Cablegate: Bangladesh Considers Unamid Helicopter Request But

VZCZCXYZ0003
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKA #0008 0040859
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 040859Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9831
INFO RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE IMMEDIATE 0002

UNCLAS DHAKA 000008

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/IO ERIN WHITNEY AND IO THOMAS BROWN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: BG KPKO MARR
SUBJECT: BANGLADESH CONSIDERS UNAMID HELICOPTER REQUEST BUT
HAS LIMITED AIRCRAFT AVAILABLE

REF: SECSTATE 129518

Post delivered reftel demarche requesting helicopters for
UNAMID forces in Darfur to the Prime Minister's Office,the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Armed Forces Division of
Bangladesh. The Prime Minister's Security Advisor, Tarique
Siddique, told PolEconCounselor the Bangladeshi Air Force
(BAF) was considering the request, but they may not have
medium utility helicopters available for UNAMID. Bangladesh
has provided aircraft to United Nations forces based in Chad
where they sometimes support UN operations in Darfur, but
limitations on available aircraft have prevented the BAF from
granting previous requests for helicopters to serve UNAMID
operations. Post will follow up and report any further
substantive reply.
Dean

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