Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08SKOPJE157
2008-02-27 14:10:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Skopje
Cable title:
MACEDONIA COMMITTED SUPPORTING ISAF
how-toVZCZCXRO8664 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHSQ #0157 0581410 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 271410Z FEB 08 ZDK FM AMEMBASSY SKOPJE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7116 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 0219 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC RUESEN/SKOPJE BETA RUEHSQ/USDAO SKOPJE MK RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2205 RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
UNCLAS SKOPJE 000157
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/SCE, EUR/RPM
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: NATO PREL MOPS MARR AF MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA COMMITTED SUPPORTING ISAF
REF: SECSTATE 19516
(SBU) The Government of Macedonia (GOM) is committed to
supporting NATO's ISAF mission in Afghanistan. Macedonia has
pledged to send an Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team
(OMLT) to Afghanistan, and recently doubled its ISAF
deployments to over 130 troops. The Macedonian company
currently providing ISAF HQs protection also includes a UK
platoon under its command, a reflection of the high regard
other Allies have for Macedonian troops and their leaders.
In addition to its increased contributions in Afghanistan,
Macedonia recently doubled its troop commitments to Iraq,
adding another Special Forces platoon to operations there in
response to a direct USG request. These generous commitments
place Macedonia at the upper limit of its current
contributing capacity, although the government is planning to
increase its overseas troop commitments in the future, with a
full battalion prepared for deployment by 2010. As PM
Gruevski recently assured a visiting U.S. House NATO
Parliamentary Delegation visiting Skopje, "Macedonia can be
counted on for current and future missions" such as ISAF in
Afghanistan.
MILOVANOVIC