VZCZCXYZ0006
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHUM #0646/01 2370020
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 250020Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY ULAANBAATAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0288
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0018
RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 0023
RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC//DHO-3//
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC//USDP:DSCA//
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J-5//
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2210
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 2419
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5201
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 1574
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS ULAANBAATAR 000646 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MARR MASS PREL PTER KPKO MG IZ PL
SUBJECT: Visiting PACOM Commander Admiral Fallon Makes Progress On 
Mongolia's OIF Commitment; Observes Khaan Quest PKO Exercise 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) PACOM Commander Admiral William J. Fallon paid his first 
visit to Mongolia, August 19-21, at the invitation of Mongolian 
Chief of the General Staff LTG Togoo.  The Admiral's observation of 
Mongolia's first-ever multinational peacekeeping training exercise, 
Khaan Quest 06, and joint press conference with LTG Togoo, served to 
underscore the importance the U.S. places on developing the peace 
support capabilities of countries in the region.  In his meetings 
with the Minister of Defense and Prime Minister -- and in a 
telephone call with the vacationing President -- Admiral Fallon 
urged Mongolia to continue its commitment to OIF and to send a full 
100-man contingent of peacekeepers in Mongolia's 7th rotation to 
Iraq.   The Admiral hand delivered a letter from SECDEF Rumsfeld to 
DEFMIN Sonompil and responded positively to the Mongolian request 
for new armored vehicles and machine guns to better protect its 
troops in Iraq.  END SUMMARY. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) While too early to judge the outcome of the NSC meeting 
later this month, during Admiral Fallon's meetings we sensed a shift 
in the government's approach.  We suspect that the Prime Minister is 
under pressure from the President (and possibly the Speaker, who has 
been a strong supporter of Mongolia's OIF commitment) to reverse his 
July 7 decision and field a full 7th rotation.  The President's 
foreign affairs adviser has told us that the Prime Minister is 
looking for a face-saving way to reverse the decision.  By 
addressing concerns about the safety and security of Mongolian 
troops at Camp Echo, the provision by the USG of new armored 
vehicles and machine guns may provide the Government with a 
face-saving excuse for reversing its earlier decision to drastically 
reduce Mongolia's OIF contingent.  End comment. 
 
Admiral Fallon Visits Mongolia August 19-21 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) PACOM Commander Admiral Fallon visited Mongolia August 
19-21 to meet with Mongolian officials, encourage Mongolia's 
continued support for Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and to observe 
the Mongolian-U.S. co-hosted Khaan Quest 06 multinational 
peacekeeping exercise at Five Hills Training Center.  He met with 
the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense, and Chief of the 
General Staff Togoo and spoke with President Enkhbayar by phone. 
Admiral Fallon also exchanged views over lunch with Members of 
Mongolia's Parliament and visited a U.S. military-supported civil 
affairs project. 
 
Chief of Staff Togoo Outlines "Wish List" 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Upon arrival the afternoon of August 19, Admiral Fallon 
called on Mongolian Armed Forces Chief of Staff LTG Ts. Togoo. 
Togoo said that the National Security Council (NSC) had not yet made 
a final decision on whether to uphold or reverse the July 7 Cabinet 
recommendation to reduce substantially the size of its peacekeeping 
contingent in Iraq, from 100 men to "a few officers."  He indicated 
that the NSC would make its decision before the end of August. Togoo 
also revealed that, contrary to earlier assertions, there were, in 
fact, enough troops (with previous service in OIF) to field a full 
100-man 7th rotation in September.  Further in earnest, he stated 
that pre-deployment training would begin after the 8/24 conclusion 
of KQ 06, even in the absence of a decision by the NSC. 
 
¶5. (SBU) LTG Togoo reviewed areas for cooperation and requests for 
assistance, including: 1) regularization of the Khaan Quest 
exercise, 2) establishment of a Mongolian liaison officer billet at 
PACOM, 3) acceleration of Mongolia's Defense Reform (i.e., 
accelerate USG funding and technical assistance support), 4) 
increased number of officer training slots, 5) ditto for NCO 
training slots as well as additional support for the NCO training 
program in Mongolia, 6) continued support for the upgrade of the 
Five Hills PKO training center as well as for increased 
international attendance, and 7) support for Military Hospital 
 
