EMBASSY BOGOTA RESPONSE: ASSISTING AFGHANISTAN

S E C R E T BOGOTA 002399 SIPDIS S/SRAP KAREN HANRAHAN, SCA/A ARIELLA VIEHE, AND EUR/RPM AARON COPE E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/29/2019 TAGS: NATO PREL MOPS MARR AF CO SUBJECT: EMBASSY BOGOTA RESPONSE: ASSISTING AFGHANISTAN REF: SECSTATE 74362 Classified By: Brian A. Nichols for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) Post delivered all points in reftel on July 21 to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director for U.S. and Canadian Affairs Adriana Maldonado. She informed us that the Government of Colombia (GOC) already plans to support U.S. efforts in Afghanistan. In support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the GOC is currently planning to bilaterally deploy a 38 man special operations element in Afghanistan under U.S. sponsorship with a potential for expansion to 72 personnel. Colombian Special Forces are projected to arrive in Afghanistan by October 2009; the GOC is simply awaiting an official invitation from the U.S. Secretary of Defense. The GOC is also planning on deploying two engineer platoons (approximately 85 personnel) to Afghanistan as part of a Spanish-led NATO contingent in March 2010. Nichols