Office of Conventional Arms Threat Reduction (ISN/CATR)

MISSION STATEMENT

This office assumes the responsibilities of the former NP/ECNP. Its role will include lead responsibility within ISN for all matters related to conventional weapons, as well as for dual-use items and technologies that warrant controls because of their nexus with conventional weapons, and with U.S. security policies related to commercial remote sensing. It will report to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Threat Reduction, Export Controls, and Negotiations. It will receive support from, provide support to, as needed, and coordinate the efforts of the Department of Commerce/Bureau of Industry and Security, the Department of Defense/Defense Technology Security Agency (DTSA), and relevant components of the Intelligence Community, including the Counter-Terrorism Center.

Key missions of the office include:

Conventional Weapons Controls & Transparency: Officers will formulate, coordinate, and implement U.S. policy concerning participation in the Wassenaar Arrangement and other issues and institutions related to controlling or providing transparency of conventional weapons transfers and proliferation, focusing upon multilateral export control policies and practices for munitions and related dual-use items and technology. Key functions include leading U.S. efforts to: 1) keep multilateral control lists up to date, and ensuring that sensitive items and technologies are properly controlled; 2) strengthen multilateral control policies & practices; and 3) foster wider application of such policies and practices. Officers will lead policy development regarding arms transfer transparency regimes (e.g., the Wassenaar Arrangement and the U.N. Register of Arms), and will coordinate closely with – and provide support to, as needed – ISN/MNSA’s work in leading multilateral negotiations (e.g., at the UN or CD) related to conventional arms. The office will also coordinate closely with ISN/RA and the PM Bureau on conventional weapons negotiations.

White House MANPADS Initiative: Offices have responsibility for developing and implementing efforts to strengthen other countries export controls laws and practices related to man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) -- e.g., bilaterally or through regional and other security groups such as the G-8, Wassenaar, OSCE, APEC, and the OAS. When implementation efforts are conducted through the EXBS program, however, the office will provide support as needed for ISN/ECC, and when efforts are conducted through military-to-military cooperation, CATR will support PM/WRA and the Department of Defense. The office will coordinate closely with ISN/WMDT with respect to issues pertaining to possible terrorist access to or use of MANPADS or thermobaric weapons.

Dual-use export Control Implementation: Officers will coordinate State Department support for Commerce Department national security export controls, including policy formulation and implementation, and the development of State views on export license applications and development of Commerce Department export control regulations.

Conventional Arms Sanctions & Interdictions: Officers are responsible for chairing and staffing support to the Technology Transfer Working Group, which will review intelligence and all-source information relating to potential transfers of conventional weapons from foreign sources to governments or others in regions of conflict or which may pose a threat to U.S. security or policy interests. The office will coordinate diplomatic efforts to stop such transfers, and when appropriate, will refer actions to law enforcement or other agencies for appropriate action. For transfers to State Sponsors of Terrorism or that otherwise trigger U.S. legal sanctions, officers will prepare and coordinate recommendations to the Deputy Secretary, and implement those decisions. The office will have lead responsibility within ISN, in close coordination with ISN/CPI, for matters related to sanctions and interdiction policy for conventional weapons. The office will provide support as needed to the Sanctions Coordinator in the ISN Front Office, as well as ISN/CPI, in order to help ensure the successful coordination of bureau-wide sanctions policy and its effective coordination with overall counterproliferation efforts. The office will also be responsible for drafting of relevant sections of nonproliferation reports to Congress in coordination with the Sanctions Coordinator in the ISN/Front Office and with other offices.

Commercial Remote Sensing Satellites: Officers will coordinate and lead development and implementation of U.S. policy concerning U.S. and foreign commercial remote sensing satellite matters, including chairing the Remote Sensing Interagency Working Group (RSIWG) and negotiating and implementing Government-to-Government Agreements concerning transfers of remote sensing satellites and technology to foreign governments and entities, as provided for in NSPD-27. Officers are responsible for negotiation of Technology Safeguards Agreements with governments other than NATO or Major Non-NATO allies, establishing security arrangements for launch of U.S. and third-party satellites containing U.S. satellite technology.

Director: Chris Kessler