PARAGUAY GOING GLOBAL WITH PEACEKEEPING UNIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASUNCION 000470

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/BSC KBEAMER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2033
TAGS: MARR MASS MOPS PGOV PREL PA
SUBJECT: PARAGUAY GOING GLOBAL WITH PEACEKEEPING UNIT

Classified By: A/DCM John Beed for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) The 175-member Paraguayan United Nations Peace
Keeping Operations Multi-Role Engineer Company -- Paraguay's
first unit dedicated to global peacekeeping under its own
command -- celebrated its official dedication June 6. Once
it deploys in the second half of 2008, the unit will join
1,662 Paraguayan peacekeepers who have served since 2001 as
UN observers in over 20 peacekeeping operations in Latin
America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Joint Peace Operations
Training Center Commander Ruben Dario Pena recognized the USG
for its tremendous support for the unit through the Global
Peace Operations Initiative Program. The unit still needs
vehicles, equipment, and additional training before it is
ready to deploy overseas; however, the Office of Defense
Cooperation (ODC) committed USD 2.13 million in GPOI funds to
provide the unit with the financial and technical resources
it needs to achieve this objective. Although now reliant on
USG support, the PKO unit will earn income from the UN once
deployed. The new PKO unit serves a model for
military-to-military cooperation, because it enables the U.S.
and Paraguayan militaries to work closely together to
professionalize Paraguay's military and enhance strategic
capabilities. END SUMMARY.

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PEACEKEEPING UNIT STANDING UP
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2. (SBU) The 175-member Paraguayan United Nations Peace
Keeping Operations Multi-Role Engineer Company (PKO unit) --
Paraguay's first unit dedicated to global peacekeeping under
its own command -- celebrated its official dedication June 6
at the Paraguayan Military Forces' Joint Peace Operations
Training Center (CECOPAZ). The dedication ceremony marked
the end of a three-month intensive PKO training program, and
the start of the unit's final preparations to deploy overseas
for the first time this year. Once the unit completes its
training requirements and fielding of vehicles and equipment,
the Paraguayan government will solicit a mandate from the UN
to participate in a peacekeeping mission. Informal
discussions between the UN and the Paraguayan government
indicate three possible deployments: the UN Stabilization
Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH); the UN Interim Force in Lebanon
(UNFIL); and the UN Assistance Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).


3. (U) Once it deploys in the second half of 2008, the PKO
unit will join 1,662 Paraguayan peacekeepers who have served
since 2001 as UN observers in over 20 peacekeeping operations
in Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Paraguay now has
112 peacekeepers under deployment, including 31 peacekeepers
supporting the Brazilian contingent to MINUSTAH; 15
Paraguayan peacekeepers serving in Cyprus (UNFICYP) under
Argentine authority; one peacekeeper deployed to the UN
Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA); and military observers
serving at all levels with various missions in Africa.

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USG FUNDING KEY TO SUCCESS
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4. (SBU) CECOPAZ Commander Ruben Dario Pena recognized the
USG for its tremendous support for the unit through the
Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) Program. The
Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC) Paraguay secured USD 4.1
million in GPOI funding for Paraguay since August 2006 to
refurbish CECOPAZ' facilities and train and equip the PKO
unit. The unit will be capable of performing small-scale
vertical engineering, well drilling, and water purification
-- skills critically needed by peacekeepers. The
Massachusetts Army National Guard (MANG),which maintains a
close bilateral partnership with the Paraguayan Military
Forces as part of the State Partnership Program (SPP),
provided additional Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEE) to
unit personnel. (NOTE: The Brazilian and Argentine
militaries also work with CECOPAZ and have contributed
equipment and training to support Paraguay's existing
peacekeeping operations. Although the ODC has not
collaborated with the Brazilians or Argentines at CECOPAZ,
their support has been compatible with Post's mission. END
NOTE.)


5. (C) The PKO unit still needs vehicles, equipment, and
additional training before it is ready to deploy overseas.
The ODC committed USD 2.13 million in GPOI funds to provide
the unit with the financial and technical resources it needs
to achieve this objective. CECOPAZ has 11 armored personnel
vehicles and 17 medium-armored vehicles in working condition.
ODC is working to provide the unit with one fuel truck, one
water truck, three heavy-duty and four light-duty trucks, and
one forklift totaling about USD 950,000 in GPOI funds. ODC
will equip the unit with approximately USD 570,000 in unit
field equipment, individual equipment, body armor, and
engineering site equipment. ODC also committed about USD
503,000 in GPOI funding to pay for the renovation of CECOPAZ
buildings, including its headquarters, operations center,
training facility, mess hall, barracks, and maintenance
facility. In addition, ODC committed about USD 57,000 in
GPOI funds to pay for training -- including TDY support --
and about USD 48,000 in GPOI funds to pay for furniture,
office equipment, tools, and supplies. To date, the GPOI
program in Paraguay produced 374 trained personnel (21 direct
trainees and 353 indirect trainees.


6. (SBU) Although now reliant on USG support, the PKO unit
will earn income from the UN once deployed. The unit is the
first of three PKO units the Paraguayan government plans to
establish under the GPOI Program. If successful, the
government will establish by 2010 a residual presence
overseas by simultaneously training, recovering, refitting,
and deploying these PKO units. Post is optimistic that the
new PKO unit will be ready to deploy on its first overseas
mission this year and will be self-sufficient by 2010.

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COMMENT
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7. (C) COMMENT: The new PKO unit serves a model for
military-to-military cooperation, because it enables the U.S.
and Paraguayan militaries to work closely together to
professionalize Paraguay's military and enhance strategic
capabilities. Post will draw on the PKO unit as an example
of successful bilateral cooperation as it engages the Lugo
administration. END COMMENT.

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