PARAGUAYAN MUNITIONS DESTRUCTION YIELDS EXPLOSIVE

UNCLAS ASUNCION 000726 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR PM/WRA MADAMS AND WHA/BSC MDASCHBACH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM MASS PGOV PA SUBJECT: PARAGUAYAN MUNITIONS DESTRUCTION YIELDS EXPLOSIVE RESULTS REF: A. ASUN 352 ¶B. 07 ASUN 573 ¶1. (SBU) The Paraguayan military destroyed over 75 percent of its total munitions stockpile -- all of it expired -- with PM/WRA assistance in two phases during July and September (ref A). Paraguayan Military Forces Commander General Bernardino Soto thanked the USG for its assistance in destroying unneeded ammunition and ordnance. The Paraguayan military used explosives provided by the U.S. Army Special Forces' Resident Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) Team to assist in destroying 138,700 pounds of munitions, including 13 land mines, 287 bombs, and 19,970 rounds of expired ammunition. Post spent approximately USD 30,000 in PM/WRA funds to purchase supplies, including fuel, to help the Paraguayans complete the destruction. PM/WRA's technical expert, Mark Tobias, advised the Paraguayan military during both destruction phases. ¶2. (U) General Soto requested USG assistance to destroy its expired munitions stockpile after an accidental explosion occurred in January 2007 at the Military War Material Directorate (DIMABEL) munitions storage facility in Piribebuy, Cordillera Department (ref B). Based on findings from DoD's initial site assessment in February 2007, Soto requested USG assistance to destroy Paraguay's expired munitions. Personnel from the DoD's Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) followed up with a detailed site assessment in June 2007, and trained Paraguayan military personnel on munitions storage and handling in September 2007. PM/WRA conducted a follow-up assessment of the military forces munitions stockpile May 9, and determined that the Paraguayan military's expired munitions stockpile had sufficiently deteriorated to warrant destruction assistance. PM/WRA's munitions technical expert, Mark Tobias, conducted a site survey of DIMABEL's facility July 10-17, and oversaw the first phase of munitions destruction. He returned to Paraguay September 6-16 and oversaw the final phase of munitions destruction in a remote area of the Chaco. ¶3. (U) PM/WRA allocated USD 150,000 in August for this munitions destruction project, and directed that the remainder of these funds be used to refurbish DIMABEL's munitions storage facility. PM/WRA notified post that it obligated the remaining USD 120,000 in FY08 funds -- the remaining balance budgeted for this project -- to help the Paraguayan military complete the storage facility upgrade. PM/WRA will employ a contractor to complete the upgrade during FY09. ¶4. (SBU) COMMENT: The weapons destruction mission has been a complete success. Given the threats presented by the poorly warehoused explosives and the timing of the destruction, it demonstrated to the incoming Lugo adminstration just one of the many ways the USG can be of help to both Paraguay's military and civilian communities. Post appreciates the efforts of all involved, at State and DoD both, to make this happen. POC is Embassy Asuncion Political-Military Officer Michael Edwards, telephone: 011-595-21-213-715, e-mail: edwardsmg@state.gov. END COMMENT. Please visit us at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/asuncion Fitzpatrick