Cablegate: Canada: Demarche On Support for Liberian Military

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000952

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID MARR MASS PREL CA
SUBJECT: CANADA: DEMARCHE ON SUPPORT FOR LIBERIAN MILITARY
REFORM

REF: SECSTATE 49284

1. Poloff delivered reftel demarche concerning support for
Liberian military reform to Louis Hamel, Director of the
West/Central Africa Division at Foreign Affairs Canada (FAC),
and Simon Snoxell, FAC Desk Officer for Liberia, on March 23.
Snoxell subsequently advised poloff on March 31 that Liberia
remains a relatively low priority and that the Government of
Canada (GoC) has no specific plans at this time for providing
assistance to the Liberian military.

2. Poloff also discussed this demarche with Andrew
Armstrong, Manager of Fleet Policies and Standards at
Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) Headquarters, since reftel
indicated that the GoC may have a number of 12-15 meter Coast
Guard vessels appropriate for coastal patrol use. Armstrong
confirmed that the CCG has nine 13.5 meter boats (identical
to U.S. Coast Guard 44-foot patrol boats) that are scheduled
for retirement. However, he questioned whether these boats
would be appropriate for coastal patrols, given their age (30
years), low operating speed, and limited endurance.
Continuing, he said that the CCG used these boats primarily
for inland surf rescue, and that they were not blue-water
capable.

3. Minimize considered.

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DICKSON

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