Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06SARAJEVO1982
2006-08-30 16:41:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Sarajevo
Cable title:
BOSNIAN PRESS "BREAKS" STORY OF EAGLE BASE CLOSURE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0001 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHVJ #1982 2421641 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 301641Z AUG 06 FM AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4280 INFO RUFOAOA/USNIC SARAJEVO PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SARAJEVO 001982
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR (DICARLO),D (SMITH),P (BAME),EUR/SCE
(ENGLISH, SAINZ, FOOKS),AND EUR/PPD, NSC FOR BRAUN, USNIC
FOR WEBER, GREGORIAN, OSD FOR FLORY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2016
TAGS: MARR OPDC PREL NATO BK
SUBJECT: BOSNIAN PRESS "BREAKS" STORY OF EAGLE BASE CLOSURE
REF: A) STATE 84064 B) SARAJEVO 1275
Classified By: A/DCM D. Sarro for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SARAJEVO 001982
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR (DICARLO),D (SMITH),P (BAME),EUR/SCE
(ENGLISH, SAINZ, FOOKS),AND EUR/PPD, NSC FOR BRAUN, USNIC
FOR WEBER, GREGORIAN, OSD FOR FLORY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2016
TAGS: MARR OPDC PREL NATO BK
SUBJECT: BOSNIAN PRESS "BREAKS" STORY OF EAGLE BASE CLOSURE
REF: A) STATE 84064 B) SARAJEVO 1275
Classified By: A/DCM D. Sarro for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (SBU) On August 30, nearly one month after the BiH Council
of Ministers publicly announced the U.S. decision to vacate
Eagle Base in Tuzla, the daily newspaper Oslobodjenje ran an
"exclusive" front page story under the headline "American
Army to Leave Bosnia by the End of the Year." Despite the
misleading headline, the Oslobodjenje article was
straightforward and generally factual in tone. It accurately
reported that Task Force Strike would soon leave Eagle Base
but a smaller force would remain as part of the larger NATO
mission.
2. (C) Although the Ambassador informed Tri-Presidency
Chairman Sulejman Tihic of the drawdown in May (ref B) Tihic
is quoted in the story as stating he received no official
notification from "diplomatic or political sources" of the
closure, asserting he only became aware of the plans to close
the base from civil aviation officials in Tuzla.
2. (SBU) Oslobodjenje accurately incorporated Embassy press
guidance, previously coordinated with the Department, in the
story. The article highlighted that Bosnia's substantial
progress in defense reform and its establishment of a single,
professional armed forces contributed to the USG decision.
It added that the U.S. would increase its
military-to-military cooperation with Bosnia, and supports
Bosnia's future membership in the Partnership for Peace.
3. (SBU) The paper alleged the existence of a "silent
diplomatic campaign" by senior Bosnian officials seeking to
preserve a reduced U.S. force presence in Bosnia and claimed
that senior political leaders were determined to seek
additional security guarantees from the USG as a result of
the drawdown.
CEFKIN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR (DICARLO),D (SMITH),P (BAME),EUR/SCE
(ENGLISH, SAINZ, FOOKS),AND EUR/PPD, NSC FOR BRAUN, USNIC
FOR WEBER, GREGORIAN, OSD FOR FLORY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2016
TAGS: MARR OPDC PREL NATO BK
SUBJECT: BOSNIAN PRESS "BREAKS" STORY OF EAGLE BASE CLOSURE
REF: A) STATE 84064 B) SARAJEVO 1275
Classified By: A/DCM D. Sarro for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (SBU) On August 30, nearly one month after the BiH Council
of Ministers publicly announced the U.S. decision to vacate
Eagle Base in Tuzla, the daily newspaper Oslobodjenje ran an
"exclusive" front page story under the headline "American
Army to Leave Bosnia by the End of the Year." Despite the
misleading headline, the Oslobodjenje article was
straightforward and generally factual in tone. It accurately
reported that Task Force Strike would soon leave Eagle Base
but a smaller force would remain as part of the larger NATO
mission.
2. (C) Although the Ambassador informed Tri-Presidency
Chairman Sulejman Tihic of the drawdown in May (ref B) Tihic
is quoted in the story as stating he received no official
notification from "diplomatic or political sources" of the
closure, asserting he only became aware of the plans to close
the base from civil aviation officials in Tuzla.
2. (SBU) Oslobodjenje accurately incorporated Embassy press
guidance, previously coordinated with the Department, in the
story. The article highlighted that Bosnia's substantial
progress in defense reform and its establishment of a single,
professional armed forces contributed to the USG decision.
It added that the U.S. would increase its
military-to-military cooperation with Bosnia, and supports
Bosnia's future membership in the Partnership for Peace.
3. (SBU) The paper alleged the existence of a "silent
diplomatic campaign" by senior Bosnian officials seeking to
preserve a reduced U.S. force presence in Bosnia and claimed
that senior political leaders were determined to seek
additional security guarantees from the USG as a result of
the drawdown.
CEFKIN