FIJI'S REVIEW OF PKO: PROSPECTS FOR IRAQ, LEBANON,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SUVA 000340

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

ROME PLEASE PASS TO MFO LAROCCO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2016
TAGS: PREL MARR KPKO FJ
SUBJECT: FIJI'S REVIEW OF PKO: PROSPECTS FOR IRAQ, LEBANON,
AND ELSEWHERE

REF: A. SUVA 173 AND PREVIOUS

B. SUVA 214

C. SUVA 254

D. SUVA 255

E. SUVA 137

F. SUVA 92

G. SUVA 323

Classified By: Amb. Dinger. Sec. 1.4 (B,D).

Summary
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1. (C) The Fiji Government is reviewing its participation in
peacekeeping operations (PKO) globally. Current deployments
include to the MFO in the Sinai, with UNAMI in Iraq, and in
Bosnia and Sudan. Prospectively, Fiji has requests to resume
participation in UNIFIL in Lebanon and to join the Coalition
of the Willing in Iraq. The context for the PKO review
includes past civil-military frictions, casualties among
Fiji-civilian contractors in Iraq, the need to keep
remittances flowing, and, importantly, the good will Fiji
achieves from its proud PKO record. We hear the Fiji Cabinet
will likely approve a modest deployment to UNIFIL shortly.
Prospects for joining the Iraq Coalition are less clear but
we continue to lobby. End summary.

Fiji's respected PKO history: a review
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2. (U) The Government of Fiji has been undertaking a review
of its participation in peacekeeping operations (PKO). Fiji
has been a long and proud contributor: with MFO in the Sinai
for over 20 years; with UNIFIL in Lebanon for over 20 years
before departing when the UN downsized there; as
force-protectors with UNAMI in Iraq; and in such other
locations as Bosnia, East Timor, the Sudan, and with the
RAMSI regional force in the Solomon Islands. In addition,
many Fiji citizens, nearly all of them ex-soldiers from the
Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF),have taken jobs
abroad with private security companies, particularly in
Kuwait and Iraq. Fiji deaths in Iraq, to date, have all been
private-security contractors, and there has been little
public reaction, though PM Qarase did suggest Fijian
civilians should look for safer job opportunities at home.

Civil-military friction has lessened but is a factor
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3. (C) Part of the unstated context during the initiation of
Fiji's PKO review was surely the severe frictions that had
dominated the relationship between RFMF Commander Bainimarama
and the civilian government, including with Home Affairs
Minister Vosanibola and Prime Minister Qarase (ref A). After
May elections vividly illustrated that ethnic-Fijians (the
RFMF's base) strongly supported PM Qarase's party (ref B) and
after Qarase established a functioning multi-party cabinet
(ref C),Bainimarama and his spokesmen toned down their
rhetoric. In June, Bainimarama and Minister Vosanibola held
a reconciliation session to patch over wounds and move
forward (ref D); however, scars remain.

Iraq Coalition of the Willing request: still under review
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4. (C) A topic during the reconciliation session was an RFMF
request dating from January, shortly after Bainimarama
visited his troops with UNAMI in Iraq, for the Fiji
Government to approve participation in the Coalition of the
Willing (ref E). When CENTCOM Commander Abizaid visited Suva
in February, he accented to PM Qarase, Vice President
Madraiwiwi, and Commodore Bainimarama the U.S. interest in
Fiji joining the Coalition (ref F). A few weeks ago, the MFA
CEO indicated to Embassy staff that MFA supports Fiji joining
the Coalition.


5. (C) In an exchange with Foreign Minister Tavola on 8/23,
we received word that Home Affairs still had not approached
the Cabinet with the RFMF's proposal to join the Coalition.
Tavola noted that "a previous Cabinet decision restricts
Fiji's involvement to UN-sponsored operations/initiatives.
Any derogation from that can only be made by Cabinet." He
observed that Home Affairs is the principal interlocutor for

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any such request, which would need to be sanctioned by the
Cabinet Subcommittee on UNAMI. On 8/25 in Nadi, Tavola told
us the Cabinet Subcommittee on UNAMI was meeting that day, in
his absence, and the U.S. Coalition request might come up.
We have a meeting with Home Affairs Minister Vosanibola on
8/30 to continue the dialogue on this issue.

Cabinet to consider UN Lebanon request shortly
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6. (C) A UN request for RFMF participation in the expanded
UNIFIL received Fiji media attention on 8/22. That request
came as no surprise here, given Fiji's past involvement,
including holding the force-commander role just before
UNIFIL's downsizing. Tavola indicated Fiji intends to
provide the UN a responding offer to help, though "the
configuration is still being worked out" and "the offer will
obviously be restricted somewhat due to funding problems."
Tavola expects Fiji's Cabinet to consider the UNIFIL response
at a session this week.

Cabinet's overall review is very broad
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7. (C) Tavola indicated to us that the current Cabinet PKO
review is broad, taking a look at all current and foreseeable
PKO opportunities. The Coalition of the Willing option, he
said, may certainly be part of that overall review. Tavola
noted that the review looks at a variety of possible
personnel: from infantry to "engineers, nurses, security
guards, etc." It will include consideration of Fiji's
desires to improve "labor mobility" and enhance remittances.
During CODEL Hyde's recent visit, Tavola raised Fiji's
interest in regularizing the status of Fiji-citizen
care-givers who are illegally in the U.S. (ref G). Economic
statistics indicate that remittances are already the second
biggest source of GNP for Fiji, behind only tourism.

Comment
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8. (C) Regarding the hot-button PKO topics of Iraq and
Lebanon, we are aware of a Washington interest in "not
robbing Peter to pay Paul," i.e., not having states forsake
the Coalition by shifting PKO resources from Iraq to Lebanon.
We continue to urge Fiji to maintain its UNAMI roles and to
make the decision to deploy forces to the Coalition in Iraq.
If the proposed deployment to Lebanon is a relatively small
contingent, it is possible that Fiji can maintain, even
expand, its Iraq numbers as well. If it comes to a choice
between joining the Coalition in Iraq or joining UNIFIL, it
is very possible that Fiji would opt for Lebanon. Fiji's
civilian leaders are clearly more comfortable in a
blue-helmet role. At the same time, Fiji's military leaders
have been somewhat uncomfortable with the RFMF's limited role
in Iraq: basically standing static guard at UN compounds.
The RFMF would prefer to be in more active roles with the
Coalition in Iraq or, one presumes, with the UN in Lebanon.
DINGER