Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05GUATEMALA392
2005-02-15 20:46:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Guatemala
Cable title:  

GUATEMALA: PKO UPDATE

Tags:  KPKO PREL MOPS ETTC GT HA CG DA AR CI UN 
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UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000392 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR WHA/CEN, WHA/PPC, IO/PHO, AF/RA, AND PM/DTC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPKO PREL MOPS ETTC GT HA CG DA AR CI UN
SUBJECT: GUATEMALA: PKO UPDATE

REF: 2004 GUATEMALA 3163

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000392

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR WHA/CEN, WHA/PPC, IO/PHO, AF/RA, AND PM/DTC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPKO PREL MOPS ETTC GT HA CG DA AR CI UN
SUBJECT: GUATEMALA: PKO UPDATE

REF: 2004 GUATEMALA 3163


1. (U) Summary: The Guatemalan military continues its
preparations for a March 2005 deployment of an Army Kaibil
(Special Forces) company to the UN Peacekeeping Operations
Mission in the Congo (MONUC). Plans to also deploy a
Military Police company for MONUC duty are pending a final UN
decision; the Guatemalan military reports that Denmark has
offered $500,000 to equip the military police mission. To
support efforts to establish a regional peacekeeping
operations training center in Guatemala, USMILGP Guatemala
has requested $1 million in Global Peacekeeping Operations
Initiative (GPOI) funding over two years, and the Guatemalan
Army is sending instructors from its PKO school on a U.S.
Southcom-funded visit to peacekeeping schools in Argentina
and Chile to study the facilities and infrastructure at these
Southern Cone schools. A high-level GOG delegation will make
a 13-18 February U.S. Southcom-funded visit to UN/DPKO and
the MINUSTAH mission in Haiti, respectively, for an
orientation on UN Peacekeeping Operations. End Summary.


2. (U) The Guatemalan military has a 15 March target date
for deployment of a Kaibil company (100 troops) to MONUC, but
this date is likely to slip as the unit is being equipped
through commercial purchases, which raises funding issues and
includes a requirement for USG export license approval for
communications equipment. Guatemalan Army staff personnel
report that Denmark has offered half a million dollars to
equip a military police company for the MONUC deployment.
The Guatemalans had originally told us that the military
police company deployment had received final approval but we
are now hearing that no decision has been reached by UN/DPKO.
Guatemala is apparently the only country that has so far
volunteered to provide a contingent for this MONUC military
police tasking.


3. (U) Guatemalan military ambitions for a regional
peacekeeping training center include upgrade of its existing
PKO school in Coban as well as creation of a new
civil-military PKO training center in Guatemala City. The
request for $1 million from FY04 and FY05 GPOI funds would be
divided between the Coban facility and the planned center in
the capital. Three Guatemalan Army officers will make a
17-22 April visit to PKO training centers in Argentina and
Chile to study the facilities and infrastructure and learn
more about interaction with the UN on PKO issues.


4. (SBU) At Guatemalan military initiative, a 13-18 February
U.S. Southcom-sponsored trip of Guatemalan military officers
to UN/DPKO offices and Haiti has been upgraded to include the
Vice Minister of Defense and one of the Vice Foreign
Ministers, and civilian officials from the Finance Ministry
and Presidential staff. The 13-15 February orientation by
DPKO and subsequent visit to the Guatemalan contingent in
Port Au Prince is intended to build civilian support for
Guatemalan PKO participation. (The military has gained
strong support from the Foreign Ministry but has had less
success with the Finance Ministry.)


5. (SBU) Comment: The Guatemalan Armed Forces leadership
has eagerly embraced PKO participation, viewing it as A) a
new, politically legitimate mission that supports military
modernization; B) a funding source through UN reimbursement;
and, C) a medium for enhancing military professionalization
through interchange with other military forces. We should
encourage these efforts politically and support them
logistically whenever possible, including through expeditious
approval of export licenses for equipment to support
Guatemalan PKO deployments.

HAMILTON