UNMEE "REGROUPING"

UNCLAS ASMARA 000086 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPKO PBTS MOPS PREL ER SUBJECT: UNMEE "REGROUPING" ¶1. (SBU) UNMEE Force Commander General Taisir told the ambassador February 20 that the movement to consolidate UNMEE forces in Asmara and Assab was underway and was generally "OK, except in some areas." ¶2. (SBU) He said 200 of the 500 Jordanians were back in Asmara and he expected the other 300 to arrive in a day or two. The Jordanians' tracked APCs (M-113s) require transport by low-bed trailers; eight have made it to Asmara, as have ten shipping containers full of ammunition and other sensitive equipment. The Indians have mostly wheeled APCs, the general continued, and are moving from Central Sector back toward Asmara slowly and in good order. ¶3. (SBU) Two problem areas were highlighted by General Taisir. Four Jordanian M-113 APCs located near the Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia tri-border junction have been loaded for three days but have not been allowed by the local Eritrean commander to depart for Asmara. Likewise, a local commander in the far southeastern panhandle has not granted a 136-strong Indian company permission to transit to Assab. Taisir said he didn't know if these two incidents arose because local commanders just didn't get the word, or if the units were being detained because of their particularly sensitive locations. In general, the UNMEE Force Commander, who has been extremely concerned about the safety and well-being of his troops, seemed cautiously optimistic about this regrouping operation. MCMULLEN