VZCZCXRO7705
PP RUEHDT
DE RUEHDT #0267 2730824
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 300824Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY DILI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4562
INFO RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 1069
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR 0060
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1333
RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI 4106

UNCLAS DILI 000267 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR S/CT, INL, DS, DS/DSS/IP, DS/T/ATA, DS/IP/EAP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC PTER PREL TT
SUBJECT: TIMOR-LESTE: REQUEST FOR ANTI-TERRORISM ASSISTANCE TRAINING 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Embassy Dili would like to request an Anti-Terrorism 
Assistance (ATA) training assessment to address two separate 
critical areas of vulnerability for the National Police of 
Timor-Leste (PNTL).  First, the Secretary of State for Security 
has requested assistance from the Ambassador in providing some 
basic training on border management for the PNTL border guards 
along the 142 mile land border with Indonesia.  Second, we would 
like to offer a VIP protection course to the PNTL Close 
Protection Unit with the intent of requesting a PNTL Close 
Protection Detail for our Ambassador. 
 
 
 
Land Border with Indonesia Vulnerable to Trafficking, Terrorists 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶2.  (SBU) In a recent meeting with the Ambassador, Secretary of 
State for Security Francisco Guterres lamented the fact that 
neither the U.N. nor other bilateral donors have provided the 
GOTL with assistance in training the PNTL on how to manage the 
long land border with Indonesia.  He specifically expressed his 
concern that the border is virtually wide open to traffickers 
and terrorists traveling from Indonesia and requested U.S. 
assistance in training the border guards.  In a subsequent 
meeting, he noted that he had turned away a number of suspicious 
tourist visa applications from a group of Afghans in Kuala 
Lumpur.  He also remarked that the GOTL is looking at tightening 
visa restrictions and blocking overland entries to certain third 
country nationals.  (Note: In addition to Guterres, both Prime 
Minister Gusmao and Director-General of the National 
Intelligence Service Cristovao also noted their increasing 
concern regarding Timor-Leste's vulnerability to these 
threats.).  Our own consultations with other international 
partners confirm that the PNTL has not received significant 
assistance in this area (e.g., the Australians are more 
concerned with the maritime border and stemming the tide of 
illegal immigrants using Timor-Leste as a stepping stone into 
Australia). 
 
 
 
VIP Protection 
 
----------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Separately, Embassy Dili would like to address our own 
vulnerability by securing close protection services for our 
Ambassador.  Although the current and previous Ambassador have 
not had protection, other senior international diplomats do have 
their own internal close protection units.  While we believe 
that the current threat level remains low, we are eager to 
eliminate a major vulnerability that could leave us an easy 
target to a terrorist attack or criminal assault.  We believe 
that with the proper incentive, the PNTL would be eager to 
assume this responsibility.  One such incentive would be 
specialized VIP protection training for their Close Protection 
Unit.  Another would be the prestige attached to having the 
practical experience of providing such protection to the 
Ambassador and visiting senior U.S. delegations. 
 
 
 
Justification 
 
---------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Embassy Dili feels strongly that ATA training in these 
two areas would be a significant step towards reducing 
Timor-Leste's and our own vulnerabilities.  While the current 
threat posed by terrorists and traffickers remains low, we 
believe that it is simply a matter of time before criminal 
elements seek to exploit Timor-Leste's serious vulnerabilities 
in this area.  In addition, we believe that VIP protection 
training would be a low-cost means for this Embassy to obtain 
long-term services of a PNTL Close Protection Detail assigned to 
the Ambassador and would also enhance local PNTL capacity for 
providing similar services to senior USG visitors. 
 
KLEMM