CANADA ON ISAF CAVEATS

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 001410 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAN, EUR/RPM E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2015 TAGS: PREL MARR AF CA NATO FAC SUBJECT: CANADA ON ISAF CAVEATS REF: A) OTTAWA 1022 B) STATE 60862 Classified By: POL M/C BRIAN FLORA. REASON 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) Though Canada has not/not provided a formal response to ref b demarche, the GOC's position on ISAF-related caveats was discussed on the margins of the April 27 US-Canada polmil talks. Paul Chapin, Director General for Security Policy at Foreign Affairs Canada (FAC) explained that the caveats relating to Canadian operations in Kabul were a reflection of "anxiety" at the ministerial (i.e. political) level. Rear Admiral Drew Robertson, Director General of International Security Policy at National Defence (DND),added that the geographic limitations on the Canadian deployment were due to the way that ISAF had evolved. He stated that Chief of Defence Staff Lt. General Hillier was of the view that the legal basis for the Canadian Forces' deployment to Afghanistan should be adequate to cover operations in any part of the country. At the same time, there were other constraints that made it difficult to change the mandate for Kabul at this stage. Robertson asserted that the issue would "go away" in the next phase of Canada's involvement in Afghanistan (Kandahar). ¶2. (C) On rules of engagement, FAC Defence and Security Relations (IDR) officer Eric Laporte reiterated comments reported in ref A, that Canadian Forces (CF) had limited training in crowd control techniques. At the same time, he said, there was recognition within the government that as ISAF operations expanded, requirements for civil disturbance control may occur more frequently. Laporte noted that a review is underway regarding the introduction of crowd control techniques into CF training. Robertson added that the government wanted to avoid a situation where Canadian Forces would be the "default" crowd control mechanism in lieu of a constabulary force. Thus training would likely focus on providing a capability for "in extremis" situations. Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa DICKSON