REDUCING THE SIZE OF MONTENEGRO'S SECURITY FORCES

UNCLAS PODGORICA 000190 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV EAID MASS MCAP ELAB MW SUBJECT: REDUCING THE SIZE OF MONTENEGRO'S SECURITY FORCES REF: JUNE 6 PODGORICA-EUR/SCE (CARLSON-POLETES) E-MAIL SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED ¶1. (SBU) Reducing the size of Montenegro's security establishment (police and soldiers) is needed to achieve more professional, more deployable forces, and is a goal set out in Podgorica's FY 2009 Mission Strategic Plan (MSP). The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has developed a proposal to assist the reintegration of excess police and soldiers into the civilian economy (ref). The proposal, approved by the GoM, envisions a 27-month-long program, budgeted at Euros 2.8 million, to prepare 800 excess personnel to re-enter the labor market (Euros 3,500 per person). ¶2. (SBU) IOM has extensive experience in this field, including a number of projects in the Balkans. As was the case in Serbia, and in Bosnia and Herzegovina, IOM is recommending that the GoM approach NATO to seek NATO Trust Fund financing for the project. Post expects that other donors, primarily the EU, will also provide assistance. ¶3. (SBU) Should the GoM approach NATO to request approval of the reintegration project as part of the NATO Trust Fund, post strongly recommends USG support for its inclusion. The project, under the NATO aegis, would create a transparent, multi-lateral mechanism for Euro-Atlantic funding for the proposal, demonstrate that NATO is a political and not just military actor, and advance progress toward central USG goals in Montenegro. As NATO Trust Fund projects are funded on a voluntary basis, the USG can separate its decision to support IOM's project as a NATO Trust Fund Project from a decision to provide it with USG donations, either bilaterally or through the Trust Fund. FERRILL