Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08SARAJEVO112
2008-01-18 16:50:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Sarajevo
Cable title:
BOSNIA- IRAQ EOD UNIT MANDATE EXTENDED; EXPANDED
how-toVZCZCXYZ0002 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHVJ #0112 0181650 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 181650Z JAN 08 FM AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7672 INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0037 RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0048 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMFISS/COMUSNAVEUR NAPLES IT PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 0201 RUFOAOA/USNIC SARAJEVO PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0086
C O N F I D E N T I A L SARAJEVO 000112
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR (DICARLO),EUR/SCE (HOH, SILBERSTEIN, FOOKS,
STINCHCOMB),EUR/RPM, AND NEA; DEFENSE FOR FATA, CAGAN, AND
BEIN; NSC FOR BRAUN; USNIC FOR WIGHTMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ BK
SUBJECT: BOSNIA- IRAQ EOD UNIT MANDATE EXTENDED; EXPANDED
DEPLOYMENT APPROVED IN PRINCIPLE
REF: A. SARAJEVO 2142
B. ENGLAND-CIKOTIC LETTER
C. MNFI-CIKOTIC LETTER
Classified By: CDA Judith Cefkin for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SARAJEVO 000112
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR (DICARLO),EUR/SCE (HOH, SILBERSTEIN, FOOKS,
STINCHCOMB),EUR/RPM, AND NEA; DEFENSE FOR FATA, CAGAN, AND
BEIN; NSC FOR BRAUN; USNIC FOR WIGHTMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ BK
SUBJECT: BOSNIA- IRAQ EOD UNIT MANDATE EXTENDED; EXPANDED
DEPLOYMENT APPROVED IN PRINCIPLE
REF: A. SARAJEVO 2142
B. ENGLAND-CIKOTIC LETTER
C. MNFI-CIKOTIC LETTER
Classified By: CDA Judith Cefkin for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (SBU) The Presidency voted January 17 to extend the
mandate of Bosnia's Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit in
Iraq through the end of 2008. The EOD extension is pending
parliamentary confirmation by both the House of
Representatives and House of Peoples. Following up on a USG
request first made during the September 2007 visit of DASD
Cagan to Sarajevo (reftels),the Presidency also voted to
approve, in principle, the deployment of an infantry
contingent (either an augmented platoon or a company) for
fixed site security duties in Iraq. The Presidency
instructed Defense Minister Selmo Cikotic to travel to
Baghdad January 28-30 to meet with MNF-I officials and
discuss the size of the unit to be deployed and its location.
Cikotic will then brief the Presidency on the full
parameters of the mission, and a second Presidency vote will
be held to authorize the exact size and scope of the mission.
The Presidency also gave a green light to the Ministry of
Defense proposal to deploy 5-10 staff officers to ISAF in
Afghanistan and 10 observers to UNAMID in Darfur. In a press
conference following the Presidency session, President
Radmanovic said that all the decisions on deployments showed
that the Bosnian leadership understands Bosnia's global
security responsibilities as it moves closer to NATO.
COMMENT: BOSNIA COMMITS TO EXPAND DEPLOYMENT
--------------
2. (C) We are pleased that Bosnia will continue its EOD
mission, and has made a serious commitment to expand the
Bosnian presence in Iraq. In the past several months, we
have engaged in substantial behind-the-scenes diplomacy with
the Presidency and MOD stressing the importance of Bosnia's
expanded Iraq deployment, and brokering the necessary level
of political support to see its realization. President
Komsic, Defense Minister Cikotic, and advisors to Presidents
Silajdzic and Radmanovic tell us that the Presidency fully
supports the mission and will authorize the deployment after
Minister Cikotic delivers his report upon his return from
Iraq. The Minister's visit to Iraq presents an opportunity
for MNF-I officials to encourage Bosnia to deploy as large a
force as possible, ideally a full company, but it will be
critical that a positive decision be followed by fulfillment
of the USG commitment to train and equip this new unit
through coalition funding. End Comment.
CEFKIN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR (DICARLO),EUR/SCE (HOH, SILBERSTEIN, FOOKS,
STINCHCOMB),EUR/RPM, AND NEA; DEFENSE FOR FATA, CAGAN, AND
BEIN; NSC FOR BRAUN; USNIC FOR WIGHTMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ BK
SUBJECT: BOSNIA- IRAQ EOD UNIT MANDATE EXTENDED; EXPANDED
DEPLOYMENT APPROVED IN PRINCIPLE
REF: A. SARAJEVO 2142
B. ENGLAND-CIKOTIC LETTER
C. MNFI-CIKOTIC LETTER
Classified By: CDA Judith Cefkin for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (SBU) The Presidency voted January 17 to extend the
mandate of Bosnia's Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit in
Iraq through the end of 2008. The EOD extension is pending
parliamentary confirmation by both the House of
Representatives and House of Peoples. Following up on a USG
request first made during the September 2007 visit of DASD
Cagan to Sarajevo (reftels),the Presidency also voted to
approve, in principle, the deployment of an infantry
contingent (either an augmented platoon or a company) for
fixed site security duties in Iraq. The Presidency
instructed Defense Minister Selmo Cikotic to travel to
Baghdad January 28-30 to meet with MNF-I officials and
discuss the size of the unit to be deployed and its location.
Cikotic will then brief the Presidency on the full
parameters of the mission, and a second Presidency vote will
be held to authorize the exact size and scope of the mission.
The Presidency also gave a green light to the Ministry of
Defense proposal to deploy 5-10 staff officers to ISAF in
Afghanistan and 10 observers to UNAMID in Darfur. In a press
conference following the Presidency session, President
Radmanovic said that all the decisions on deployments showed
that the Bosnian leadership understands Bosnia's global
security responsibilities as it moves closer to NATO.
COMMENT: BOSNIA COMMITS TO EXPAND DEPLOYMENT
--------------
2. (C) We are pleased that Bosnia will continue its EOD
mission, and has made a serious commitment to expand the
Bosnian presence in Iraq. In the past several months, we
have engaged in substantial behind-the-scenes diplomacy with
the Presidency and MOD stressing the importance of Bosnia's
expanded Iraq deployment, and brokering the necessary level
of political support to see its realization. President
Komsic, Defense Minister Cikotic, and advisors to Presidents
Silajdzic and Radmanovic tell us that the Presidency fully
supports the mission and will authorize the deployment after
Minister Cikotic delivers his report upon his return from
Iraq. The Minister's visit to Iraq presents an opportunity
for MNF-I officials to encourage Bosnia to deploy as large a
force as possible, ideally a full company, but it will be
critical that a positive decision be followed by fulfillment
of the USG commitment to train and equip this new unit
through coalition funding. End Comment.
CEFKIN