Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10PORTLOUIS10
2010-01-12 12:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Port Louis
Cable title:  

OPPOSED TO ANY TRANSFER OF SEYCHELLES TO CENTCOM

Tags:  MARR MOPS MASS MCAP PREL MP SE 
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VZCZCXYZ0010
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPL #0010 0121227
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 121227Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY PORT LOUIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4920
INFO RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT LOUIS 000010 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF ASSISTANT SECRETARY J. CARSON; SECDEF FOR DASD

V. HUDDLESTON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2019
TAGS: MARR MOPS MASS MCAP PREL MP SE
SUBJECT: OPPOSED TO ANY TRANSFER OF SEYCHELLES TO CENTCOM
AOR

Classified By: CDA BARRIE WALKLEY FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT LOUIS 000010

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF ASSISTANT SECRETARY J. CARSON; SECDEF FOR DASD

V. HUDDLESTON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2019
TAGS: MARR MOPS MASS MCAP PREL MP SE
SUBJECT: OPPOSED TO ANY TRANSFER OF SEYCHELLES TO CENTCOM
AOR

Classified By: CDA BARRIE WALKLEY FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: Embassy Port Louis strongly opposes any
geographic realignment which would result in Mauritius and
Seychelles being under separate Operational Military
Commands. Embassy and the State Department Africa Bureau
believe that both Mauritius and Seychelles should remain in
AFRICOM's AOR. A proposed Unified Command Plan (UCP)
transfer of Seychelles from AFRICOM's AOR to CENTCOM's AOR
would result in a duplication of effort, complicate
anti-piracy activities and jeopardize the close relationship
established with the Government of Seychelles (GOS). END
SUMMARY.


2. (C) DUPLICATION OF EFFORT: Embassy Port Louis understands
that DoD is in the initial stages of reviewing possibilities
for UCP revision. Under one proposed change to the UCP,
Mauritius would stay in AFRICOM's AOR but Seychelles would
move to CENTCOM's AOR (notwithstanding the fact that both
countries would remain under the Chief-of-Mission authority
of Embassy Port Louis). Such an asymmetric division of
responsibility -- requiring that Embassy Port Louis on a
daily basis coordinate issues with two separate Commands --
would seriously complicate the ability of Embassy Port Louis
to manage diplomatic efforts essential to maintaining US
strategic operations (in Seychelles waters and airspace, as
well as in the territory of Mauritius and the region).
Embassy Port Louis is a busy but small mission, with only
thirteen American officers when fully staffed. Transferring
Seychelles to CENTCOM would result in a duplication of effort
for the Embassy, unnecessarily doubling the points-of-contact
(AFRICOM and CENTCOM) needed for coordinating military
operations.


3. (C) UNITY OF COMMAND: Counter-piracy operations in
Seychelles are linked to (and have a direct impact on)
operations in Somalia and the Horn of Africa, an area which
is clearly within AFRICOM's AOR and will remain in AFRICOM's
AOR.


4. (SBU) OFFICE OF SECURITY COOPERATION (OSC) MAURITIUS:
Embassy Port Louis and AFRICOM have worked closely and
successfully to streamline military cooperation in the
region. An Office of Security Cooperation (OSC),for example,
has been assigned to Embassy Port Louis beginning in FY2011
to support both Mauritius and Seychelles. Assigning the two
countries to separate Command AORs would complicate OSC
operations, among others, and would be a giant step backwards
for our streamlining efforts.


5. (SBU) AFRICAN REGIONAL IDENTITY: We should continue
acknowledging that Seychelles is an African nation which
belongs to multiple African regional organizations, i.e. the
African Union and the Southern African Development Community
(SADC). Strengthening the ties of Seychelles with Africa
helps support an important foreign policy goal: working with
regional organizations and partner nations to advance U.S.
counterterrorism objectives. As an African nation,
Seychelles belongs in AFRICOM.


6. (C) SEYCHELLES IS COMFORTABLE WITH AFRICOM: Thanks in no
small part to the efforts of AFRICOM (and the Command's
relations with other African countries),the Embassy in July
2009 was finally successful, after twelve years of
negotiations, in concluding a Status Of Forces Agreement
(SOFA) with the GOS. The Seychelles now knows AFRICOM and
the GOS (from President Michel on down) trusts the working
relationships that have been carefully established. Embassy
Port Louis sees no point in jeopardizing that trust by moving
Seychelles to another AOR.


7. (C) The rationale for the creation of AFRICOM was the
elimination of the different "seams" by which EUCOM, CENTCOM
and PACOM carved up Africa and provided different levels of
support to their AORs. AFRICOM's creation has assured unity
of command, providing precise management of resources,
policies and programs. Embassy Port Louis sees no reason why
we should begin again carving up Africa and assigning
countries to different Commands. For reasons of policy and
practicality, we strongly recommend that Seychelles remain in
the AFRICOM AOR. This recommendation is shared by the State
Department Africa Bureau. We are transmitting the cable at
this time in order that Embassy and State Department views
may be registered early in the UCP revision exercise.

WALKLEY