VCJCS MAY 5 MEETING WITH FM ABDALLAH

C O N F I D E N T I A L TUNIS 000573 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/MAG (MHARRIS AND EHOPKINS) USEUCOM FOR J5 DOD FOR USDP ADMIN/ISA/NESA// E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2017 TAGS: MARR MASS MOPS PGOV TS SUBJECT: VCJCS MAY 5 MEETING WITH FM ABDALLAH CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR ROBERT F. GODEC FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. DURING HIS MAY 4-6 VISIT TO TUNISIA, VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF ADMIRAL EDMUND GIAMBASTIANI MET WITH FOREIGN MINISTER ABDELWAHEB ABDALLAH ON MAY 5 TO DISCUSS BILATERAL MILITARY AND COUNTERTERRORISM COOPERATION. ABDALLAH SAID THAT, THANKS TO WISE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL POLICIES, THE GOT IS IN FULL CONTROL OF THE DOMESTIC SITUATION. HOWEVER, ABDALLAH SAID THAT TUNISIA IS CONCERNED ABOUT EXTERNAL TERRORIST THREATS. ADM GIAMBASTIANI TOLD THE FM THAT COOPERATION ON THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM IS EXCEPTIONALLY IMPORTANT AND SAID THAT THE USG LOOKS FORWARD TO CONTINUED DIALOGUE ON COUNTERTERRORISM ISSUES. ADM GIAMBASTIANI SAID THAT THE USG WANTS TO CONTINUE THE STRONG BILATERAL MILITARY ENGAGEMENT, INCLUDING FINALIZING A STATUS OF FORCES AGREEMENT. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) PARTICIPANTS: U.S. -------------- ADMIRAL EDMUND GIAMBASTIANI, VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF AMBASSADOR ROBERT F. GODEC COL RONALD TUGGLE, J5 COL ROBERT NOLAN, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT MARK GORENFLO, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS SUSANNAH COOPER, EMBASSY NOTETAKER TUNISIA -------------- FOREIGN MINISTER ABDELWAHEB ABDALLAH HATEM ATALLAH, CHIEF OF STAFF MOHAMED SALEH TEKAYA, OFFICE OF THE MINISTER SAIDA CHTIOUI, SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE AMERICAS AND ASIA MHAMED CHELAIFA, DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR THE AMERICAS AND ASIA HOLLA BACHTOBJI, DIRECTOR FOR THE AMERICAS MOHAMED KANTARA, DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION ¶3. (C) FOREIGN MINISTER ABDELWAHEB ABDALLAH BEGAN THE MEETING BY TELLING VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF ADMIRAL GIAMBASTIANI THAT TUNISIA CONSIDERS ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES ONE OF "STRATEGIC COOPERATION". ABDALLAH SAID THAT THE GOT INSISTS ON MAINTAINING THE DOMESTIC STABILITY IT HAS ACHIEVED THROUGH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT, EDUCATION AND DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS. THE FOREIGN MINISTER SAID THAT DUE TO SIGNIFICANT GOT INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT, TUNISIA'S MILITARY BUDGET REMAINS MODEST. TUNISIA IS NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE SECURITY SITUATION, SAID ABDALLAH, BUT IT DOES FACE THREATS FROM OUTSIDE ITS BORDERS, PARTICULARLY TO THE SOUTH AND WEST. ABDALLAH OPINED THAT THE UNITED STATES AND TUNISIA ENJOY EXCELLENT COOPERATION ON COUNTERTERRORISM ISSUES, BUT THAT THERE CAN BE FURTHER IMPROVEMENT. ¶4. (C) ADM GIAMBASTIANI TOLD THE FM THAT HIS VISIT DEMONSTRATED THE IMPORTANCE THE USG ATTACHES TO US-TUNISIAN MILITARY COOPERATION. HE STRESSED THAT CONTINUED COOPERATION ON THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM AND INFORMATION EXCHANGE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. ADM GIAMBASTIANI COMPLIMENTED THE GOT'S DISRUPTION OF A TERRORIST CELL IN DECEMBER 2006 AND JANUARY 2007 AND SAID THE USG LOOKS FORWARD TO CONTINUED COUNTERTERRORISM COOPERATION. RECOGNIZING GOT DISAPPOINTMENT OVER DECREASING FMF FUNDING IN FY08, ADM GIAMBASTIANI SAID THAT HE HOPES TO FIND A WAY TO CONTINUE USG SUPPORT FOR THE TUNISIAN MILITARY. THE ADMIRAL ASKED FOR THE MINISTER'S ATTENTION TO THE GOT'S REVIEW OF THE PROPOSED STATUS OF FORCES AGREEMENT (SOFA),WHICH WOULD BE A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION AT THE UPCOMING JOINT MILITARY COMMISSION. ABDALLAH SAID THAT THE GOT IS IN THE PROCESS OF FINALIZING THE SOFA. ¶5. (C) ABDALLAH CLOSED THE MEETING BY SAYING HE HOPED TO SEE ADM GIAMBASTIANI DURING HIS UPCOMING VISIT TO WASHINGTON IN JUNE. HE ADDED THAT HE WAS PLEASED TO RECEIVE FORMER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE RUMSFELD IN TUNIS IN FEBRUARY 2006 AND SIPDIS HAD PREVIOUSLY MET WITH DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ENGLAND. ADM GIAMBASTIANI SAID HE HOPED THAT THE FOREIGN MINISTER WOULD ALSO MEET WITH SECRETARY GATES. ¶6. (U) THE VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF CLEARED THIS MESSAGE. GODEC