Cablegate: Gicnt: Canada Welcomes Unodc As an Observer

VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHOT #0802 2932205
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 202205Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9960
INFO RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2308

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000802

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR ISN/WMDT AND WHA/CA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM PREL PTER KGIC CA RU
SUBJECT: GICNT: CANADA WELCOMES UNODC AS AN OBSERVER

REF: A. STATE 100994
B. STATE 83550

1.(U) Summary: Canada welcomes the UN Office of Drugs and
Crime as an observer to the Global Initiative to Combat
Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT), recognizing the connections of
UNODC,s work to that of GICNT. Canada will be represented
at the November 2009 Exercise Planning Group (EPG), although
its available national exercise capacity is limited. End
Summary.

2. (SBU) POLMILOFF, in conjunction with the Political
Counselor from the Russian Embassy, delivered ref a message
to David McDuff, Senior Policy Officer in the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Division of the Department of Foreign
Affairs and Trade (DFAIT). McDuff was aware of proposals to
accord observer status to the UNODC, and agreed that UNODC,s
work has important connections to the goals of GICNT. He
confirmed that Canada welcomes UNODC as an observer.

3. (SBU) McDuff expressed a desire to know more about
broader U.S. planning related to non-proliferation in light
of the President's April 5 address in Prague. He wondered
specifically what connection there might be between GICNT and
the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS). Given that GICNT is an
existing structure, McDuff posited that it might serve as a
platform through which to deliver outcomes of the NSS.

4. (SBU) With regard to the November EPG, McDuff confirmed
that Canada would send representatives, but said that he was
not yet certain whether the officials would be from DFAIT
headquarters or the Canadian Embassy in Budapest, due to
budgetary limitations. McDuff asked for more information
concerning plans for the exercise program in general. He
cautioned that Canada's domestic exercise capacity is
&tapped out8 with preparations for the 2010 Winter Olympics
in British Columbia and the 2010 G8 and G20 Summits in
Ontario. He nonetheless noted the desire within DFAIT to
remain abreast of developments and to be as supportive as
possible of the exercise program. He urged that GICNT build
on previous exercises and integrate the efforts of the
partner nations more broadly.

Visit Canada,s North American partnership community at
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap /

JACOBSON

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