Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08PODGORICA180
2008-06-25 12:05:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Podgorica
Cable title:  

MONTENEGRO DESTROYS 1500 MANPADS

Tags:  PTER MASS PREL MW 
pdf how-to read a cable
P R 251205Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY PODGORICA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0848
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
SECDEF WASHDC
INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 
AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 
AMEMBASSY TIRANA 
AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO 
AMEMBASSY PRISTINA 
AMEMBASSY PODGORICA
UNCLAS PODGORICA 000180 


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER MASS PREL MW
SUBJECT: MONTENEGRO DESTROYS 1500 MANPADS

UNCLAS PODGORICA 000180


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER MASS PREL MW
SUBJECT: MONTENEGRO DESTROYS 1500 MANPADS


1. Montenegro completed destruction of 1500 SAM-7 "Strela"
9M32M Man Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS) on June 12.
These systems, which accounted for 86 percent of Montenegro's
total previous inventory of 1750 Strelas, were destroyed in line
with a 2007 bilateral agreement with the U.S.



2. Under the terms of the 2007 agreement, the USG will provide
the GoM with additional demilitarization assistance, including
destruction of obsolete rockets and missiles and more than 2,000
sea mines and torpedoes. In total, Montenegro has more than
9,000 tons of excess weapons and ammunition. Under the
agreement with the U.S., approximately 2,000 tons of this excess
will be demilitarized or eliminated.



3. Local residents and opposition figures have, at various
points, raised concerns and/or roadblocks to the destruction of
the missiles. Most recently, we have heard that local residents
may sue the government for harming the environment in the area
where the Strelas were destroyed.



4. We also learned recently that the Interior Ministry may have
a handful of additional MANPADs in its own inventory. If
confirmed, we will report via septel.

RMOORE