Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09LISBON137
2009-03-06 13:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Lisbon
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH PORTUGUESE DEFMIN; HELP

Tags:  PREL MARR MOPS PGOV PINR AF PU PO 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHLI #0137/01 0651306
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 061306Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY LISBON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7444
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 0231
RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0081
RUEHVJ/AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO 0024
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFE RAMSTEIN AB GE
RUFGNOA/HQ USAFE VAIHINGEN GE
RUEAHQA/HQ USAF WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 LISBON 000137 

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2018
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS PGOV PINR AF PU PO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH PORTUGUESE DEFMIN; HELP
TO ISAF ON THE WAY

REF: LISBON 136

LISBON 00000137 001.2 OF 003


Classified By: AMBASSADOR STEPHENSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (b, d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 LISBON 000137

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2018
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS PGOV PINR AF PU PO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH PORTUGUESE DEFMIN; HELP
TO ISAF ON THE WAY

REF: LISBON 136

LISBON 00000137 001.2 OF 003


Classified By: AMBASSADOR STEPHENSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (b, d)


1. (C/NF) SUMMARY. Ambassador met March 4 with Portugal's
Minister of Defense to discuss a range of issues. The
Minister said Portugal's second ISAF OMLT will deploy to
Afghanistan before the end of March and the medical unit is
ready to deploy to Kabul Airport but is held up by
administrative issues with the French. Portugal will also
send a C-130 to support Afghan election activities, but that
contribution will be difficult if elections are advanced from
the current August date. The Minister believes that the
runway and airspace training proposals for Lajes Air Base in
the Azores are moving forward and expects the MOD to complete
reviews soon. The Portuguese are monitoring events in
Guinea-Bissau and would welcome assistance from the U.S. in
helping to build institutions there. In the immediate term,
Portugal will look to raise four million euros for the
upcoming elections in Guinea-Bissau. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) On March 4, Ambassador Stephenson met with Portuguese
Minister of Defense Nuno Severiano Teixeira and Secretary of
State for Defense (Deputy Minister) Joao Mira Gomes.

ISAF
--------------

3. (C/NF) DefMin Teixeira confirmed that the second
Portuguese Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT) will
deploy to Afghanistan before the end of March and that it is
not a replacement for the current Portuguese OMLT. Teixeira
added that the 15-person medical team is ready to deploy to
Kabul Airport, but is held up by administrative issues with
the French, who currently lead the ISAF contingent at the
airport. Teixeira and Mira Gomes noted that Portugal is
committed to contribute a C-130 in support of the Afghan
elections, envisioned for August, but if elections are moved
up, it would be difficult to deploy the aircraft.



4. (C/NF) Mira Gomes explained that, from the MOD's
perspective, a deployment of Portugal's National Guard (GNR)
for a Police Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (POMLT)
was unlikely. First, he noted that the GNR is stretched thin
by operations in East Timor and the Balkans -- with the
latter commitment due to expand. Moreover, the GNR's
previous deployment to NTM-I in Iraq occurred when the
then-Prime Minister wanted to get around the then-President's
objections to sending MOD troops to Iraq. This was, Mira
Gomes explained, a unique situation.


5. (C/NF) Teixeira and Mira Gomes took on board our desire
for Portugal to reintroduce combat troops, but suggested that
the redeployment of the Quick Reaction Force (QRF) to ISAF
would be difficult in a Portuguese election year.
Nonetheless, they are standing by for a "formal request,"
suggesting that they could at least do the policy review
before Portugal's autumn elections.

GUINEA-BISSAU
--------------

6. (C/NF) Teixeira said the GOP is monitoring events in
Guinea-Bissau closely and would welcome U.S. support to build
institutions there. In the immediate term, the GOP will look
to all partners to raise four million euros for upcoming
elections. On a broader perspective, Teixeira was interested
in trilateral cooperation possibilities between
Guinea-Bissau, Portugal, and the United States. Mira Gomes
raised the recent U.S. Army demining program in
Guinea-Bissau, in which the Portuguese Army participated.

U.S. AFRICA COMMAND
--------------

7. (C/NF) Mira Gomes said the Portuguese MOD has been
reluctant to approve military-to-military staff talks between
the Africa Command and the Portuguese General Staff, because

LISBON 00000137 002.2 OF 003


the latter is not empowered to commit the GOP to specific
trilateral engagement activities absent a political-level
decision. Mira Gomes was open to the idea of using staff
talks to identify cooperation projects as a first step and
indicated he was ready to receive direct communications from
U.S. Africa Command on its proposal for the staff talks.
Separately, Mira Gomes said an engagement activity involving
Portuguese military serving alongside U.S. contract personnel
was not acceptable to the Portuguese government.

