LATVIA: FEW RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR NATO TRAINING

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIGA 000429 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/RPM (DAVY) E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/22/2018 TAGS: PREL MARR NATO IZ LG SUBJECT: LATVIA: FEW RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR NATO TRAINING MISSION IN IRAQ REF: STATE 73794 Classified By: Tamir Waser, Charge d'Affairs a.i. for Reasons 1.4 (b) a nd (d) (C) Acting Pol/Econ Chief delivered reftel demarche to Kaspars Ozolins, Director of the MFA's Security Policy Division, on July 23. Ozolins stated that the MFA will take note of the needs identified for the NATO training mission in Iraq, but that with Latvia's upcoming OMLT deployment in Afghanistan, there are few additional resources that could be allocated for Iraq. According to him, there is little expectation that additional assistance resources will be available in the budget during the next year, especially in light of existing commitments in the Balkans and Afghanistan. He noted that Latvia's recent assistance in Iraq has mainly been financial, with the GOL authorizing 30,000 LVL (approximately $70,000 USD) in bilateral aid to the Iraqi government and NGOs operating in Iraq, and also in supporting the EU training mission in Iraq. In addition, he described Latvian efforts in Afghanistan related to school and courthouse construction, which he said will cost nearly a half-million Euros. Ozolins reviewed the training requirements list provided in the reftel and noted that Latvia lacks Carabinieri-style police expertise and other military specialists, but that Latvia may be able to provide guest lecturers to the Iraq National Defense University. WASER