US embassy cable - 05PRETORIA4462

UNCLAS PRETORIA 004462 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SECSTATE FOR ECA/PE/V/F/E GINSBERG/CONNOLLY 
INFO AF/PD LMING 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OEXC, SCUL, KPAO, SF 
SUBJECT: FY-05 VOLVIS - JACOBUS CILLIERS RESULTS REPORT 
MPP: DEMOCRATIC SYSTEMS AND PRACTICES 
 
REF: SECSTATE 90907 
 
1.  BACKGROUND:  Jacobus (Jakkie) Cilliers is the head of 
one of the preeminent security think tanks in South 
Africa, the Institute of Security Studies (ISS).  Mr. 
Cilliers attended a security conference in Canada in June 
2005 and was interested in the possibility of Post 
assisting in arranging meetings for him in Washington DC 
and New York City.  Jakkie and his colleagues at ISS are 
excellent Mission contacts on a variety of security 
issues.  This program has allowed us the opportunity to 
reinforce our commitment to the ISS and make Cilliers 
aware of the programs we offer. 
 
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RENEWING OLD CONTACTS AND MAKING NEW ONES 
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2. Dr. Cilliers not only confirmed the value of the 
appointments arranged for him but also reconfirmed the 
value he placed on the International Visitors experience. 
He realized and regretted that he did not set aside 
enough time to take fuller advantage of the VolVis 
experience.  He found that the program was excellently 
organized.  Cilliers is well known amongst his 
counterparts in the U.S. and several of the appointments 
were useful in re-establishing contacts. 
 
3. Dr. Cilliers found all of his Washington, DC 
appointments highly useful and established groundwork for 
a number of collaborative efforts with several of his 
colleagues at DC think tanks.  He is particularly 
interested U.S. foreign policy to sub-Saharan Africa, 
focusing on security issues, including the Africa Standby 
Force and regional and continental early warning and 
conflict prevention programs.  Appointments with 
Departments of State and Defense were of particular 
value. 
 
4. Dr. Cilliers was particularly impressed with the 
extensive internship and fellowship programs being 
implemented by U.S. think tanks and policy institutes. 
Upon his return to South Africa, he has begun an 
initiative to institute a fellowship/internship program 
at ISS. 
 
QUALITY OF U.S. SUPPORT: 
 
5.  Many thanks to the Voluntary Visitor office, 
specifically Erica Ginsberg, for providing an excellent 
program despite the limited time. 
 
Hartley