Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06SARAJEVO1196
2006-05-26 16:00:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Sarajevo
Cable title:
BOSNIA: ONE UNIFORM,ONE ARMED FORCE- AND ONE FUTURE
how-toVZCZCXRO9509 PP RUEHAST DE RUEHVJ #1196 1461600 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 261600Z MAY 06 FM AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3599 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUFOAOA/USNIC SARAJEVO RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS SARAJEVO 001196
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR (DICARLO),EUR/SCE (ENGLISH, FOOKS, BELL),P
(BAME),D (SMITH),NSC FOR BRAUN, OSD FOR FLORY, USNIC FOR
WEBER, GREGORIAN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MARR MASS PREL BK
SUBJECT: BOSNIA: ONE UNIFORM,ONE ARMED FORCE- AND ONE FUTURE
UNCLAS SARAJEVO 001196
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR (DICARLO),EUR/SCE (ENGLISH, FOOKS, BELL),P
(BAME),D (SMITH),NSC FOR BRAUN, OSD FOR FLORY, USNIC FOR
WEBER, GREGORIAN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MARR MASS PREL BK
SUBJECT: BOSNIA: ONE UNIFORM,ONE ARMED FORCE- AND ONE FUTURE
1. Defense Minister Radovanovic unveiled the new uniform of
the unified Bosnian armed force during a ceremony on May 25.
For the first time since the abolishment of the entity armies
on December 31, 2005, former combatants stood shoulder to
shoulder completely indistinguishable from one other.
Purchased with U.S. foreign military financing (FMF),the new
battle dress uniform (BDU) is modeled on the digitized
woodland camouflage patter similar to that of the U.S. Marine
Corps. The local media heralded the donation as further
proof of the strong ties between Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)
and the United States of America.
2. The uniforms, however, represent more than a bilateral
transfer of military equipment. For the Bosnian people, they
are visible proof that progress on defense reform and a
multi-ethnic armed force is possible. Defense Minister
Radovanovic underscored this in his closing remarks. "The
new uniform is a symbol for Bosnia and Herzegovina," said
Radovanovic, "it exemplifies one step farther away from our
painful past and one huge step toward a better future." BiH
Chief of the Joint Staff LTGEN Podzic added that "the armed
force will work hard to build respect for this new uniform,
which thus far has no scars on it."
MCELHANEY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR (DICARLO),EUR/SCE (ENGLISH, FOOKS, BELL),P
(BAME),D (SMITH),NSC FOR BRAUN, OSD FOR FLORY, USNIC FOR
WEBER, GREGORIAN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MARR MASS PREL BK
SUBJECT: BOSNIA: ONE UNIFORM,ONE ARMED FORCE- AND ONE FUTURE
1. Defense Minister Radovanovic unveiled the new uniform of
the unified Bosnian armed force during a ceremony on May 25.
For the first time since the abolishment of the entity armies
on December 31, 2005, former combatants stood shoulder to
shoulder completely indistinguishable from one other.
Purchased with U.S. foreign military financing (FMF),the new
battle dress uniform (BDU) is modeled on the digitized
woodland camouflage patter similar to that of the U.S. Marine
Corps. The local media heralded the donation as further
proof of the strong ties between Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)
and the United States of America.
2. The uniforms, however, represent more than a bilateral
transfer of military equipment. For the Bosnian people, they
are visible proof that progress on defense reform and a
multi-ethnic armed force is possible. Defense Minister
Radovanovic underscored this in his closing remarks. "The
new uniform is a symbol for Bosnia and Herzegovina," said
Radovanovic, "it exemplifies one step farther away from our
painful past and one huge step toward a better future." BiH
Chief of the Joint Staff LTGEN Podzic added that "the armed
force will work hard to build respect for this new uniform,
which thus far has no scars on it."
MCELHANEY