CANADA UNLIKELY TO INCREASE CONTRIBUTI0N TO

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000646 SIPDIS SENSITIVE ROME FOR MFO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMFO PREL MASS XF CA SUBJECT: CANADA UNLIKELY TO INCREASE CONTRIBUTI0N TO MULTINATIONAL FORCE AND OBSERVERS (MFO) REF: STATE 49688 (SBU) COL Geoff St. John, head of Foreign Affairs' Peacekeeping Section, told us on March 7 that Canada is very unlikely to be able to increase its contribution to MFO. He said the Department of National Defense is staffing our request to see if it could fill any of the specific needs lifted in reftel, but that its pending contribution of a battalion and brigade headquarters to ISAF IV and V will put a huge strain on the Canadian Forces. KELLY