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P 261542Z FEB 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS PRIORITY
INFO RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY 2680
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY 3798

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 017943 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PARM ETTC PREL PBTS EWWT OAS
SUBJECT: WHA PARTICIPATION IN US-CANADA-OAS BORDER 
SECURITY SEMINAR 
 
¶1. (SBU) This is an action request. Please see paragraphs 3 
and 4. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On March 16-18, 2009, the United States, the 
Government of Canada, and the Organization of American 
States, (OAS) Department of Public Security will co-host an 
important seminar for representatives of OAS Member States on 
"Practical Approaches to Combating the Illicit Trafficking In 
Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives and Other Related Materials 
Across Borders: Meeting of Law-Enforcement Authorities and 
Customs Officials." This meeting, to be held in Vancouver, 
Canada, is a unique and valuable opportunity to observe best 
practices in the areas of law enforcement and customs and 
border patrol. OAS Secretariat conference organizers request 
USG assistance in bolstering wide participation in this 
conference, and in following up on their invitation letter 
sent on February 1, 2009. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Action request: Department requests Post to approach 
host government to encourage participation by appropriate 
authorities in the above-referenced U.S.-sponsored seminar to 
be held in Vancouver, Canada from March 16-18, 2009. 
Important note:  The organizers of the event are willing to 
cover expenses related to the participation (economy-class 
roundtrip airfare, hotel and meals for the duration of the 
event, and miscellaneous expenses) of a representative from 
each OAS Member State.  Department suggests that Post may 
wish to coordinate outreach to host government with Canadian 
counterparts in host country, who will likely receive similar 
action requests.  Post may leave with host governments the 
text of this invitation letter (paragraph 5) and a draft 
seminar agenda (paragraph 6).  Post may also draw on the 
background information in paragraph 4 when demarching.  The 
seminar is seeking to attract participation by law 
enforcement, border and customs authorities operating in the 
field from all OAS Member States who have decision-making 
authority (or, if that is not possible, practitioners who can 
influence decision makers).  Please provide all responses to 
State/WHA POC as detailed in paragraph 7. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Seminar participation is requested of law 
enforcement, border and customs authorities operating in the 
field from all OAS Member States who have decision-making 
authority (or, if that is not possible, practitioners who may 
be able to influence decision makers).  While the main focus 
of this event will be the trafficking of small arms and light 
weapons, lessons learned here will be relevant to national 
and regional efforts to combat all smuggled goods, including 
contraband, narcotics, and weapons of mass destruction. 
Currently, thirteen OAS member states have confirmed 
attendance: Bahamas, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominica, 
Ecuador, Grenada, Honduras, Paraguay, Peru, St. Kitts and 
Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and 
Tobago. For these countries, post may consider approaching 
host governments to support participation in this seminar at 
post's discretion. 
 
¶5.  Text of invitation letter from OAS Department of Public 
Security to leave behind with host government. 
 
Begin text: 
 
February 1, 2009 
 
I have the honor to address Your Excellency with reference to 
a seminar "Practical Approaches to Combating the Illicit 
Trafficking In Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives and Other 
Related Materials Across Borders: Meeting of Law-Enforcement 
Authorities and Customs Officials" that will be held in 
Vancouver, Canada from March 16-18, 2009. This event is being 
organized by the General Secretariat of the OAS, through its 
Department of Public Security, jointly with the Government of 
Canada and the Government of the United States. 
 
The purpose of the seminar, which responds to a mandate set 
forth in the Tlatelolco Commitment of the Second Conference 
of CIFTA States Party (Mexico, DF, February 20-21, 2008), is 
to increase awareness of cross-border illicit firearms 
trafficking, its links to transnational organized crime, and 
its possible ties to terrorist activity in the Hemisphere. In 
addition, the seminar will serve to strengthen cooperation 
and promote the exchange of information among border and 
 
STATE 00017943  002 OF 003 
 
 
customs experts in the region; and encourage more active 
coordination among national, regional, and international 
actors working in the field. The seminar will include a visit 
to the Pacific Highway Point of Entry (POE) in Blaine, 
Washington, as well as a visit to Vancouver Delta Seaport 
Facility. Attached please find a draft agenda for your 
information. 
 
