ICELAND DEFENSE: TECHNICAL AGREEMENT TO CLOSE U.S. BASE SIGNED

UNCLAS REYKJAVIK 000364 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/NB, EUR/ERA, P (BAME),L/PM DOD FOR USD EDELMAN, OSD/RA (COSTA, CLINE),OSD/P (KELSO, HURSCH) OSLO FOR DATT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MARR PREL EAIR MASS IC SUBJECT: ICELAND DEFENSE: TECHNICAL AGREEMENT TO CLOSE U.S. BASE SIGNED REF: REYKJAVIK 357 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Iceland's Foreign Minister signed the bilateral "Technical Agreement" on the closure of Naval Air Station Keflavik (NASKEF),as well as an agreement amending the classified annexes to the 1951 U.S.-Iceland defense agreement, at 1236 GMT on 29 September. The last U.S. military personnel assigned to NASKEF are scheduled to depart Iceland at 1730 GMT on 30 September, seen off by the U.S. Ambassador and Embassy staff, Icelandic officials, NATO-member ambassadors, and local media. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Following on the 26 September announcement by PM Haarde of the conclusion of defense negotiations with the U.S. (reftel),Foreign Minister Valgerdur Sverrisdottir on 29 September signed the "Technical Agreement" covering the withdrawal of U.S. forces and the return of agreed areas to the GOI. (DoD U/S Edelman had earlier signed the documents in Washington.) The Minister also signed a document amending certain provisions of the 1951 U.S.-Iceland defense agreement as well as its annexes and technical schedules, some of which were classified per the GOI's 1951 request. (On 26 September post received a diplomatic note from the MFA requesting that all defense agreements between the U.S. and Iceland be declassified; we have forwarded to EUR/NB for action.) ¶3. (SBU) Later on September 29, NASKEF Commanding Officer Captain Mark Laughton and MFA officials completed the exchange of documents related to the handover or lease of USG-owned NASKEF equipment essential to continued operations at Keflavik Airport. On the evening of 29 September, Navy Security will hand over responsibility for the base to the Keflavik District Police, who will protect its facilities while a new public corporation (reftel) considers a growing number of proposals for their use. ¶4. (SBU) Captain Laughton and the remaining U.S. military personnel assigned to Naval Air Station Keflavik are scheduled to depart Iceland by Navy C-9 at 1730 GMT on 30 September, seen off by the U.S. Ambassador and Embassy staff, Icelandic officials, NATO-member ambassadors, and local media. van Voorst