Cablegate: Macedonia: Parliament Approves Doubling of Troops

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PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHSQ #0938 3341615
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 301615Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY SKOPJE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6761
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 0110
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUESEN/SKOPJE BETA
RUEHSQ/USDAO SKOPJE MK
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL

UNCLAS SKOPJE 000938

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/SCE AND NEA/I (DAS BUTLER),
OSD FOR DASD CAGAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS MASS MK IZ
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: PARLIAMENT APPROVES DOUBLING OF TROOPS
FOR IRAQ

(SBU) In a unanimous vote on November 30, the Macedonian
Parliament approved the government's proposal to double
Macedonia's troop contributions in Iraq. The initiative
received 70 MP votes in favor, and none against. The Deputy
Minister of Defense told MPs before the vote that the
additional 36 troops could deploy to Iraq by as early as
mid-December. The troops will participate in combat patrols
and other "outside the wire" activities with U.S. forces in
Taji. COMMENT: Foreshadowing the outcome of the vote, a
governing coalition MP recently told us that Macedonia was
committed to its own "surge" in Iraq; even as other countries
were drawing down their forces, Macedonia would remain
steadfast in supporting the U.S. in the field. End comment.
MILOVANOVIC

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