Document:Integrity Initiative Weekly Report 16th to 22nd July 2018
| input into media documentaries and fictional entertainment, including specific topics |
report by Euan Grant dated 22 07 2018Subjects: Greg Sheridan, Australia, Norway, China, Taiwan
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Integrity Initiative Weekly Report 16th to 22nd July 2018
Reports and related Outputs
Re Memorandum of cooperation sent to Martha Bayles in Boston USA for her comments before II discussion. This is about opportunities jointly and separately in North America, UK and elsewhere in Europe for input into media documentaries and fictional entertainment. Follows detailed skype call 3rd July. Detailed reply received and forwarded with comments and suggestions, including specific topics, to Chris Donnelly, Chris Hernon, Stephen Dalziel, and Victor Madeira, latter especially in relation to North American issues. Bayles@bc.edu .
Contacts and related outputs
During the active measures meeting 18th July with the two former NATO ARRC members comments were made to the presenters and attendees that their concerns about Russian influence and military related activity in the Mediterranean were fully noted. They stressed it was not just the Baltic states. The presenters were informed that material was being prepared on Spain, Portugal and Italy. The presenters’ points that Portugal included Portugese speaking Africa and Brazil.
Edward Lucas, also attending the meeting, expressed considerable interest in the proposed and advanced stage of preparation article on Russia’s Wagner mercenary force and the implications of its partial movement from Syria given that the Assad regime is close to victory. This may be an outlet into articles or references in The Times.
Together with Keith Sargent, on 16th attended a Henry Jackson Society (John Hemmings) invitation only, closed door meeting on Australia’s perception of the Chinese threat. This was given by Greg Sheridan, Foreign Editor of The Australian – sheridang@theaustralian.com.au and + 61 3 9292 2809. Contact details have been circulated with comments to Australian cluster UK colleagues. It was very clear indeed that much of the methods China is using to influence Australia and the region are very similar, though perhaps in a more direct and faster moving way, to Russian techniques. There is therefore scope for a lot of crossover with media in Europe re Australian / Chinese / ASEAN / Indian Ocean risk similarities and vice versa in Australia regarding Russian issues. Of particular note was the passionate and detailed response given to this commentator’s question about Australia’s decision to carry out a very large and expensive submarine building project. As these are French submarines and Germany has been a pioneer of much of the technology, there is scope for “ compare and contrast” articles re China and Russia in the media of these countries.
Attended alone from HJS another HJS John Hemmings event on China. Speaker was retd. Admiral Chen, former Vice Minister of Defence of Taiwan, and who has extensive US contacts. He spoke very informatively about Chinese influence and its successes and failures in ASEAN and Indian Ocean, crucially Singapore. It was very noticeable how he responded positively to this commentator’s question about Chinese commercial pressure in Singapore. This was before news of the hacking of many personal accounts there. There are further opportunities to build on these contacts for press and media inputs. Invitations were given although obviously in the Taiwan case extreme sensitivity is needed. It was noticeable that this commentator was the first person approached by the Admiral after the meeting. Chen Yeong–Kang (Richard) - + and rocn1974ykc@rcn.com , Mr. Peter Mok, Counsellor at the Singaporean High Commission – 0207 316 3180 and mobile 07843 747 726 and Peter_Mok@defence.gov.sg .
William Scott – gall of Kroll Europe in London made contact. Work has been done for Kroll in the past in relation to Russian oligarchs, including persons very close to the top levels of the Kremlin, or in those strata. Advice was given to Kroll in the early stages of the Banca di Economii case in Moldova and this firm is in practice likely to be involved in any enhanced industry / law enforcement approach to enhanced monitoring of Russian high end financial acidity through and in UK. And any future effort regarding Chinese operations.
Meetings and related Outputs
Together with Keith Sargent, on 16th attended a Henry Jackson Society (John Hemmings) invitation only, closed door meeting on Australia’s perception of the Chinese threat. This was given by Greg Sheridan, Foreign Editor of The Australian – sheridang@theaustralian.com.au and + 61 3 9292 2809. Contact details have been circulated with comments to Australian cluster UK colleagues. It was very clear indeed that much of the methods China is using to influence Australia and the region are very similar, though perhaps in a more direct and faster moving way, to Russian techniques. There is therefore scope for a lot of crossover with media in Europe re Australian / Chinese / AsEAN / Indian Ocean risk similarities and vice versa in Australia regarding Russian issues. Of particular note was the passionate and detailed response given to this commentator’s question about Australia’s decision to carry out a very large and expensive submarine building project. As these are French submarines and Germany has been a pioneer of much of the technology, there is scope for “ compare and contrast” articles re China and Russia in the media of these countries.
Attended alone from HJS another HJS John Hemmings event on China. Speaker was retd Admiral Chen, former Vice Minister of Defence of Taiwan, and who has extensive US contacts. He spoke very informatively about Chinese influence and its successes and failures in ASEAN and Indian Ocean, crucially Singapore. It was very noticeable how he responded positively to this commentator’s question about Chinese commercial pressure in Singapore. This was before news of the hacking of many personal accounts there. There are further opportunities to build on these contacts for press and media inputs. Invitations were given although obviously in the Taiwan case extreme sensitivity is needed. It was noticeable that this commentator was the first person approached by the Admiral after the meeting. CHEN Yeong – Kang (Richard) - + and rocn1974ykc@rcn.com , Mr. Peter MOK, Counsellor at the Singaporean High Commission – 0207 316 3180 and mobile 07843 747 726 and Peter_Mok@defence.gov.sg .
The ARRC Active Measures team presentation, and that of Alya Shandra of EuroMaidan, provided material to support the “ Mediterranean risks” reports being prepared for Spain, Portugal and Italy and which will be included in the CECS presentation on 7th Sept. Further corroboration of the importance of new approaches to Russian and Chinese presences in both Portugese and French speaking Africa was obtained from the new August 2018 edition of Janes’ Intelligence Review. Alya shandra’s comments about how western NGOs do not recognise Ukraine being in a conflict situation will corroborate our inclusion of conflict matters and links to Russia’s Deep State in publications, e.g. the CECS presentation on 7th September.
The relevance of highlighting Russian naval – especially submarine – technology was highlighted during Tim Reilly’s meeting with a Norwegian visitor who emphasised growing concern in Norway about Russian submarine activity. Her point about how, based in her work in OBOR impacted countries, that corruption and commercial activity linked to Chinese companies very much parallels Russian actions, i.e. widespread use of brass plate companies across the world.
Attended the 18th July presentation to II by Alexander Alashbev ( phonetic) of www.disinfo.eu in Brussels. His PowerPoint presentation on blogging and tweeting of fake news in relation to fake news suggested that there is scope for close synergy rather than duplication as his unit seems to emphasise quantitative demonstrations and presentations which would leave scope for IoS qualitative analysis and comments.
Week and month ahead
Completion of the introductory letters for NGOs regarding the geopolitics of Russian criminality and the PowerPoint for the Cambridge Economic Crime Symposium.
Interaction with other outputs and areas of coverage
This is a repeat of the previous week’s report.
It is felt that the areas of activity described above will especially impact on the clusters of the eastern and southern borders of the EU, but also to Chris Donnelly and Stephen Dalziel’s work on military issues and academic and school awareness, and also for Victor Madeira’s work re Portugal and Canada. And Keith Sargent’s re corruption.
Euan Grant
0794 989 4643 ( WhatsApp, Viber)
Skype: euan.g.grant
EGrant@statecraft.org.uk
23rd July 2018
