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(U//FOUO) US-Canada-Mexico Join Forces on Security; NSA Helps Set
the Agenda
FROM:
SINIO for International Crime and Narcotics (S17)
and SIGINT Communications
Run Date: 02/27/2006
(U) Last year, the US, Canada and Mexico agreed to work together to improve their common
security -- and now the intelligence and law enforcement communities, led by the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS), are helping lay the groundwork for this international collaboration.
(U) The agreement, announced by President Bush, Prime Minister Martin of Canada and
President Fox of Mexico in June 05, is known as the President's Security and Prosperity
Partnership (SPP) initiative. The idea is to establish a common approach to security to protect
North America from threats both external and internal. At the same time, the SPP aims to make
security measures, such as at borders, as "painless" as possible for law-abiding citizens.
(U) The agreement states that the three countries will:
better protect critical infrastructure and implement a common approach to emergency
response;
bring about improvements in aviation and maritime security, combat transnational
threats, and enhance intelligence partnerships; and
implement common border security while improving the flow of people and cargo at
shared borders.
(U//FOUO) So, what progress has been made to date? In January 2006, the first US interagency
working group, led by DHS, met to lay the groundwork for a joint bi-national (US and Canadian)
review of the terrorist threat to North America. The first step is for the US and Canada to
work together more closely on intelligence related to North American security,
particularly focusing on sharing the terrorism watch list, ensuring appropriate connectivity and
communication between the two countries, and enhancing analytical cooperation.
(U//FOUO) NSA proposed, and the Intelligence Community agreed, that we need a common
understanding of what the threats are, where disconnects are, and what the vulnerabilities
are, when discussing "threats to North America." Additionally, there was agreement that both
intelligence and homeland security are bigger than counter-terrorism alone, and that illicit
facilitation, smuggling, and other issues should also be included. Finally, it was determined that
we need to get common definitions between the US and Canada on such terms as "terrorism" so
that both parties are talking about the same issues.
(U//FOUO) The Intelligence Community is currently preparing a document to share with the
Canadians on joint cross-border projects, as well as definitions for commonly used terms. The
first bilateral meeting will be held in March 2006. A similar working group will
eventually be formed to work border issues with the Mexicans.
(U//FOUO) If you have questions about SPP and NSA's role, contact
.
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)."
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DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108