CANADIAN CONCERNS ABOUT EUROPEAN DEFENSE SUMMIT,

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 001169

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2013
TAGS: PREL KPKO EU MK CA NATO
SUBJECT: CANADIAN CONCERNS ABOUT EUROPEAN DEFENSE SUMMIT,
ESDP "BURDENSHARING"

REF: (A) STATE 103884 (B) USNATO 461 (C) WARSAW 1642

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Brian Flora,
Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Canada shares our strong concerns about the April 29
"European Defense Summit" (ref. A),and is pleased that we
are making U.S. views clear to Europe. Lisa Helfand, Foreign
Affairs Deputy Director for Defense and Security Relations,
said the GoC considers the Summit very unhelpful both for the
NATO Alliance and for ESDP goals. She noted that Belgian
Political Director Carbonez had offered to come to Ottawa to
brief the GoC on the Summit, but Canada turned off the visit.


2. (C) Helfand also gave us further details on the aborted
Canadian effort to deploy a staff officer to the EU's
Operation Concordia in Macedonia (refs. B and C). Like
Poland, Canada was completely surprised that they would be
charged for participation. Canada had planned to contribute
one staff officer (lieutenant colonel),but the day before he
was to deploy the EU presented Canada with a bill for 240,000
Euros. The EU informed Canada that since 25% of the
personnnel for Concordia were from non-EU countries, those
countries would have to pay 25% of the operating costs.
Individual country contributions were pro-rated on the basis
of GDP.


3. (C) Helfand said that Canadian Foreign Minister Graham
raised this issue with EU Foreign Minister Solana, but that
the EU was unable/unwilling to backtrack from this policy.
Helfand said this could have implications in Bosnia if and
when the EU takes over from SFOR, where Canada currently has
1270 personnel. The UK and the Netherlands would like the
Canadian Forces to stay in Bosnia, she said, but Canada will
not be interested if it is charged to participate while being
excluded from mission oversight.
CELLUCCI