US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA8412

UNCLAS BOGOTA 008412 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD, SNAR, PTER, CO 
SUBJECT: CSI - FAVORABLE CARTAGENA ASSESMENT 
 
1.  Summary: The Port of Cartagena impressed visiting 
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and 
Border Protection (CBP) officials, and the joint team will 
recommend that the port be accepted as a Container Security 
Initiative (CSI) facility.  End Summary. 
 
2.  On August 30-Sept. 2, a CBP Container Security 
Initiative team, invited by Colombian Ambassador Luis 
Alberto Moreno, visited Cartagena to assess the feasibility 
of establishing a CSI program at the city's private port 
facilities.  In addition to the assessment, the team met 
with military and law enforcement officials, local business 
leaders, and security managers from Colombia's other private 
port concessions. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
Elements of Cartagena's Favorable Assessment 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
3.  The favorable assessment of Cartagena by the CSI team 
was based on the following factors: 
 
  -- In terms of the volume of container traffic to the 
     U.S., Cartagena ranks 68 out of 600 international 
     ports. 
  -- Cartagena is strategically located near the U.S., on 
     the north coast of Colombia. 
  -- The Port Society of Cartagena is in the process of 
     identifying and purchasing a non-intrusive inspection 
     system (container-sized x-ray or gamma scanner). 
  -- The port facilities (office space/computer systems) and 
     security situation in Cartagena would allow for the 
     permanent deployment of the five-person CSI team. 
 
---------- 
Next Steps 
---------- 
 
4.  The CSI team will pass its assessment report to the 
Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, who, 
according the CSI team leader, will likely approve the 
recommendation to bring CSI to Cartagena.  The USG would 
then begin negotiations with the GOC on a Declaration of 
Principles (DOP), an agreement which will formalize the 
bilateral cooperation associated with the CSI program.  If 
the negotiations move forward as planned, the CSI program 
could be up and running in Cartagena within 6-8 months. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
5.  While the main focus of the CSI is to screen cargo 
containers for materials related to terrorist threats 
against the United States, the GOC expects the program will 
assist the Colombian National Police in its fight against 
drug trafficking and narco-terrorism.  The large-scale 
scanning system envisioned by the Port of Cartagena will 
reduce inspection times drastically, and make the 
inspections more effective.  In addition, CSI screening in 
country will reduce wait times for some cargo containers by 
up to two weeks.  All of this adds up to a competitive 
advantage for Cartagena, should it become a CSI port. 
Officials from other private ports in Colombia, especially 
the Port of Buenaventura, expressed concern over this 
potential advantage.  The Embassy fully supports the 
recommendation that Cartagena participate in the CSI 
program. 
 
WOOD