22ND JMC FOCUSES ON COUNTERTERRORISM NEEDS, AFRICOM

S E C R E T TUNIS 000787

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/MAG (MHARRIS AND EHOPKINS)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/18/2017
TAGS: MARR PGOV PREL MASS TS
SUBJECT: 22ND JMC FOCUSES ON COUNTERTERRORISM NEEDS, AFRICOM

REF: A. IIR 6 897 0112 07

B. TUNIS 619

Classified By: AMBASSADOR ROBERT F. GODEC FOR REASONS 1.4 (b) AND (d)

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SUMMARY
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1. (S) During the May 22-23 US-Tunisia Joint Military
Commission meetings in Tunis, participants reiterated the
importance of the two countries' strategic partnership and
strong bilateral mil-to-mil relationship and sought ways to
advance cooperation. The Tunisian co-chair, Minister of
National Defense Kamel Morjane, stressed Tunisia's need for
US assistance to combat transnational terrorism, particularly
following recent terrorist incidents in Tunisia and the
formation of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Morjane said
the Tunisian military needs US support as it expands its
counterterrorism capabilities and increases its border
oversight. US co-chair Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
Theresa Whelan sought Tunisia's views on AFRICOM and
encouraged Tunisia to continue its moderate regional stance.
In a private meeting, Morjane told DASD Whelan that the GOT
is "nervous" about its perception that US-Tunisian military
relations are in decline. He added that the Tunisian
government cannot support US efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
END SUMMARY.

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MILITARY COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS
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2. (C) The 22nd US-Tunisia Joint Military Commission was held
in Tunis on May 22-23 and co-chaired by Minister of National
Defense Kamel Morjane and Deputy Assistant Secretary of
Defense Theresa Whelan. Morjane opened the meetings by
noting that the JMC, following closely on the heels of the
May 4-6 visit of the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff, demonstrates the continued vitality of the US-Tunisian
strategic partnership and joint commitment to peace,
stability, democracy and the global struggle against
terrorism. Morjane said that Tunisia has always stood with
the United States in support of peace and freedom, while
maintaining a policy of moderation in its international
relations. Today, the world faces new challenges, as
traditional threats are replaced by more dangerous threats,
such as terrorism, smuggling and trafficking, that are more
difficult to defeat. Morjane said that terrorism today
threatens the stability of all the countries in North Africa.
He added that Tunisia is prepared to make sacrifices to
defeat terrorism, but that it expects the support of friends
and partners, foremost among them the United States. Morjane
told DASD Whelan that if she left Tunisia with only one idea,
he hoped that it would be that Tunisia is a strong friend
committed to fighting all forms of terrorism.


3. (S) The subsequent threat briefing highlighted increasing
terrorist activity in the region today. Senior Colonel Nouri
Ben Taous noted that terrorism in North Africa is fueled by
religious extremism, regional issues, poverty, exclusion and
ignorance. Beginning in Algeria, terrorism became a regional
phenomenon that now represents a threat to Tunisia's security
and stability. This threat materialized in the December 2006
and January 2007 terrorist plot in Tunisia and an increased
number of terrorist activities along Tunisia's western border
with Algeria (Ref A). Ben Taous said that Tunisian territory
could also be used by those seeking to move weapons,
explosives and recruits from Algeria to Libya. The Tunisian
military uses an integrated counterterrorism approach that
involves all three branches of the Tunisian Armed Forces
(TAF: Army, Navy, and Air Force). Ben Taous said that the
Tunisia Armed Forces undertake considerable efforts given its
available resources, but that the border security system
consumes all available means. After fifteen years of TAF
support for Tunisia's CT efforts, TAF equipment must be
updated to face the new threat.


4. (S) DASD Whelan asked Minister Morjane what the
military's modernization priorities were. Morjane said that
almost 9,000 soldiers currently patrol Tunisia's borders at
any one time, but that, first and foremost, Tunisia needs
additional helicopters to patrol the southern borders.
Morjane said Tunisia had already moved eight armed
helicopters to the south, as this is the sole way to
intervene and control some of the more remote locations.
Secondly, Morjane said Tunisia needs a ground surveillance
radar system that provides better coverage. Third, the
military must improve financial compensation to motivate
staff in remote border areas. Finally, Tunisian Army Special
Forces units must be ready to intervene in CT activities and
needs to update its equipment (NVGs) and training
(particularly for urban combat). The military's CT efforts
complement those of the Ministry of Interior, said Morjane,
but nearly all aviation support is provided by the military.

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AFRICOM
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5. (C) DASD Whelan briefed JMC participants, and Ministry of
Foreign Affairs officials, on the thoughts behind and
strategy for AFRICOM. Explaining that the Command will
utilize an integrated approach that includes USAID and the
State Department, Whelan said AFRICOM will be a 21st century
organization that seeks to prevent problems from escalating
into crises. Morjane and MFA Chief of Staff Hatem Atallah
both thanked Whelan for the additional details about AFRICOM
and were generally optimistic about the new Command. Neither
offered an official GOT response or perspective on AFRICOM's
formation, but both asked a number of additional questions.
Of particular interest was where the Command would be
headquartered in the continent, when AFRICOM would be stood
up, what the Command's relationship with the African Union
would be, and how coordination between North Africa and its
Mediterranean neighbors would be effected under AFRICOM.
Both Morjane and Atallah also sought to better understand how
the various USG agencies involved in the command would
coordinate its activities.

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GOT CONCERNS ABOUT BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP
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6. (S) In a separate personal meeting with DASD Whelan and
the Ambassador, Minister Morjane said the GOT was surprised
by a number of recent developments and requests that seemed
contrary to the excellent relations between the United States
and Tunisia. Morjane specifically mentioned a recent Blue
Lantern post shipment verification check, Leahy vetting
requirements for military training, the lengthy delays in the
shipment of UH-1H helicopters, Link-11 and declines in FY-08
FMF. Morjane told Whelan that this "perception of
difficulties" was creating "nervousness" in the GOT. Tunisia
is "on takeoff," said Morjane, and needs fuel in the form of
US assistance for its counterterrorism efforts. Whelan
clarified that the United States did not intend to
communicate a lack of trust to the GOT and that some of his
concerns were simply administrative issues. She reiterated
that the United States wants to maintain its strong
partnership with Tunisia. Morjane said Tunisia will continue
to look for ways to cooperate with the USG, but added that
the GOT cannot support US efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan,
because "the regime cannot survive" such involvement. He
asked for a "signal" from the United States that it remains
committed to close relations with Tunisia.

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COMMENT
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7. (S) While formal JMC discussions focused on the strong
historical military partnership between the United States and
Tunisia, Morjane clearly conveyed that the GOT is concerned
this relationship is in jeopardy. Tunisia faces a clear and
growing terrorist threat and the military is committed to
counterterrorism cooperation with the United States. We must
look for ways to expand and improve our relationship with the
Tunisian military in order to combat this growing threat in
North Africa. END COMMENT.


8. (U) DASD Whelan has cleared this message.
GODEC