Cablegate: Portugal Joins Global Initiative; Urges Eu

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RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHLI #1508 1501346
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 301346Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY LISBON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5941
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS LISBON 001508

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER KNNP PARM PREL PO
SUBJECT: PORTUGAL JOINS GLOBAL INITIATIVE; URGES EU
ADMISSION

REF: A. STATE 21535
B. LISBON 1467
C. LISBON 1211

1. On May 30 Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Chief of
the Non-Proliferation Office Pedro Sousa Abreu provided
diplomatic notes to us and to our Russian counterparts to
endorse the Statement of Principles for the Global Initiative
to Combat Nuclear Terrorism. Sousa Abreu noted that his
office would be the primary Government of Portugal point of
contact for issues related to the Global Initiative.

2. The written endorsement to the Statement of Principles
also includes the suggestion that the European Commission be
invited to participate in the Global Initiative, given the
commission,s competencies and responsibilities for related
issues. Sousa Abreu also added that Portugal would engage
its Lusophone colleagues to encourage wider participation in
the Global Initiative.

3. An informal translation of the diplomatic note (number
DSD/594) follows:

Begin text:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Director General of External Policy

DSD/00594
VIII-25.5
21.05.2007

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs presents its most sincere
compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America
and has the honor to communicate the decision of the
Government of Portugal to endorse the Statement of Principles
of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism, adopted
in Rabat, Morocco on October 30-31, 2006.

Noting that the referenced Initiative has as its principal
objective to avoid the use of nuclear/radioactive materials
by terrorist organizations, thus assuming importance in the
framework of export controls and customs regimes, Portugal
considers it most useful to attribute to the European
Commission ) an institution with ample supra-national
jurisdiction in this field ) the status of full participant.
It is Portugal,s conviction that only through a broad
approach will this initiative obtain the desired results in
the fight against nuclear terrorism.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs takes this opportunity to
reiterate to the Embassy of the United States of America its
assurances of its highest considerations.

Lisbon, May 21, 2007

To the Embassy of the United States of America in Lisbon

End text.
Hoffman

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