Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LUXEMBOURG494
2007-12-20 15:49:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Luxembourg
Cable title:  

LUXEMBOURG APPROVES COMPREHENSIVE MILITARY REFORM

Tags:  MARR PGOV NATO MOPS PREL EU LU 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO6802
PP RUEHAG RUEHROV
DE RUEHLE #0494/01 3541549
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 201549Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY LUXEMBOURG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6166
INFO RUEHXP/ALL NATO POST COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LUXEMBOURG 000494 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/WE, EUR/RPM
BRUSSELS FOR DAO FAGUNDES AND ODC SALVI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2017
TAGS: MARR PGOV NATO MOPS PREL EU LU
SUBJECT: LUXEMBOURG APPROVES COMPREHENSIVE MILITARY REFORM
PACKAGE

REF: A. 06 LUXEMBOURG 44

B. 06 LUXEMBOURG 347

Classified By: DCM Steven H. Kraft for Reasons 1.4 b & d

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LUXEMBOURG 000494

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/WE, EUR/RPM
BRUSSELS FOR DAO FAGUNDES AND ODC SALVI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2017
TAGS: MARR PGOV NATO MOPS PREL EU LU
SUBJECT: LUXEMBOURG APPROVES COMPREHENSIVE MILITARY REFORM
PACKAGE

REF: A. 06 LUXEMBOURG 44

B. 06 LUXEMBOURG 347

Classified By: DCM Steven H. Kraft for Reasons 1.4 b & d


1. (C) SUMMARY. The Luxembourg Parliament passed a
long-anticipated military reform package on 19 December 2007
without objection. Key provisions include the creation of
"Available Operational Units" (or UDO in French) which are
available for service abroad, expanding the size of the army
by nearly 25%, extending the standard enlistment contract,
and elevating the position of the CHOD to the rank of
general. In parallel, a bill was also passed which
authorized 155 million EUR for the procurement of new army
equipment and increased spending to develop specialized niche
capacities. Of all of these, the creation of the UDOs is the
most significant to our interests as it will allow Luxembourg
greater flexibility to plan for future participation in NATO
and EU operations such as the NRF and EU Battle Groups. END
SUMMARY.


2. (U) On 19 December the Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies
passed a long-awaited comprehensive military reform package
that was more than three years in the making (Refs A & B) by
a unanimous vote, though with 7 abstentions. The bill
creates "Unites de disponibilite operationnelle" (UDO) (or
"Available Operational Units" in English) and all personnel
assigned to UDOs are available for service abroad by virtue
of their contract, another change authorized in this
legislation. In return for their availability for service
abroad, UDO soldiers will receive a bonus of 350 EUR per
month as well as increased preference in post-military
service civil service hiring. In order to man the UDOs the
bill also authorizes an increase in total army end strength
from 1,127 to 1,390. Finally, the bill also elevates the
CHOD to the rank of general vice the current rank of colonel.



3. (U) At the same time a second bill was also approved which
authorized the expenditure of 155 million EUR in defense
spending. 120 million of this was specifically designated
for the purchase of reconnaissance vehicles, 20 million for
tactical vehicles, and 15 million for logistical vehicles.
The bill also authorizes further expenditures in
previously-identified 'niche capacities' which the GOL has
sought to further develop including water purification,
de-mining/EOD, and communications support (Ref B).


4. (U) These changes will give Luxembourg the flexibility to
plan for participation in future NATO and EU missions. To
this point, the Luxembourg Army was unable to exactly
pre-determine how many soldiers would be available for
deployment abroad and thus unable to provide a figure to
political decision-makers for planning participation in
future NATO/EU operations. The creation of the UDOs now
gives the GOL a reliable cadre of professional soldiers whom
it knows it can count upon for future planning
considerations. This is especially important as Luxembourg
has already committed to participating in the French-German
EU Battle Group during the 2nd half of 2008 as well as
committing a reconnaissance platoon to NRF 15 in 2010.


5. (U) The opposition DP (Liberal) and ADR (far Right)
parties voted with the government and were mostly supportive
in their comments. Criticism of the proposed reforms, both
during the public and parliamentary debates, focused almost
exclusively on two issues - the impact of the increase in
military spending on Luxembourg's budget deficit and the
possible creation of a "2-class" army. In their somewhat
negative opinions, both the Council of State (the upper
consultative body of Parliament) and Chamber of Commerce both
raised serious concerns about the budget deficit. For their
part, the Greens and press focused on what the Greens called
the creation of a "2-speed army" where some units had
different contracts, were paid more, were better equipped,
and were afforded better post-military employment
opportunities (the UDOs) than the others. In the end, the
only formally-recorded discontent with the bill was the 7 MPs
from the Greens who abstained from the 19 December vote.


6. (C) COMMENT. These reforms are very a positive
development for Luxembourg in terms of its ability to
participate in NATO and EU missions. Post has been

LUXEMBOURG 00000494 002 OF 002


encouraging the GOL to institute these reforms since they
were first proposed by the then-newly formed government in

2004. The resounding lack of any significant opposition in
the end seems to validate the GOL's relatively slow approach
towards the reform process. Despite the very small size of
its army, Luxembourg has maintained a significant op-tempo in
terms of forces deployed in support of missions including
ISAF, KFOR, the EU missions in Bosnia, Congo, and Chad, and
UNFIL (Lebanon). END COMMENT.
WAGNER