VZCZCXRO8210
RR RUEHPB
DE RUEHSV #0470/01 3061856
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 021856Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY SUVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3401
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0056
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1334
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY 0935
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 1120
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHHJJAA/JICPAC HONOLULU HI
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SUVA 000470 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2016 
TAGS: PREL KPKO TN
SUBJECT: TONGA MILITARY COMMANDER FRUSTRATED WITH HIS 
GOVERNMENT'S INDECISION ON IRAQ DEPLOYMENT 
 
REF: SUVA 389 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR LARRY M. DINGER.  SECTIONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
¶1.  (C)  Summary:  The Commander of the Tonga Defense 
Services (TDS), BG Tau'aika Uta'atu, told us he has become 
increasingly frustrated with the inability of his government 
to decide whether the TDS should deploy a second time in 
Iraq.  Uta'atu firmly believes a deployment would be in the 
best interests of the TDS and Tonga.  Consideration of the 
Iraq deployment has been delayed by a combination of PM 
Sevele's concerns about a return to Iraq and the need to put 
the issue on hold during the mourning period following the 
King's death.  The next scheduled Defense Board meeting, 
where the deployment is set to be discussed, is scheduled for 
November 24, after BG Uta'atu returns from the CHOD 
conference in Kuala Lumpur.  It remains anybody's guess 
whether the oft-postponed meeting will actually take place as 
scheduled.  In the meantime, the TDS is going forward with a 
deployment to the RAMSI force in the Solomons later this 
month.   End Summary. 
 
The TDS Wants to Move Forward, but the PM has Concerns 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶2.  (C)  Brigadier General Tau'aika Uta'atu told visiting DCM 
and EAP/ANP desk officer October 30 he is anxious for a 
governmental decision on going forward with a second 
deployment to Iraq.   Uta'atu said the oft-postponed meeting 
of the Defense Board to decide whether to go forward with a 
deployment is scheduled for November 24, after Uta'atu 
returns from the Chief of Defense (CHOD) conference in Kuala 
Lumpur. 
 
¶3.  (C)  Uta'atu believes the benefits for the TDS and Tonga 
are clear-cut.  Tonga will forge a closer relationship with 
the United States and other coalition partners and will be 
well positioned to play a larger role in international 
peacekeeping operations.  The TDS will receive the training 
and equipment it needs to upgrade its forces.  The training 
opportunities soldiers receive will not only make them better 
soldiers, it will give them job skills they can use the rest 
of their lives in Tonga or overseas. 
 
¶4. (C)  The TDS prepared a paper recommending deployment back 
in May, he noted.  Unfortunately, because of a series of 
delays, the paper has not yet been submitted to the Tonga 
Defense Board for review.  Some delays have been inevitable, 
given busy travel schedules and especially the need to put 
the process on hold after the death of the King.  But the 
major problem, said Uta'atu, has been uncertainty about the 
deployment expressed by PM Sevele. Uta'atu said Acting 
Defense Minister Tua is reluctant to bring the deployment 
proposal forward for a Defense Board decision until he is 
sure that Sevele would support it.  Various comments by 
Sevele have led Tua to believe that Sevele is still not fully 
on board.  On October 28, Tua told Uta'atu he needed to speak 
to PM Sevele again before deciding whether to bring the 
deployment issue before the Defense Board.  Uta'atu did not 
know when that conversation would occur, since Tua traveled 
to Vav'au October 28 and was expected to remain there most of 
the following week and Sevele would be out of Tonga until 
early November. 
 
¶5. (C)  Uta'atu said Sevele is especially concerned about 
financial aspects of the deployment.  Sevele told him that 
the United States should be prepared to pay the extra 
allowances given to Tongan soldiers serving in Iraq and cover 
the extra insurance costs.  After checking with Embassy DATT, 
Uta'atu informed Sevele that the U.S. would not be able to 
pick up those costs but argued that Sevele should focus on 
the benefits of deployment in Iraq - training, equipment, 
etc.  (Comment:  PM Sevele mentioned the insurance issue to 
the Ambassador in September.  He also made it clear that his 
misgivings about Iraq deployment are not limited to its 
financial aspects.  He told the Ambassador he is "looking at 
the political side" as well (reftel).  End comment.) 
 
Tonga Sending a Platoon to the Solomons in November 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶6.  (C)  Uta'atu said the TDS would be sending a platoon to 
the RAMSI contingent in the Solomons later this month.  The 
platoon is in Australia now, preparing for the deployment, 
which will last three months.  After February, Tonga will 
 
SUVA 00000470  002 OF 002 
 
 
reevaluate the situation in the Solomons and decide whether 
to stay longer.  Uta'atu noted that Australia is covering 
almost all the expenses of the deployment, but not insurance 
costs. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶7.  (C)  We remain in a "wait and see" mode re the Government 
of Tonga's decision.  We remain guardedly optimistic that 
Acting Defense Minister Tua and Uta'atu will be able to 
convince PM Sevele that the benefits of joining the coalition 
outweigh the risks.   We cannot say for certain whether that 
will happen by November 24, or whether we'll have to keep 
waiting for a definitive answer. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DINGER