FIJI AND TONGA: PROSPECTS FOR IRAQ PKO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SUVA 000389

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2016
TAGS: MARR MCAP KPKO PREL UN IR LE FJ TN
SUBJECT: FIJI AND TONGA: PROSPECTS FOR IRAQ PKO

REF: A. SUVA 370


B. SUVA352 (AND PREVIOUS)

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

Summary
--------------

1. (C) Fiji's Cabinet subcommittee has postponed considering
PKO issues until Home Affairs Minister Vosanibola returns
from a trip to New York and the Middle East. Vosanibola has
bones to pick with the UN about UNAMI and UNIFIL issues. He
is open to considering Fiji participation in the Coalition in
Iraq (MNFI),and his visit to Baghdad will be an opportunity.
Regarding Tonga: with the death and burial of the King, the
issue of an additional deployment to Iraq can now receive
Defense Board attention. A meeting is predicted for Sept.

29. PM Sevele asked us for further sweeteners ("insurance"
for Tonga troops; a more convenient U.S. visa process). On
this security issue, we expect the key player is the new
King, and he is known to be "pro-military." End Summary.

Fiji Cabinet subcommittee meeting postponed
--------------

2. (C) Fiji Home Affairs Minister Vosanibola has postponed
Cabinet subcommittee consideration of PKO issues until after
his trip to New York, the Sinai, Iraq, and Sudan, scheduled
to commence Sept. 23 and conclude Oct. 12. Another factor is
that the senior Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs officials
who recently traveled to the Middle East to evaluate Fiji's
PKO participation have not yet submitted their report. (See
reftels.) Vosanibola wants to have that report plus his own
on-scene observations before convening the Cabinet
subcommittee.

Unhappiness about UNAMI and UNIFIL approaches
--------------

3. (C) Vosanibola told us Sept. 22 that a primary focus of
his trip is to discuss Fiji's UN deployments with officials
in New York. Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF)
Commander Bainimarama will accompany Vosanibola for that leg
of the trip. Vosanibola said he is "not satisfied" with
aspects of the UN-Fiji MOU covering UNAMI participation. He
did not elaborate, but we hear a major issue is the package
of benefits, which Fiji considers inadequate for the dangers
inherent in the Iraq deployment. Reportedly, Fiji might pull
out of UNAMI if its concerns are not addressed. Vosanibola
said he also will raise Lebanon. Given Fiji's 24 years of
participation in UNIFIL prior to 2002, including at top
leadership levels, Vosanibola gave the impression Fiji has
been rather insulted by the sorts of roles the UN has offered
the RFMF in Lebanon now: basically low-level guard duties.
Fiji is prepared to consider returning to UNIFIL; but we hear
both military and civilian leaders are thinking staff
positions, including at senior levels, rather than troops on
the streets.

Openness to considering MNFI
--------------

4. (C) Vosanibola told us he would be happy to meet with U.S.
officials during his visit to Iraq to discuss possible RFMF
participation in the MNFI. Fiji has requested meetings for
Vosanibola with the U.S., UK, and Australian Ambassadors; and
if Gen. Casey or his designee could be available to discuss
MNFI participation, Vosanibola said he would gladly listen.
He has heard that the RFMF commander and forces with UNAMI
have built good relationships with U.S. senior officers,
which he much appreciates. We noted that, at Home Affairs
request, we have provided informal guidance on what sorts of
assistance Fiji could expect from the U.S. to support an RFMF
deployment to the MNFI.

Tonga PM still dickering re Iraq deployment
--------------

5. (C) After the funeral for Tonga's King, the Ambassador met
with Tongan Prime Minister Sevele on Sept. 21. Sevele noted
that he is aware of the advantages to Tonga and to the Tonga
Defense Service (TDS) of an additional deployment of troops
to the MNFI. He added that he looks at "the political side"
as well. He would like to see a couple of additional
sweeteners from the USG. Tonga provides a payment of
T$15,000 to the family of a TDS soldier who dies. Sevele
believes that, given the risks in Iraq, the U.S. should
"insure" to supplement that amount for any TDS troops

SUVA 00000389 002 OF 002


deployed to the MNFI. He noted that the Commander, TDS, BG
Uta'atu, had informed him such insurance is probably not
possible. Sevele also asked for the USG to reconsider its
visa-interview policy that currently forces Tonga applicants
to travel to Embassy Suva for an interview. He noted,
rightly, that the policy is very inconvenient and expensive.
We reiterated past explanations that U.S. law and regulation
force the inconvenience and that the State Department is
looking for ways to ease the pain; however, for now at least,
we have no options. We emphasized the gratitude of the U.S.
for Tonga PKO deployments, as illustrated by the attendance
of Commander, U.S. Army Pacific, LTGEN Brown at the King's
funeral, the highest ranking military officer present.

Tonga Defense Board 9/29? Pro-military King
--------------

6. (C) With the death of the late King and his burial, the
Tonga Defense Board is now expected to meet on Sept. 29 to
consider the MNFI-deployment issue. Both Sevele and Foreign
Minister Tua declined to predict the Defense Board's
decision, not wanting to preempt the King's options.
However, another senior official involved in the process
noted that the new King "loves" the military and is likely to
steer the Defense Board toward a positive decision. BG
Uta'atu told us he has primed the key players, including
Sevele.

Comment
--------------

7. (C) Per ref A, Fiji Home Affairs State Minister Konrote
and CEO Korovavala have told us they are on board for the
RFMF to join the MNFI. Vosanibola continues to hold his
cards close to the chest, but his visit to Baghdad is
certainly an opportunity. To the extent the U.S. wants Fiji
participation in UNAMI and UNIFIL as well, Vosanibola's
discussions in New York will color his vision of those
endeavors. With Tonga, we are in "wait and see" mode,
pending the Defense Board's meeting. If Washington has
something to offer regarding PM Sevele's query about
"insurance" for TDS soldiers deployed to Iraq, please advise.
We did not encourage the PM on that, or on the
visa-processing issue. Our guess is that Sevele is seeing if
perhaps he can wrangle a further pot-sweetener or two before
the Defense Board decides the issue.
DINGER