SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES REPORT-ODC ARMENIA-MARCH 2008

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000313 SIPDIS SIPDIS SECSTATE FOR PM AND ISP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MCAP KCFE XG AM SUBJECT: SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES REPORT-ODC ARMENIA-MARCH 2008 ¶1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) training begins; FY09 SA Planning Coordination meeting conducted by ODC; SASWG conducted by EUCOM in Ramstein. ¶2. SIGNIFICANT EVENTS ¶A. On 24 Mar 08, ten Kansas National Guard instructors and two representatives from EUCOM's Humanitarian Mine Action program began sustainment training with personnel from the Armenian Humanitarian Demining Center (AHDC). Training will continue until 8 Apr 08. Funding for the Guardsmen and for some of the equipment purchased to support the training event in Armenia was provided by EUCOM's HMA program. This HMA training follows and supports the FMF delivery of new mine detection sets and protective equipment that was provided to the AHDC in Jan 08. The AHDC, which is a military facility whose personnel are operationally controlled during OIF deployments by the Armenian Peacekeeping Brigade, primarily provides demining personnel for humanitarian demining missions in Armenia. Training of the unit supports NATO IPAP goal 2.3.2: Establish a Peacekeeping Brigade. ¶B. ODC Armenia conducted its Security Assistance Planning Conference from 31 Mar - 1 Apr 08. This conference, which is run by the ODC, but attended by representatives from OSD-ISP, ECJ5-BE, ECJ4-ID, SAF-IA, DSCA, USASAC, USAFE, KSNG, and CCMR finalizes the specific assistance and events that will be conducted in FY09 and which are funded by the US security assistance program in Armenia. Additionally all SA programs, to include FMF, IMET, JCTP, SPP, CTFP, HMA, etc, had their current FY08 status and activities reviewed and adjusted, if need be, to reflect funding fluctuations. ¶C. The U.S. European Command conducted the Strategy for Active Security Working Group (SASWG) conference 10-14 Mar 08 in Ramstein, Germany. At the conference the concepts for the Armenian Country Campaign Plan were finalized and presented to the EUCOM components and supporting agencies. The identified goals and tasks were further incorporated into the Armenia Country Campaign Plan during the ODC's Security Assistance Planning conference held two weeks later on 31 Mar- 2 Apr 08. ¶D. STATUS OF FOREIGN MILITARY FINANCING (FMF): ¶1. On 29 Mar 08, the ODC received a large shipment of military equipment associated with the FMF cases AM-B-BAA and AM-B-BAA A1. This equipment for the 1st and 2nd Peacekeeping Battalions largely consisted of chemical protection equipment, field cots, battalion staff planning equipment, boots and helmets. Two follow-on shipments are expected to arrive in early Apr 08 and will complete equipment deliveries for the 1st PK Bn and initiate equipment deliveries for the 2nd PK Bn. The FMF deliveries support IPAP Goal 2.3.2; Establish a Peacekeeping Brigade. ¶2. Including the FY08 FMF allocation of approximately $3.0M to be provided in the coming months, the total FMF funds remaining after obligations are only $1.5M. In meetings with OSD, DSCA and EUCOM, a plan was developed to expend the remaining FY08 FMF on a Harris Radio Maintenance facility, EDA trucks for the PK forces, and additional training for personnel from the Armenian Humanitarian Demining Center. Assuming the current political situation in Armenia does not further deteriorate, LORs for these acquisitions can be expected in the coming weeks. ¶E. Joint Contact Team Program (JCTP). No JCTP events were scheduled or conducted during the month of March. ¶F. State Partnership Program (SPP). One SPP event, "Nursing TCT," was postponed due to the local riots and violence that occurred on 1 Mar 08 in Yerevan. The event was rescheduled for Jul 08 and will familiarize the Armenian Medical Department and EMEDS personnel with the duties, responsibilities, and education of various US Army nursing positions. ¶G. Defense Institution Building (DIB). The Strategic Defense Review (SDR) workshop to assist the ARM MOD with developing its SDR Team was postponed from 3-7 Mar, until Jul 08 due to the local riots and violence that occurred on 1 Mar 08 in Yerevan. All other SDR related events tied to this initial SDR event will be rescheduled in relation to this initial SDR event. ¶H. Humanitarian Assistance (HA). ¶1. The project initiation meeting for the HA water project was conducted on 2 April by a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CoE) representative from Tbilisi, and the CARD office in Yerevan. The CoE will oversee the project through its completion. The stand-alone HA event will reconstruct existing water wells in three rural villages in Armenia where the current water system has deteriorated to a degree that potable water is seldom available. ¶2. The ODC submitted three Excess Property requests that are now funded and currently being processed and shipped by EUCOM-J4-ID-HA. One request is to supply furniture and school equipment to two affiliated orphanages for disabled children. The second request is to supply the same items for a boarding school for children with disabilities. A third EP project for fire fighting equipment to support the Armenian Rescue Service (ARS) is currently being coordinated by the BAO and EUCOM-J4-ID-HA. ¶H. International Military Education and Training (IMET): English Language testing and number of IMET students in US. ¶1. Training Snapshot Students at DLI: 12 Students at Specialty Training: 6 E-IMET: 0 ¶2. English Comprehension Level (ECL) Testing Students tested in March: 6 ¶3. PERSONNEL/RESOURCES/LOGISTICS ¶A. GAINS: None. ¶B. LOSSES: None ¶C. ATTACHED PERSONNEL (TDY): None. ¶D. APPROVED LEAVES NEXT 30 DAYS: None ¶E. TDY NEXT 30 DAYS: LTC Peterson : OSD Policy and Strategy Conference in Wash DC, 28 Apr - 3 May ¶F. RATING SCHEME CHANGES: None ¶G. EXTENSIONS/CURTAILMENTS: None. ¶5. ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES: ¶A. EFFICIENCY REPORT SUSPENSES: ODC Chief's final OER due with departure of Maj Gen Remkes ¶B. AWARD SUSPENSES: None ¶C. PERSONNEL ACTIONS: None ¶6. ODC CHIEF'S COMMENTS: The State of Emergency (SoE) that was imposed by the Armenian government on 1 Mar 08 in response to post-presidential election clashes between protesters and security services that left eight dead was lifted on 20 Mar 08. During the SoE all EUCOM military-military activities (with the exception of humanitarian mine action) were postponed as directed by OSD. With the SoE now lifted, the US Charge d'Affaires in Armenia supports postponing most mil-mil events until Jul 08 in order to observe the policy direction of the new Armenian government. FMF funded medical training events in May are preferred to not be affected by these postponements, but most JCTP and all Defense Institution Building events will be. The Embassy preference is for a measured reduction of events versus a complete postponement of all events. OSD-ISA is in general agreement and weighing in on specific events. A final approach for the coming months should be agreed upon in the coming days. The local situation in the coming weeks will further aid in determining the rapidity of resuming the full ODC mil-mil schedule in Armenia. The Armenian Presidential Inauguration on 9 Apr 08 may be a good measure of Armenian public opinion in this regard. ¶7. POC for this message is LTC Doug Peterson. 37410-49-46-65 37410-46-47-36(fax) petersond@state.gov