US embassy cable - 05OTTAWA933

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 000933 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR PM/PMAT, PM/RSAT, WHA/CAN, WHA/PPC 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/30/2015 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, MOPS, CA, IDR, Barbara Martin, LTG Hillier 
SUBJECT: PROPOSED AGENDA FOR 2005 U.S.-CANADA 
POLITICAL-MILITARY CONSULTATIONS 
 
REF: SECSTATE 57415 
 
Classified By: POL M/C BRIAN FLORA.  REASON 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) Polmiloff conveyed Acting Assistant Secretary Likins' 
acceptance of the invitation to attend the first U.S.-Canada 
pol-mil consultations in Ottawa to Barbara Martin, Foreign 
Affairs Canada Director of North American and Euro-Atlantic 
Security and Defence Relations Division (IDR), on March 30. 
Martin reiterated how pleased the Canadian government is that 
consultations will take place and expressed hope that the 
April 27 meeting would form a solid base for regular talks in 
the future.  IDR co-Deputy Director Gavin Buchan participated 
in the meeting. 
 
2. (C) Reviewing the proposed agenda in reftel Martin noted 
that a Canadian version of the agenda was in the final stages 
of the clearance process and would be sent to the Canadian 
Embassy shortly for delivery to PM.  Though reluctant to 
share the as-yet-uncleared draft, Martin said that the GOC 
version reflected Canadian aspirations that the agenda would 
encompass the broad range of security cooperation between the 
U.S. and Canada, and perhaps identify opportunities to 
advance/enhance mutual security interests.  Hence the GOC's 
initial push to incorporate bilateral issues such as missile 
defense, NORAD and NORTHCOM, PJBD, PSI and the QDR.  Martin 
acknowledged the USG's institutional constraints on this 
approach, however, and said the GOC was satisfied with the 
concept of holding separate talks on bilateral issues with 
the appropriate actors.  At the same time, with regard to the 
timeframe for talks, Martin said the GOC prefers to fold the 
bilateral discussions into the same day as the polmil talks. 
Her comments on the proposed agenda follow. 
 
3. (C) Sessions One and Two:  GOC hopes for a more fluid 
("less cut-and-dried") approach, where the themes in both 
sessions might be covered as a bloc.  Regarding the 
possibility of a briefing on the Canada Command, Martin said 
that she had little information available at this time.  She 
speculated that Chief of Defence Staff LTG Hillier's trip to 
Washington next week might pave the way for a "very general" 
briefing (since this is more a bilateral issue) in the 
context of polmil talks. 
 
4. (C)  International Defense and Security 
-- The GOC doesn't have any specific NATO or EU "issues" it 
wants to raise.  Rather the Canadians envision a broad 
exchange of views on transatlantic relations, to include USG 
perspective on current NATO situation, particularly in the 
wake of the President's trip, USG/Canadian thinking on 
difficulties at OSCE, and generically "dealing with the EU" 
on transatlantic security. 
 
5. (C) Regional Security Issues 
-- Martin noted that Andean security concerns (notably 
Venezuela) fall under the purview of an entirely different 
Assistant Deputy Minister (Americas) and don't "fit". 
-- As in the discussion of transatlantic relations, GOC seeks 
more of an exchange of views regarding regional 
stability/security in Asia, particularly as it pertains to 
current China-Taiwan dynamic, DPRK nuclear ambitions, EU 
China arms embargo, etc., and exploring whether and how 
organizations such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (in which 
Canada takes a strong interest) might contribute to 
mitigating tensions. 
-- The GOC would like to exchange views on India/Pakistan 
security concerns.  Martin noted that A/DM Wright may be 
especially keen on this subject as he will have just returned 
from bilateral "strategic stability talks" in the region. 
6. (C) GWOT 
-- Canada prefers a fluid discussion format, and agenda items 
that are less "operational" and more "country-specific". 
7.  (C) International Crisis Operations 
-- Again, GOC envisions exchange of views. Buchan (protect) 
remarked privately that the situation in Sudan appears to be 
accelerating into a top political priority for the PMO. 
(Comment: Retired General Romeo Dallaire's book on the 
Rwandan genocide is a bestseller in Canada, has been widely 
publicized and avidly discussed. It may be a factor in 
Canadians' deep sensitization to the crisis in Darfur.  End 
comment). 
 
8. (C) Small Arms/Light Weapons and Landminesnonproliferation 
-- Martin believes that these issues receive a great deal of 
attention in separate bilateral nonproliferation talks.  She 
thought that they could be dropped from this agenda in the 
interest of saving time. 
 
Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa 
 
DICKSON