VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHUM #0554/01 2012321
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 202321Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY ULAANBAATAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0143
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0010
RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 0018
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 0042
RUEHFN/AMEMBASSY FREETOWN 0002
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 2358
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5125
RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS ULAANBAATAR 000554 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MARR MASS MOPS PREL KPAO MG IZ
SUBJECT: GOM Explains Decision on 7th Troop Rotation to 
Iraq 
 
Ulaanbaatar 550 (NOTAL - Available via SIPDIS) 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR INTERNET 
DISTRIBUTION. 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary:  In a July 20 meeting, the Foreign 
Minister reiterated to Ambassador the Mongolian 
government's support for the war on terrorism and its 
commitment to remain a member of the coalitions in Iraq 
and Afghanistan.  He said that there had been no 
opposition in the Cabinet to a seventh rotation of 
troops to Iraq, but that technical and financial 
factors -- limited numbers of trained troops and 
peacekeeping obligations elsewhere -- had required 
Mongolia to reduce its commitment to Iraq to a few 
officers, with the details yet to be determined.  The 
Ambassador urged Mongolia to consider a press release 
to correct any impression it was withdrawing 
completely, as an erroneous newspaper account the day 
before had reported.  Embassy provides draft press 
guidance in para 9.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (U) Reftel reported GOM's decision to send a 
seventh rotation of soldiers to Iraq, consisting of a 
"small number of command staff officers."  The sixth 
rotation, whose tour is up in September, consists of 
100 soldiers, serving under Polish command in Camp 
Echo, performing force protection duties. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The Ambassador met with Foreign Minister 
Enkhbold on July 20. She had wanted to meet with the 
Foreign Minister to be able to accurately describe to 
Washington the Mongolian decision and the factors that 
went into it.  She noted she was without instructions, 
but stated that she expected Washington would welcome 
Mongolia 's decision to send a seventh rotation of 
troops to Iraq, albeit at a reduced level. She 
expressed regret, however, about the way that the U.S. 
had been informed of the decision - nearly two weeks 
after the July 7 Cabinet decision had been taken and 
only after an erroneous report in a newspaper on July 
19 that Mongolia intended to completely withdraw its 
military forces from Iraq.  She noted that the influx 
of high level visitors and government closure for a 
week during Naadam (July 10-14) had understandably 
preoccupied the GOM, but that given the spirit of our 
comprehensive partnership and the importance the U.S. 
places on the global war on terrorism, it would have 
been preferable for the GOM to respond to our request 
and to inform us, even informally, sooner after the 
decision was taken. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Foreign Minister replied that Washington 
should be informed that Mongolia is very interested in 
building relations and was taking concrete actions to 
demonstrate this. The newspaper story had also 
surprised his government, he said, expressing regret 
about the delay in notifying the U.S. of the July 7 
Cabinet decision. He noted that Mongolia had faced an 
unprecedented influx of foreign delegations during the 
July 10-14 Naadam holiday, but acknowledged that the 
government should have at least informally communicated 
its decision earlier. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The Foreign Minister stated that Mongolia 
remains committed to the joint fight against 
international terrorism, and supports operations in 
Iraq and Afghanistan.  At the July 7 Cabinet meeting, 
the seventh rotation of troops to Iraq had been 
approved in principle, although many details remain to 
be worked out about the number of officers to be sent 
and their role.  Enkhbold said he hopes the U.S. 
understands the decision, which was undertaken purely 
for technical and financial reasons.  He said that 
Mongolia had needed its few trained peacekeeping 
soldiers for other deployments, and specifically noted 
Mongolia 's commitment of 250 troops to the UN war 
crimes tribunal in Sierra Leone.  However, he 
reiterated, Mongolia remains committed to the war 
against terrorism and to the Coalition in Iraq. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) In response to the Ambassador's question 
 
whether there had been any opposition to another 
deployment on political grounds, Enkhbold replied that 
there had not been.  However, he said, such opposition 
might arise in the future, especially due to concern 
about risks faced by Mongolian troops.  He said he had 
just received information from the Ministry of Defense 
that a Mongolian soldier had suffered a concussion two 
days ago in an attack on the base where they are 
serving, and that a helicopter carrying senior Polish 
officers had been shot down. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) The Ambassador asked whether and when the GOM 
might announce its decision to send a seventh 
rotation.  The Foreign Minister responded that the 
public might be informed once the decision is 
disseminated throughout the Mongolian government, and 
once the details of the new deployment are worked out. 
The Ambassador noted that, because of the erroneous 
press story, there might be questions raised and 
suggested that the GOM consider issuing a simple press 
statement to the effect that, contrary to press 
reports, the GOM would in fact send a seventh rotation, 
without going into the details of how many and what 
role.  The Foreign Minister said he would consider this 
idea.  (Note:  After the meeting, MFA Director General 
for the Americas, Middle East and Africa Jambaldorj 
said that he personally leaned against a press 
announcement.  In the past, Mongolia had not announced 
decisions to send new deployments, but had given wide 
publicity when soldiers were sent off.  Issuing a press 
statement, he opined, might attract more bad attention 
than it would prevent. The Ambassador urged the GOM to 
consider issuing a simple statement to clear the air, 
to the effect that contrary to erroneous press reports, 
the GOM remained committed to the war on terrorism and 
would send a seventh rotation to Iraq.  She noted that 
the U.S., as a matter of course, would prepare 
contingency press guidance to that effect and might be 
willing to issue a statement in tandem with a Mongolian 
statement to that effect.) 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Earlier on July 20, DCM and E/P Chief met 
with PM's Foreign Policy Advisor Davaasuren and with 
MFA Director General Jambaldorj.  Jambaldorj stressed 
that the only factor going into the government's 
decision was a shortage of peacekeeping soldiers, which 
had been particularly affected by the deployment of the 
250 soldiers in the second rotation to the UN war 
crimes tribunal in Sierra Leone.  He added that 
Mongolia continues to talk to Turkey about a deployment 
of soldiers to Afghanistan under Turkish command at 
some point in the future, but said that no government 
decision has been made yet.  Davaasuren added that, 
whenever the subject had come up, Prime Minister 
Enkhbold had always been a strong supporter of 
continuing Mongolia's military commitment in Iraq. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) The following is the text of proposed press 
guidance, which Washington might use if a question is 
asked about Mongolia's decision, or that we may issue 
here after a GOM press announcement of its decision on 
the seventh rotation: 
 
Begin text 
 
The U.S. Government welcomes the Mongolian government's 
continued commitment to the people of Iraq as reflected 
in its decision to send a seventh rotation of military 
personnel to Iraq.  Mongolia's participation in 
international operations in Iraq and Afghanistan since 
2003 has supported reconstruction and peacekeeping 
efforts in those nations and made an important 
contribution to the global war against terrorism.  We 
are pleased this contribution will continue. 
 
Experience gained through deployments in Iraq and 
Afghanistan have enhanced the capacity of Mongolia's 
Armed Forces to participate in international 
peacekeeping operations elsewhere, including in Sierra 
Leone and Kosovo.  These deployments also demonstrate 
the success of cooperation between Mongolia and the 
United States aimed at increasing the capability of the 
 
Mongolian Armed Forces to take part in peacekeeping 
operations around the world. 
 
End text 
 
SLUTZ