Modernization, as President Enkhbayar had requested during his 
September, 2005 visit to PACOM.  Finally, Togoo reaffirmed an August 
18 formal written request forwarded by the Ministry of Defense to 
the Embassy, for new force protection equipment for Mongolia's OIF 
contingent, including HMVVs and heavier weapons to replace the 
out-dated and worn Russian equipment currently being used. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Admiral Fallon took note of Togoo's first seven requests 
and responded positively to the request for new force protection 
equipment for the OIF contingent.  (Note:  Subsequently, Admiral 
Fallon was able to discuss the request directly with General Casey 
in Baghdad, who endorsed it.  Embassy/DAO is working with Ministry 
of Defense officials to complete the required equipment request 
forms, with the expectation and understanding that the requested 
equipment would be available in September in Iraq, should Mongolia 
decide to send a full contingent of peacekeepers. End Note.) 
 
Defense Minister Avers Mongolian Commitment to OIF 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶7. (SBU) In the morning of August 21, Admiral Fallon met with 
Minister of Defense Sonompil.  The Admiral handed over a letter from 
Secretary Rumsfeld and conveyed the Secretary's greetings.  He urged 
 
SIPDIS 
the Minister to support the 7th rotation deployment of a full 
contingent of troops to Iraq.  Admiral Fallon noted Mongolian 
concerns, raised earlier by LTG Togoo, over the safety and security 
of its contingent in Iraq.  He stated that he supported the request 
for new machine-gun equipped armored vehicles and heavier weapons 
(machine guns) and had discussed the Mongolian request with General 
Casey in Baghdad, gaining the support of the latter. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) In his response, Minister of Defense Sonompil stated that 
Mongolia remained committed to its role in Iraq.  "Having made the 
commitment, Mongolia would remain until the end," Sonompil said.  He 
averred, however, that the "political opposition" in parliament has 
raised questions about the government's ability to ensure the safety 
and security of the troops in Iraq.  "Given the worsening situation 
in Iraq, the Cabinet had decided on July 7 to not withdraw but to 
reduce the size of its contingent to "a few well-trained officers." 
The NSC, however, would make the final decision.  Sonompil said he 
was pleased to hear the positive response to Mongolia's request for 
new force protection equipment for its troops in Iraq and that he 
would report this news to the NSC, noting that "this will be 
important to persuading the NSC" to approve a full contingent of 
troops.  (Comment:  We strongly suspect that Sonompil is responsible 
in large part for the decision to reduce substantially Mongolia's 
commitment to the OIF.  He and other members of his political 
faction/party -- a four MP breakaway group from the Democratic Party 
-- have opposed deployment to Iraq from the beginning.  He is being 
disingenuous when he blames the "opposition" for forcing this 
decision to partially withdraw.  In fact, the "opposition" 
Democratic Party has been a stalwart supporter of OIF and OEF. 
During Cabinet discussions of the 5th and 6th rotations, then Prime 
Minister Elbegdorj argued against those -- such as Amb. Bold in 
Washington -- who wanted to pull back from Iraq. End Comment.) 
 
Prime Minister Says NSC Will Decide 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) In his subsequent meeting with the Prime Minister (also 
attended by Minister Sonompil), Admiral Fallon noted that he had 
delivered a letter from Secretary Rumsfeld and urged that Mongolia 
continue its commitment to Iraq and deploy another (7th) 
platoon-sized rotation.  He noted the positive response to 
Mongolia's request for new armored vehicles and machine guns and 
expressed the hope that this would weigh favorably in the NSC's 
decision. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Enkhbold stated his support for Mongolia's continued 
participation in OIF.  He said that the Cabinet had taken the July 7 
decision to send a "certain number of troops" to Iraq.  Based on 
consideration of proposals submitted by the MOD and the Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs (MFA), the NSC would now discuss the matter and 
decide.  "If necessary," he continued, "the parliamentary standing 
committee on foreign affairs and defense might have hold a hearing." 
 
 
President States Support for Full 7th Rotation 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Admiral Fallon subsequently took a phone call from 
President Enkhbayar, who is vacationing in a remote northern 
province.  The Admiral repeated USG concerns about Mongolia's 
intentions in Iraq, noted the USG's positive response to Mongolia's 
request for protective equipment, and urged that Mongolia send a 
full rotation to Iraq.  The President expressed his support for a 
full commitment and promised to work with the other members of the 
NSC in an effort to make this happen. 
 
¶12.  (U) Admiral Fallon has cleared this cable. 
 
SLUTZ