U.S. - TUNISIA SECURITY DIALOGUE

C O N F I D E N T I A L TUNIS 000822 SIPDIS FOR PM, NEA/RA, AND NEA/MAG E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/09/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS TS SUBJECT: U.S. - TUNISIA SECURITY DIALOGUE REF: STATE 112900 Classified by Ambassador Gordon Gray for reasons 1.4 (b)and (d). ¶1. (SBU) U.S.-Tunisia bilateral security ties are governed by two regularly scheduled annual meetings. The Joint Military Commission (JMC),which took place most recently in Tunis in May of 2009 and the Annual Planning Conference (APC),which last took place in Tunis in August of 2009. Please see the Embassy's recommendation in paragraph five. ¶2. (SBU) The JMC is a formal government-to-government engagement established through a specific agreement that has occurred annually for the past 24 years. The U.S. has been represented at these meetings at the level of Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense and the Tunisians at the level of Defense Minister. ¶3. (SBU) The Annual Planning Conference is a coordination meeting that is held annually to assist the Tunisian military and the U.S. Combatant Command in formulating plans for bilateral military-to-military and exercise events for the coming year. Though there has recently been some discussion concerning the efficacy of the APC, Embassy Tunis intends to continue the APCs as the conference itself provides an opportunity for engagement. However, in order to more effectively work within the AFRICOM budget and Request for Forces cycle, the U.S. is pressing the Tunisian military to schedule the APC in early spring rater than late summer. ¶4. (C) The U.S. uses these fora both to coordinate ongoing assistance and participation in joint exercises, and to introduce new proposals and ideas for bilateral military cooperation. Reflecting the Tunisian Government's general ambivalence about bilateral military ties, the Tunisians in these meetings have tended to be reactive rather than pro-active and unable or willing to make commitments beyond relatively narrow parameters. The JMC and APC are the only two events in which we can have truly frank senior-level discussions with the Tunisians about how to develop the relationship in the future. ¶5. (C) The Embassy believes it is important to keep these two bilateral military channels active and open, on an annual cycle, as a hedge against contingencies including a potentially increased threat to U.S. interests in Tunisia from terrorist groups active in the Sahara and Sahel. It is particularly important to maintain the JMC on a 12 month cycle due to the Minister's participation. GRAY