MACEDONIA: CAVEATS FOR TROOPS SERVING WITH ISAF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SKOPJE 000484 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/SCE E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR MOPS NATO AF MK SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: CAVEATS FOR TROOPS SERVING WITH ISAF REF: STATE 74035 Classified By: P/E CHIEF SHUBLER, REASONS 1.4 (B) & (D). ¶1. (SBU) P/E Chief delivered reftel points on ISAF caveats to MFA State Counselor Milan Spirodonovski and to NATO Head of Sector Marjan PopAngelov on May 16. DATT delivered the same points to CHOD MG Stojanovski on May 15. Our interlocutors assured us that Macedonia would maintain its policy of no declared caveats limiting deployment of Macedonian forces to a particular geographic area in the ISAF AOR, and no caveats requiring national approval to conduct any particular mission. ¶2. (SBU) The Ministry of Defense later provided us, however, with a list of what they described as "limitations" on the use of the Macedonian infantry company that will be attached to the UK-led Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in Afghanistan, scheduled to deploy in June. The "limitations," which Macedonian authorities do not consider to be national caveats, declare that in no case, except in instances of self-defense or when the lives of Macedonian troops are threatened, is the infantry company to be used to: a.) Carry out an order, the execution of which would constitute a criminal act according to national laws, or which would violate human rights conventions or the Law of Armed Conflict; b.) Carry out offensive operations planned with the purpose of capturing territory or part of a territory inhabited by a civilian population, and during which there would be a risk of collateral damage; c.) Carry out operations with the purpose of demolishing bridges, tunnels, dams or dikes, and other significant infrastructure; d.) Carry out operations on territory or a part of territory where there is a possibility that NBC agents might be present; e.) Carry out operations in religious buildings, museums, and cultural or archaeological heritage sites; f.) Carry out riot control operations; or g.) Train the host country's national security forces. ¶3. (C) Comment: Macedonian authorities consider that most of these limitations either are consistent with rules of engagement under the Law of Armed Conflict, or are necessary (as in the case of limitations d, f, and g) because the Macedonian troops deployed lack the proper equipment (NBC protective gear, riot control equipment) and/or training to perform the proscribed tasks effectively. To date, Macedonian troops have operated with U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan under similar conditions and have not been prevented by the limitations from accomplishing any assigned missions. Indeed, U.S. commanders in Iraq, and German commanders in Afghanistan, have consistently praised the conduct and performance of the Macedonian troops. MILOVANOVIC