LAJES RUNWAY AND AIRSPACE TRAINING INITIATIVE
--------------

8. (C/NF) Ambassador raised the issue of the runway
resurfacing at Lajes Air Base in the Azores, for which U.S.
cost-sharing proposals have languished with the GOP.
Teixeira and Mira Gomes had no objection, saying they had
thought the project was moving forward. They recognized that
the U.S. Air Force is acting in good faith and expected that
the MOD's Technical Committee staff was completing its review
of the U.S. proposal. Mira Gomes cautioned that the MOD had
no discretionary funds and that Portugal's budget, which
operates on the calendar year, will not be finalized until
after autumn elections. Ambassador stressed the need to move
quickly, both to secure available U.S. funds and to keep
costs from rising if the runway deteriorates further or if
current resurfacing bids expire. Mira Gomes promised to look
into options by which the GOP could make a commitment in
advance of receiving budgetary authority. On the Airspace
Training Initiative proposal, Mira Gomes believed the
Portuguese Air Force review was moving along and a response
would be available soon.

AIR FORCE TO AIR FORCE RELATIONSHIP
--------------

9. (C/NF) Teixeira and Mira Gomes did not seem to be aware
that the Portuguese Air Force Chief-of-Staff is demanding
direct financial compensation from the USAF for joint
training activities. Ambassador said this had led the USAF
to shift three joint training exercises to other countries
and that no further exercises were likely in Portugal while
this policy continued. Mira Gomes promised to investigate.

IMET/SUPT
--------------

10. (C/NF) Teixeira raised the International Military
Education and Training (IMET) program, particularly in regard
to its effect on the Special Undergraduate Pilot Training
(SUPT) that Portugal purchases each year. Ambassador noted
we were pleased that IMET continued, even at a nominal
amount, as this allowed the Portuguese to have discounted
rates on SUPT and other training programs. Mira Gomes was
concerned that the cost to the Portuguese of SUPT had risen
by 3 million dollars this year. (Note: this is true, but it
is an overall rate increase, not specific to Portugal. The
Portuguese Air Force still receives a discounted rate. We
have forwarded this information to Mira Gomes and the
Portuguese Air Force. End note.)

BIO NOTES
--------------

11. (C/NF) Although recognized as a brilliant academic,
Teixeira is widely considered a weak Defense Minister, not
highly respected by the service chiefs, ridiculed by the
press, and with little influence within the GOP. Teixeira
took over the Ministry unexpectedly in 2006, when
then-Foreign Minister Diogo Freitas do Amaral resigned for
health reasons. The sitting Defense Minister, Luis Amado,
then shifted to the MFA and Teixeira was tabbed as his
replacement at the MOD. Teixeira had no prior leadership or
military experience, although he had written extensively on
security issues. Ironically, those writings, which were
critical of the MOD, have caused him difficulties with the
services. Moreover, the Interior Ministry used Teixeira's
arguments to try to justify the National Guard (GNR; which is
under Interior) taking roles and funds from the MOD.

LISBON 00000137 003.2 OF 003


Although this attempt failed, it highlighted Teixeira's
weakness. Teixeira speaks Portuguese, English, French,
Spanish, and Italian fluently.


12. (C/NF) Secretary of State Joao Mira Gomes, however, is a
near opposite of Teixeira. A power in his own right within
the ruling Socialist Party, Mira Gomes is seen as the most
influential figure at the Ministry of Defense. He is a
career diplomat essentially on loan to the MOD, and many
observers consider that he may work as much for Amado as he
does for Teixeira. Mira Gomes has the respect of the service
chiefs, the press, and parliamentarians. He is also one of
the most forthcoming figures within the GOP and is a valuable
interlocutor on a range of security issues. It was
noticeable during this meeting how Teixeira frequently
hesitated while speaking to glance at Mira Gomes, as though
for support. Mira Gomes speaks Portuguese, English, French,
and Spanish fluently.

COMMENT
--------------

13. (C/NF) Due to policy in the MOD (reftel),engagement at
this senior level is sometimes the only way to accomplish
even minor goals. Indeed, even engagement at this level is
sometimes insufficient to overcome the MOD's and services'
inertia. Mira Gomes broadly hinted that high-level attention
from Washington will be necessary to encourage additional
Portuguese ISAF contributions, even if these contributions
have to be announced after the elections.


For more reporting from Embassy Lisbon and information about Portugal,
please see our Intelink site:

http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/portal:port ugal

STEPHENSON