BOSNIA- SCENESETTER FOR MINISTER CIKOTIC'S JANUARY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SARAJEVO 000128 SIPDIS SIPDIS BAGHDAD FOR GENERAL PETRAEUS DEPT FOR EUR (DICARLO),EUR/SCE (HOH, SILBERSTEIN, FOOKS, STINCHCOMB),EUR/RPM, NEA DEFENSE FOR FATA, CAGAN, BEIN NSC FOR BRAUN E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR IZ BK SUBJECT: BOSNIA- SCENESETTER FOR MINISTER CIKOTIC'S JANUARY 28-30 VISIT TO IRAQ REF: A. SARAJEVO 112 ¶B. 07 SARAJEVO 2142 ¶C. SARAJEVO 120 Classified By: Ambassador Charles English for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. Minister Cikotic will lead a high-level delegation from the Bosnian Armed Forces and Parliament to visit Bosnia's Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit and consult with senior MNF-I commanders in Iraq January 28-30. Bosnia's nearly three year deployment of its EOD unit continues to serve as an important demonstration that the country has moved from being a consumer of international security to a partner in these types of missions. The Bosnian Presidency recently approved in principle the expansion of Bosnia's mission in Iraq to include the deployment of a platoon plus to company size unit for fixed site security activities. The Presidency directed Cikotic to engage with MNF-I commanders on the proposed scope of this mission, and the Minister will want to discuss the likely locations and parameters of this deployment. Cikotic plans to move quickly to secure final Presidency approval for his deployment after his return from Iraq. In this context, Cikotic can be encouraged to support the deployment of the larger force option, the company, which would have the added benefit of supporting the ethnic integration of the Bosnian Armed Forces. End Summary. BOSNIA'S EOD UNIT: THREE YEARS IN IRAQ -------------- ¶2. (C) Bosnia's EOD unit has served with coalition forces in Iraq since 2005. It was the first overseas deployment of the newly unified Bosnian Armed Forces (AFBiH),and remains its most significant contribution to international security missions. The unit is multi-ethnic, and has served as a positive model for the future of the AFBiH-- a small, niche capable, NATO inter-operable and completely integrated force focused on providing support for international missions. Political support for the EOD deployment has solidified, particularly after all three members of the Presidency visited the troops in May 2007, and we expect authorization for its continued deployment to remain routine. The Presidency recently extended the EOD unit's mandate through the end of 2008, and the decision is currently awaiting parliamentary confirmation. ALMOST THERE ON AUGMENTED DEPLOYMENT -------------- ¶3. (C) Following up on a request from the USG first raised by DASD Cagan in September 2007, the Presidency on January 17 approved in principle the deployment of an infantry platoon-plus or company for fixed-site security duties in Iraq (ref A). The Presidency directed Minister Cikotic to use his trip to Iraq to engage MNF-I commanders on the proposed scope and location of the mission. Cikotic, who strongly supports the proposed mission, will report his findings to the Presidency and seek final approval for the deployment upon his return to Sarajevo. Senior advisors to all three Presidents have told us that final approval is not in question, and that the Presidency is committed to the mission. President Zeljko Komsic confided to us that the Presidency would like the political cover of Cikotic personally vouching for the mission after visiting Iraq, and pledged that the Presidency would take up the matter immediately upon the Minister's return. We have been working closely with Bosnia's Liaison Officer to MNF-I to prepare the information requested by the Presidency, and Cikotic has told us that he will seek only further explanation from MNF-I as to the geographic location of the proposed mission. PUSHING THE COMPANY -------------- ¶4. (C) The Presidency's delay in issuing final approval for the deployment presents the opportunity to push the larger force option, the company. In addition to providing a larger contribution to coalition efforts in Iraq, we believe that there exists ancillary benefit to USG interests for encouraging such a larger deployment. Bosnia's infantry is divided into mono-ethnic units-- nine single ethnicity (Bosniak, Serb, and Croat) battalions. We recognize that to ensure the long-term stabilization of the security sector here, it is important that all AFBiH units should be integrated. We have pressed, and the MOD and Presidency agree, that any contingent deployed overseas must be multi-ethnic. As such, these deployments serve as a back-door way in which to integrate the infantry units, a process for which no other plans exist at present. Deploying a company to Iraq would require the training of two additional companies (one in reserve, one in preparation for deployment for the next rotation),in effect integrated an entire infantry battalion of the AFBiH. While we are not entirely aware of MNF-I's requirements for the Bosnian deployment, we encourage MNF-I commanders to encourage Cikotic to seek the deployment of a company if that meets coalition needs. SECURING TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT -------------- ¶5. (C) Previous Washington visitors have told the Bosnians that the USG will provide full assistance in terms of training and equipping the augmented deployment (ref B). The Presidency and Minister Cikotic have moved this deployment forward with the clear expectation that these assurances will be realized. Post does not possess the resources from our limited security assistance budget to provide the level of support required to train and equip the Bosnian unit. Though Cikotic and our other interlocutors have not voiced concerns to us, they would find it helpful to hear assurances from MNF-I that the promised assistance will be provided once the deployment is approved. ENGLISH