HUNGARY WILL CONTINUE LIMITED SUPPORT TO NATO

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUDAPEST 000697 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/RPM CHRIS DAVY AND EUR/NCE MARC NORDBERG E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2018 TAGS: PREL MARR NATO HU SUBJECT: HUNGARY WILL CONTINUE LIMITED SUPPORT TO NATO TRAINING MISSION-IRAQ REF: SECSTATE 73794 Classified By: A/DCM Eric Gaudiosi, reasons 1.4 (b and d) ¶1. (C) MFA NATO and Security Policy Division Head Peter Sztaray discussed reftel with PolOff on July 11. Sztaray stated that the MFA "wants to maintain a footprint in Iraq" and is in discussion with the MOD to allow three trainers in the NTM-I to remain in place. He noted that, currently, more than 1300 Hungarian military personnel are deployed abroad, well above the 1,000 limit agreed to by the five parties represented in Parliament. While the summer parliamentary recess diminishes the likelihood of political pressure to decrease the deployed number of personnel, Sztaray noted that the increase has budgetary implications for the MOD. That said, he believes an increase in the deployment ceiling is required, with a possible initiative to do so this fall when Parliament reconvenes. ¶2. (C) The Assistant Defense Attache delivered the reftel demarche to the Director of the International Relations Department, General Gyenes, on July 10. Gyenes stated he would forward the information to the office responsible for the subject. PolOff confirmed in a discussion on July 11 with Ferenc Kalmar, Senior Advisor to the MOD'S Policy State Secretary, that Hungary will maintain their three personnel NTM-I rotation even though they are withdrawing their MALT contingent from Iraq in August. ¶3. (C) Currently, according to MFA interlocutors, the Hungarian military has more than 1300 personnel deployed abroad, well above the 1,000 ceiling agreed to by the five parliamentary parties. As the Hungarians increase their presence in Afghanistan, they face the prospect of drawing down forces elsewhere to meet the deployed forces limit. With the summer parliamentary recess there is little focus on the numbers, but a request to increase the ceiling limit will most likely be addressed this fall. Foley