VZCZCXRO7560
PP RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHLH RUEHNEH RUEHPW
DE RUEHKA #0046/01 0140419
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 140419Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9882
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 0353
RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN PRIORITY 0086
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA PRIORITY 0293
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 2220
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 0033
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 0003
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 0511
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY 0141
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1203
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHDC PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RUCNFB/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0197
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 000046 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/INSB AND S/CT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2025 
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PTER XD XG AS BG
SUBJECT: EU INTERESTED IN A REGIONAL COUNTERTERRORISM 
TRAINING CENTER IN BANGLADESH 
 
REF: 09 DHAKA 1033 - UN PROPOSES REGIONAL TRAINING CTR 
 
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty.  Reason 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (C) The European Union (EU) is interested in supporting 
the United Nations Counterterrorism Committee Executive 
Directorate (UN CTED) proposal to establish a regional 
counterterrorism training center in Bangladesh.  The EU will 
send a scoping mission to Bangladesh in January to discuss 
establishing the center with Government of Bangladesh (GOB) 
officials and representatives from other potential donors. 
The scoping mission's findings will be shared with potential 
donors.  Several diplomatic missions are likely to provide 
funding and/or technical support for a feasibility study 
after reviewing the scoping mission's findings.  The USG 
should begin considering whether to provide funding if this 
project moves forward satisfactorily. 
 
EU Shows Interest in Regional Training Center 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (C) Milko Van Gool, EU Head of Cooperation, told us and 
other interested diplomatic missions that the EU was 
interested in supporting the UN CTED proposal to establish a 
regional counterterrorism training center in Bangladesh.  The 
EU initiated the process to mobilize funds under its 
Instrument of Stability, which would enable the EU to 
appropriate funding relatively quickly, in order to send a 
scoping mission to Bangladesh in January or as soon as the 
proper experts were available.  The scoping mission would 
comprise officials from the European Commission's (EC) 
European External Action Service (EEAS) as well as member 
state officials.  The mission would meet with both Bangladesh 
Government agencies and potential donors.  The scoping 
mission's intent is to present its findings to the EC by 
March in order to be included in the EU's current budget 
planning.  Initial funding, if approved, could total 1.5 
million Euros with additional appropriations possible in the 
future. 
 
GOB Commitment Key 
------------------ 
 
¶2.  (C) Van Gool emphasized that the EU did not want to be 
the sole source of funding for the center and added that a 
requirement for EU support would be GOB commitment to the 
project.  If the EU decided to move forward with the project, 
it would consult with other donors as to what sort of support 
to provide.  (Note: Interested donors expect the GOB would 
provide buildings and/or land for the center as the EU and 
other possible donors do not favor using project funds on new 
building infrastructure or land purchases.  End note.)  Van 
Gool said he would share the scoping mission's finding with 
the United States and other interested parties. 
 
Potential Donors Express Interest 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (C) Several missions at the briefing expressed interest 
in examining the proposed training center.  Britain was 
willing to provide technical support during the initial 
assessment stages.  Denmark had some funding available for 
the feasibility phase and may be able to provide fairly 
quickly additional funding to establish the center, pending 
the scoping mission and feasibility study's findings. 
Australia would also contribute funds for the feasibility 
study.  Spain, Japan, and Canada stated they would wait for 
the feasibility study's findings before deciding whether and 
how it would provide support for the center. 
 
DHAKA 00000046  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶4.  (C) Support for establishing a regional counterterrorism 
training enforcement center has gained critical mass for 
moving forward.  We expect to receive detailed feedback on 
the scoping mission's findings.  The next step, following the 
scoping mission, would be for the interested parties to 
determine which donors intend to provide funding and/or 
technical support for the feasibility study.  Pending the 
findings of the feasibility study, we believe that such a 
center could well serve the U.S. goals of promoting regional 
cooperation against terrorism in South Asia.  Post recommends 
that Department begin considering whether USG funds might be 
made available for the project. 
MORIARTY