemme, Office of Global Maritime 
Situational Awareness 
Capt. (USN) Jeffrey Frederick, Bureau of Political-Military 
Affairs 
Pierre Cleostrate, European Commission, DG for External 
Relations (RELEX) 
Torsten Woellert, European Commission, DG RELEX 
Maciey Golubiewski, European Commission, DG Development 
Dilarde Teilane, European Commission, DG RELEX 
Christian Dupont, European Commission, DG Transport and 
Energy (TREN) 
Michel Perolat, European Commission, DG TREN 
Louise Head, European Commission, DG Maritime Affairs and 
Fisheries 
Pierre Seailles, European Commission, DG RELEX 
 
 
 
 
BRUSSELS 00000133  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
MURRAY 
 
.