VZCZCXRO2166
PP RUEHPB
DE RUEHSV #0340/01 2392025
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 272025Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY SUVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3254
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0035
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 0001
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1268
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY 0878
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 0003
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0009
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 1060
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0253
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHHJJAA/JICPAC HONOLULU HI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SUVA 000340 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
ROME PLEASE PASS TO MFO LAROCCO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2016 
TAGS: PREL MARR KPKO FJ
SUBJECT: FIJI'S REVIEW OF PKO: PROSPECTS FOR IRAQ, LEBANON, 
AND ELSEWHERE 
 
REF: A. SUVA 173 AND PREVIOUS 
     ¶B. SUVA 214 
     ¶C. SUVA 254 
     ¶D. SUVA 255 
     ¶E. SUVA 137 
     ¶F. SUVA 92 
     ¶G. SUVA 323 
 
Classified By: Amb. Dinger.  Sec. 1.4 (B,D). 
 
Summary 
------- 
¶1. (C)  The Fiji Government is reviewing its participation in 
peacekeeping operations (PKO) globally.  Current deployments 
include to the MFO in the Sinai, with UNAMI in Iraq, and in 
Bosnia and Sudan.  Prospectively, Fiji has requests to resume 
participation in UNIFIL in Lebanon and to join the Coalition 
of the Willing in Iraq.  The context for the PKO review 
includes past civil-military frictions, casualties among 
Fiji-civilian contractors in Iraq, the need to keep 
remittances flowing, and, importantly, the good will Fiji 
achieves from its proud PKO record.  We hear the Fiji Cabinet 
will likely approve a modest deployment to UNIFIL shortly. 
Prospects for joining the Iraq Coalition are less clear but 
we continue to lobby.  End summary. 
 
Fiji's respected PKO history: a review 
-------------------------------------- 
¶2. (U) The Government of Fiji has been undertaking a review 
of its participation in peacekeeping operations (PKO).  Fiji 
has been a long and proud contributor: with MFO in the Sinai 
for over 20 years; with UNIFIL in Lebanon for over 20 years 
before departing when the UN downsized there; as 
force-protectors with UNAMI in Iraq; and in such other 
locations as Bosnia, East Timor, the Sudan, and with the 
RAMSI regional force in the Solomon Islands.  In addition, 
many Fiji citizens, nearly all of them ex-soldiers from the 
Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), have taken jobs 
abroad with private security companies, particularly in 
Kuwait and Iraq.  Fiji deaths in Iraq, to date, have all been 
private-security contractors, and there has been little 
public reaction, though PM Qarase did suggest Fijian 
civilians should look for safer job opportunities at home. 
 
Civil-military friction has lessened but is a factor 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
¶3. (C) Part of the unstated context during the initiation of 
Fiji's PKO review was surely the severe frictions that had 
dominated the relationship between RFMF Commander Bainimarama 
and the civilian government, including with Home Affairs 
Minister Vosanibola and Prime Minister Qarase (ref A).  After 
May elections vividly illustrated that ethnic-Fijians (the 
RFMF's base) strongly supported PM Qarase's party (ref B) and 
after Qarase established a functioning multi-party cabinet 
(ref C), Bainimarama and his spokesmen toned down their 
rhetoric.  In June, Bainimarama and Minister Vosanibola held 
a reconciliation session to patch over wounds and move 
forward (ref D); however, scars remain. 
 
Iraq Coalition of the Willing request: still under review 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
¶4. (C) A topic during the reconciliation session was an RFMF 
request dating from January, shortly after Bainimarama 
visited his troops with UNAMI in Iraq, for the Fiji 
Government to approve participation in the Coalition of the 
Willing (ref E).  When CENTCOM Commander Abizaid visited Suva 
in February, he accented to PM Qarase, Vice President 
Madraiwiwi, and Commodore Bainimarama the U.S. interest in 
Fiji joining the Coalition (ref F).  A few weeks ago, the MFA 
CEO indicated to Embassy staff that MFA supports Fiji joining 
the Coalition. 
 
¶5. (C) In an exchange with Foreign Minister Tavola on 8/23, 
we received word that Home Affairs still had not approached 
the Cabinet with the RFMF's proposal to join the Coalition. 
Tavola noted that "a previous Cabinet decision restricts 
Fiji's involvement to UN-sponsored operations/initiatives. 
Any derogation from that can only be made by Cabinet."  He 
observed that Home Affairs is the principal interlocutor for 
 
SUVA 00000340  002 OF 002 
 
 
any such request, which would need to be sanctioned by the 
Cabinet Subcommittee on UNAMI.  On 8/25 in Nadi, Tavola told 
us the Cabinet Subcommittee on UNAMI was meeting that day, in 
his absence, and the U.S. Coalition request might come up. 
We have a meeting with Home Affairs Minister Vosanibola on 
8/30 to continue the dialogue on this issue. 
 
Cabinet to consider UN Lebanon request shortly 
--------------------------------------------- - 
¶6. (C) A UN request for RFMF participation in the expanded 
UNIFIL received Fiji media attention on 8/22.  That request 
came as no surprise here, given Fiji's past involvement, 
including holding the force-commander role just before 
UNIFIL's downsizing.  Tavola indicated Fiji intends to 
provide the UN a responding offer to help, though "the 
configuration is still being worked out" and "the offer will 
obviously be restricted somewhat due to funding problems." 
Tavola expects Fiji's Cabinet to consider the UNIFIL response 
at a session this week. 
 
Cabinet's overall review is very broad 
-------------------------------------- 
¶7. (C) Tavola indicated to us that the current Cabinet PKO 
review is broad, taking a look at all current and foreseeable 
PKO opportunities.  The Coalition of the Willing option, he 
said, may certainly be part of that overall review.  Tavola 
noted that the review looks at a variety of possible 
personnel: from infantry to "engineers, nurses, security 
guards, etc."  It will include consideration of Fiji's 
desires to improve "labor mobility" and enhance remittances. 
During CODEL Hyde's recent visit, Tavola raised Fiji's 
interest in regularizing the status of Fiji-citizen 
care-givers who are illegally in the U.S. (ref G).  Economic 
statistics indicate that remittances are already the second 
biggest source of GNP for Fiji, behind only tourism. 
 
Comment 
------- 
¶8. (C) Regarding the hot-button PKO topics of Iraq and 
Lebanon, we are aware of a Washington interest in "not 
robbing Peter to pay Paul," i.e., not having states forsake 
the Coalition by shifting PKO resources from Iraq to Lebanon. 
 We continue to urge Fiji to maintain its UNAMI roles and to 
make the decision to deploy forces to the Coalition in Iraq. 
If the proposed deployment to Lebanon is a relatively small 
contingent, it is possible that Fiji can maintain, even 
expand, its Iraq numbers as well.  If it comes to a choice 
between joining the Coalition in Iraq or joining UNIFIL, it 
is very possible that Fiji would opt for Lebanon.  Fiji's 
civilian leaders are clearly more comfortable in a 
blue-helmet role.  At the same time, Fiji's military leaders 
have been somewhat uncomfortable with the RFMF's limited role 
in Iraq: basically standing static guard at UN compounds. 
The RFMF would prefer to be in more active roles with the 
Coalition in Iraq or, one presumes, with the UN in Lebanon. 
DINGER