German Out-Of-Area Deployment Update

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BERLIN 000990 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MOPS PREL MARR NATO EUN GM SUBJECT: German Out-Of-Area Deployment Update REF: Berlin 2634 ¶1. (SBU) As of May 13, Germany had 7,438 military personnel (compared to 7,993 on April 10) in out-of-area deployments. All military out-of-area (OOA) deployments, with the exception of observers such as in Georgia (where currently 11 military personnel are deployed under UNOMIG),require parliamentary approval. A law regulates the parliamentary process, allowing expedited procedures only for non-controversial deployments. What follows is a brief run-down on Germany's current OOA deployments. (Note: OOA deployments are defined as deployments outside the territory of the NATO member states. End Note) -------------- - International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) -------------- - ¶2. (SBU) The Bundeswehr has 3,185 military personnel operating in Afghanistan under the UNSC mandate for ISAF. Based on the March 9 Bundestag decision to deploy Tornado reconnaissance aircraft, the ceiling for the deployment was raised from 3,000 to 3,500 personnel. Germany commands ISAF's northern region (RC-North),where it leads two of the five Provincial Reconstruction Teams (Kunduz and Feyzabad) as well as the Forward Support Base in Mazar-E-Sharif. The mandate limits the Bundeswehr's operations to Kabul and RC-North, but Germany can provide assistance outside that sector provided it is of limited time and scope and essential for the mission. For example, in early May, at the request of ISAF, Defense Minister Jung approved the temporary deployment (three to four weeks) of a three-man Pysops team to southern Afghanistan. Meanwhile, the Tornados are allowed to operate throughout Afghanistan. Both ISAF mandates -- the general mandate for the Bundeswehr deployment in ISAF as well as the Tornado deployment -- expire on October 13, 2007. -------------- --- United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) -------------- --- ¶3. (SBU) Germany is the lead for UNIFIL's naval component and has 791 (compared to 853 in April) military personnel deployed. The parliamentary mandate, which has a ceiling of 2,400 personnel, expires on August 31, 2007, at the same time as the UN mandate. -------------- Kosovo Force (KFOR) -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Germany has 2,308 military personnel (compared to 2,832 in April) under the KFOR mandate, which provides for a ceiling of 8,500 total personnel. In March, Germany temporarily deployed 550 reserve forces to Kosovo as part of "Operation Determined Effort," which was intended to demonstrate KFOR's crisis reaction capabilities. That operation has since ended, and the German reserve forces have re-deployed back to home station, accounting for the drop in German numbers since April. The mandate extends automatically unless there is a change to the UNSC Resolution framework for the Kosovo Force. -------------- European Union Force (EUFOR) Bosnia -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Germany currently has 810 soldiers (compared to 822 in April) in Bosnia as part of the EU's Operation ALTHEA. The mandate, amended on December 1, 2006, allows up to 2,400 military personnel. This operation extends automatically unless there is a change to its underlying UNSC resolution. Security conditions permitting, the German government has announced it intends to reduce its military presence in coordination with its allies during 2007. -------------- Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) -------------- ¶6. (SBU) The German Navy has 247 (243 in April) military personnel operating in the Horn of Africa under OEF. The OEF mandate, which provides for a ceiling of 1,800 personnel, also covers the deployment of Special Forces for counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan. There are currently no acknowledged German OEF forces in Afghanistan. The OEF mandate also covers contributions to NATO's Operation Active Endeavor (OAE). The OEF mandate extends through November 15, 2007. -------------- United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Germany currently has 39 military observers (same number as BERLIN 00000990 002 OF 002 in April) in UNMIS, monitoring the implementation of the peace agreement. The parliament imposed a caveat barring military observers from going to Darfur without prior consultation with the Bundestag Foreign Relations Committee's chairman and ranking members. The mandate allows the participation of up to 75 military observers. On March 28, the German cabinet approved to extend the deployment for another six months. The Bundestag approved the extension April 27. -------------- African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) -------------- ¶8. (SBU) The German Air Force provides logistical support for the AU mission in Darfur - primarily airlift into and out of theater for rotating AMIS forces. The mandate allows up to 200 military personnel. There currently are no German soldiers in-theater. The mandate will expire June 2, 2007. -------------- Other minor deployments: -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Two military observers serve in Ethiopia and Eritrea for the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE). One German military observer is seconded to the United Nation Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). The Bundeswehr has seconded 41 military personnel to Strategic Medical Evacuation (STRATAIRMEDEVAC),for which no parliamentary mandate is required, as it is not defined as an armed deployment and the aircraft are on stand-by in Germany. TIMKEN, JR