(C/NF) KUDOS AND FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 029721 NOFORN E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2034 TAGS: PINR ECON MCAP MOPS PGOV PREF PO SUBJECT: (C/NF) KUDOS AND FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS ON PORTUGUESE MILITARY INTERNAL DYNAMICS, DEFENSE POLICY, AND MULTILATERAL COMMITMENTS (C-RE9-00583) REF: A. LISBON 000136 ¶B. LISBON 000100 ¶C. LISBON 002689 Classified By: SUZANNE MCCORMICK, DIR., INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (C/NF) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS APPRECIATE THE RECENT REFTELS ON PORTUGUESE FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY, AND THE EXCELLENT OVERVIEW OF THE MFA, MOD, AND MILITARY. NOTEWORTHY WERE REFERENCES TO THE HISTORICAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES THAT CONTINUE TO INFLUENCE PORTUGUESE FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY, MILITARY THINKING, AND GEOPOLITICAL ORIENTATION. ANALYSTS APPRECIATED THE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW BUDGETARY, BUREAUCRATIC, AND OTHER DOMESTIC PRESSURES IMPACT DECISIONMAKING. ALSO SIGNIFICANT WAS POST'S THOROUGH REPORTING ON PORTUGAL'S FOCUS ON ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY. ¶2. (C/NF) ANALYSTS ARE GRATEFUL FOR POST'S ELABORATION ON HOW THEY HAVE ENGAGED THE PORTUGUESE MILITARY. THEY ALSO APPRECIATE POST'S EXPLORATION OF HOW ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS AFFECT PORTUGUESE FOREIGN POLICY DECISIONS, AS WELL AS DESCRIPTIONS OF HOW POST HAS ENGAGED PORTUGAL ON RUSSIA AND OTHER FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES OF INTEREST TO WASHINGTON. ANALYSTS WOULD APPRECIATE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE BELOW QUESTIONS, AS TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT. THANK YOU, AND REGARDS FROM WASHINGTON. ¶A. (C) HOW DO PORTUGUESE MILITARY OFFICERS VIEW THE INTERNATIONAL EFFORT IN AFGHANISTAN? ¶B. (C) WHAT IS THE WORKING RELATIONSHIP LIKE BETWEEN THE PORTUGUESE MILITARY AND OTHER DOMESTIC SECURITY SERVICES? ¶C. (C) HOW DO ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS AFFECT PORTUGUESE FOREIGN POLICY, PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS? ¶D. (C) HOW DO INDIVIDUAL OFFICIALS INFLUENCE PORTUGUESE DECISIONMAKING IN THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE? ¶E. (C) WHICH OFFICIALS HAVE THE MOST INFLUENCE ON PORTUGUESE DECISIONMAKING IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE AND THE GOVERNMENT AT LARGE? ¶3. (U) PLEASE CITE C-RE9-00583 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON