Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09RIGA220
2009-04-20 12:17:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Riga
Cable title:
SCENSETTER FOR USTRANSCOM COMMANDER GEN. MCNABB'S
how-toVZCZCXRO4064 OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHRA #0220 1101217 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 201217Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY RIGA TO RHMFISS/CDR USTRANSCOM SCOTT AFB IL IMMEDIATE INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5777 RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIGA 000220
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS MARR AF LG
SUBJECT: SCENSETTER FOR USTRANSCOM COMMANDER GEN. MCNABB'S
VISIT TO RIGA
Classified By: Charge d' Affaires a.i. Bruce Rogers, for Reasons 1.4 (b
) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIGA 000220
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS MARR AF LG
SUBJECT: SCENSETTER FOR USTRANSCOM COMMANDER GEN. MCNABB'S
VISIT TO RIGA
Classified By: Charge d' Affaires a.i. Bruce Rogers, for Reasons 1.4 (b
) and (d)
1. (U) We look forward to welcoming you to Riga. Your visit
provides an opportunity to further demonstrate our commitment
to a strong security relationship with a reliable ally facing
difficult times. We have put together a focused schedule
that includes both senior political leadership as well as
hands on opportunities to inspect Latvia's transportation
infrastructure.
2. (U) Latvia is a friend and ally. Through multiple
deployments in Iraq and, now, in Afghanistan, Latvia has
demonstrated its commitment to our shared values and common
security. Faced with a crippling economic crisis, Latvia has
decided to withdraw from its other security missions (e.g.
the Balkans) and focus solely on Afghanistan. Currently 165
Latvians are deployed in a Provincial Reconstruction Team in
the north; as part of the EU police training mission; and in
a joint US/Latvian unit with soldiers of the Michigan
National Guard, training units of the Afghan National Army.
Always a strong supporter of NATO's mission in Afghanistan,
the Latvian government has been extremely supportive of the
Northern Distribution Network. Latvian political leaders
have pointed to this close cooperation with the United States
as a tangible benefit of membership in the NATO alliance.
3. (U) Latvia is currently in the midst of a significant
financial crisis. Its economy is expected to contract by
10-12% of GDP this year, inflation remains high, and
unemployment is above 10% and climbing. Falling revenues and
the need for a government take-over of the largest Latvian
bank at the end of 2008 forced the Latvian government to turn
to the IMF, EU and regional allies for financial assistance.
Since then the government has trimmed almost a third off the
federal budget and is contemplating additional cuts of up to
40% to government spending. Despite these hardships, the
Latvian government has promised that they will not reduce
their commitment to the mission in Afghanistan.
4. (C) In this light, the GOL has made it clear that it
supports NDN for economic, political and security reasons.
The announcement of the first train load of containers was
front page news at a time when Latvians were eager for any
positive news. The GOL is also greatly interested in
exploring the potential for the local procurement of supplies
in support of the ISAF mission. The Latvians are aware of
Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) surveys in Central Asia and
the Caucuses, and would welcome a similar mission here.
Ideally, our Latvian hosts hope for an announcement by you of
a DLA survey team coming to Riga in the not too distant
future. While we have explained the differences between
TRANSCOM and DLA's missions, you should expect that Latvian
President Zatlers, as well as the Foreign and Defense
Ministers, will raise this issue during your meetings. In
anticipation, the government has met with representatives
from industrial and business associations to collect
information on Latvian companies that would be capable of
supplying the most common items needed in Afghanistan.
ROGERS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS MARR AF LG
SUBJECT: SCENSETTER FOR USTRANSCOM COMMANDER GEN. MCNABB'S
VISIT TO RIGA
Classified By: Charge d' Affaires a.i. Bruce Rogers, for Reasons 1.4 (b
) and (d)
1. (U) We look forward to welcoming you to Riga. Your visit
provides an opportunity to further demonstrate our commitment
to a strong security relationship with a reliable ally facing
difficult times. We have put together a focused schedule
that includes both senior political leadership as well as
hands on opportunities to inspect Latvia's transportation
infrastructure.
2. (U) Latvia is a friend and ally. Through multiple
deployments in Iraq and, now, in Afghanistan, Latvia has
demonstrated its commitment to our shared values and common
security. Faced with a crippling economic crisis, Latvia has
decided to withdraw from its other security missions (e.g.
the Balkans) and focus solely on Afghanistan. Currently 165
Latvians are deployed in a Provincial Reconstruction Team in
the north; as part of the EU police training mission; and in
a joint US/Latvian unit with soldiers of the Michigan
National Guard, training units of the Afghan National Army.
Always a strong supporter of NATO's mission in Afghanistan,
the Latvian government has been extremely supportive of the
Northern Distribution Network. Latvian political leaders
have pointed to this close cooperation with the United States
as a tangible benefit of membership in the NATO alliance.
3. (U) Latvia is currently in the midst of a significant
financial crisis. Its economy is expected to contract by
10-12% of GDP this year, inflation remains high, and
unemployment is above 10% and climbing. Falling revenues and
the need for a government take-over of the largest Latvian
bank at the end of 2008 forced the Latvian government to turn
to the IMF, EU and regional allies for financial assistance.
Since then the government has trimmed almost a third off the
federal budget and is contemplating additional cuts of up to
40% to government spending. Despite these hardships, the
Latvian government has promised that they will not reduce
their commitment to the mission in Afghanistan.
4. (C) In this light, the GOL has made it clear that it
supports NDN for economic, political and security reasons.
The announcement of the first train load of containers was
front page news at a time when Latvians were eager for any
positive news. The GOL is also greatly interested in
exploring the potential for the local procurement of supplies
in support of the ISAF mission. The Latvians are aware of
Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) surveys in Central Asia and
the Caucuses, and would welcome a similar mission here.
Ideally, our Latvian hosts hope for an announcement by you of
a DLA survey team coming to Riga in the not too distant
future. While we have explained the differences between
TRANSCOM and DLA's missions, you should expect that Latvian
President Zatlers, as well as the Foreign and Defense
Ministers, will raise this issue during your meetings. In
anticipation, the government has met with representatives
from industrial and business associations to collect
information on Latvian companies that would be capable of
supplying the most common items needed in Afghanistan.
ROGERS