CANCELLATION OF JOINT COMBINED EXCHANGE TRAINING

UNCLAS ASUNCION 000401 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/BSC KBEAMER, WHA/AND, DRL/BA, AND INR/IAA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM MARR MASS PGOV SOCI PINS SNAR PA SUBJECT: CANCELLATION OF JOINT COMBINED EXCHANGE TRAINING REF: COMSOUTHCOM 0202007ZMAR08 ¶1. (C) Chief of Mission and Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC) Paraguay nonconcur with the Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) mission (reference SPA2008JCET420WH) scheduled for August 10 - September 18, 2008, due to political sensitivities in Paraguay. Paraguayan Armed Forces Commander General Bernardino Soto Estigarribia requested that this JCET be postponed until late 2008 due to the change in Paraguayan presidential administrations scheduled for August 15, 2008. He is supportive of this type of event and wants to continue the close relationship between the U.S. and Paraguayan militaries; however, he does not want to have an additional 12 military personnel in country at that time. ¶2. (U) ODC POC for this nonconcurrence is Major Elliot Harris, ODC Navy Section Chief; tel: COM (301)985-9395 ext 119; DSN 294-9000 then dial 59395, extension 119; cell: 011-595-971-377-311. NIPR e-mail: harrisee@tcsc.southcom.mil; SIPR e-mail: harrisee@tcsc.southcom.smil.mil. SOCFWD Paraguay POC is LTC Michael Ball, SOCFWD Operations Officer; tel: COM 011-595-2121-3715 ext 2046; cell: 011-595-981-300-178. NIPR e-mail: michael.ball@socso.southcom.mil; SIPR e-mail: michael.ball@socso.southcom.smil.mil. Please visit us at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/asuncion Cason