CANADA AGREES TO PROVIDE SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES

S E C R E T OTTAWA 001728

SIPDIS

NOFORN

DEPARTMENT FOR PM/RSAT, PM/PMAT AND EUR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/07/2015
TAGS: MOPS MARR PREL CA AF
SUBJECT: CANADA AGREES TO PROVIDE SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES
TO OEF

REF: A) 2004 OTTAWA 03460 B) 2004 STATE 270926

Classified By: Pol M/C Brian Flora. Reason 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (S) Polmiloff met with Foreign Affairs Director for
Defense Relations Barbara Martin on June 7, 2005, at the
latter's request. Martin wanted to convey officially the
Canadian Government's positive response to USG's December
2004 request for Canadian Special Operations Forces for
Operation Enduring Freedom (ref b). She stated that the GOC
will deploy "no more than 150" SOF for 12 months, beginning
June 2005.


2. (S/NF) Though the Prime Minister only signed off on the
request on June 1, 2005, Martin affirmed her understanding
that mil-mil coordination (with CENTCOM) is well underway.
She noted that the decision to provide SOF was made
"unilaterally" by the Prime Minister. Though the PM has the
authority to take such a decision, Martin said, given the
unpredictable domestic political climate there would be no
announcement, not even to the Liberal Caucus; it would be
helpful, she added, if confidentiality of the decision could
be maintained in government-to-government channels.


3. (U) Minimize considered.

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DICKSON