The event is designed for law enforcement, border and customs 
authorities operating in the field from all OAS Member States 
who have decision-making authority (or, if that is not 
possible, practitioners who can influence decision makers). 
The participation of a representative from your country will 
be fundamental to ensuring this activity,s success. For this 
reason, the organizers of the event are pleased to facilitate 
the participation (economy-class roundtrip airfare, hotel and 
meals for the duration of the event, and miscellaneous 
expenses) of a representative of your country. While 
interpretation will be provided in English and Spanish during 
all aspects of the seminar, the participation of 
representatives with a basic understanding of English is 
strongly encouraged. 
 
We would welcome the opportunity to have your government 
participate in this event and respectfully request that you 
forward this invitation to the respective authorities. In 
order to be able to process the visas required for 
participation in this seminar, interested parties should 
contact Alison August Treppel of the Department of Public 
Security at atreppel@oas.org or by telephone at (202) 
458-3483 no later than February 20, 2009. 
 
End text. 
 
¶6. Text of draft seminar agenda to leave behind with host 
government. 
 
Begin text: 
 
Vancouver, British Columbia 
March 16-18, 2009 
 
------------------- 
Monday, March 16 
------------------- 
9:00-9:30 
Welcome and Opening Remarks 
Remarks by representative of OAS 
Remarks by representative of US Government 
Remarks by representative of Canadian Government 
 
9:30-10:45 
Current trends in arms trafficking, tools for 
counter-terrorism 
Presentation by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 
Presentation by US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and 
Explosives (ATF) 
Presentation by National Weapons Enforcement Support Team 
(NWEST), Canada 
 
10:45-11:00 
Coffee Break 
 
11:00-11:30 
Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade 
Presentation by World Customs Organization (WCO) (to be 
confirmed) 
 
11:30-12:00 
Enforcement of laws and regulations 
Presentation by ICE/US 
 
12:00-12:30 
Overview of international agreements on arms trafficking 
Presentation by Foreign Affairs and International Trade 
(DFAIT), Canada 
 
12:30-2:00 
Lunch 
 
2:00-3:00 
Risk assessment "on-the-fly" (advanced targeting) 
Presentation by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 
 
3:00-3:15 
Coffee Break 
 
 
STATE 00017943  003 OF 003 
 
 
3:15-4:00 
Detection of fraudulent documents (travel document integrity) 
Presentation by ICE Lab/US 
Presentation by Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism 
(CICTE), OAS 
 
4:00-5:00 
Professionalism through integrity training 
Presentation by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) 
Presentation by Interpol/UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 
(to be confirmed) 
 
5:00 
Organization of groups for on-site visits during days 2 and 3. 
 
-------------------- 
Tuesday, March 17 
-------------------- 
9:00 
Depart hotel 
 
10:00-12:30 
Group 1 visit to Pacific Highway Point of Entry (POE), 
Blaine, Washington 
Group 2 visit to Vancouver Delta Seaport Facility 
 
Topics addressed: 
Best practices at points of entry 
The use of technology for customs, enforcement at ports and 
borders 
 
12:30-1:30 
Lunch provided on premises 
 
1:30-3:30 
Tours and presentations continue 
 
3:30 
Return to hotel 
 
-------------------- 
Wednesday, March 18 
-------------------- 
 
9:00 
Depart hotel 
 
10:00-12:30 
Group 1 visit to Vancouver Delta Seaport Facility 
Group 2 visit to Pacific Highway Point of Entry (POE), 
Blaine, Washington 
 
Topics addressed: 
Best practices at points of entry 
The use of technology for customs, enforcement at ports and 
borders 
 
12:30-1:30 
Lunch provided on premises 
 
1:30-3:30 
Tours and presentations continue 
 
3:30 
Return to hotel 
 
4:00-4:30 
Improving cooperation among custom and law enforcement 
authorities 
Presentation on Establishing Hemispheric Points of Contact 
among Customs and Border Authorities, OAS 
 
4:30-5:00 
Wrap-up and Closing Remarks 
 
End text. 
 
¶7. (SBU) POC in the Department is WHA/FO Giovanni Snidle, who 
is in the global address book. 
CLINTON