VZCZCXRO1492
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHRL #3563/01 3551550
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211550Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6495
INFO RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BERLIN 003563 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MOPS PREL GM
SUBJECT: German Out-Of-Area Deployment Update 
 
REF:  Berlin 2634 
 
¶1. (SBU) As of December 20, Germany has 7,664 military personnel 
deployed in out-of-area deployments. All Bundeswehr deployments, 
with the exception of observers such as in Georgia (where currently 
11 military personnel are deployed under UNOMIG), all military 
out-of-area (OOA) deployments require parliamentary approval before 
deploying.  A law regulates the parliamentary process, allowing 
expedited procedures only for non-controversial deployments.  What 
follows is a brief run-down on Germany's current OOA deployments. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶2. (SBU) The Bundeswehr has 2,878 military personnel operating in 
Afghanistan under the UNSC mandate for ISAF.  The ceiling for the 
deployment is 3000 personnel.  Germany commands ISAF's northern 
region (RC-North), where it operates two Provincial Reconstruction 
Teams (Konduz and Feyzabad) and the Forward Support Base in 
Mazar-E-Sharif.  The mandate limits the Bundeswehr's operations to 
Kabul and RC-North, but Germany can provide assistance outside that 
sector provided it is of limited time and scope and essential for 
the mission.  The current parliamentary mandate extends through 
October 13, 2007. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Germany is the lead for UNIFIL's naval component and has 
1,002 military personnel deployed. 
The parliamentary mandate, which has a ceiling of 2,400 personnel, 
expires with the UN mandate on September 20, 2007. 
 
------------------- 
Kosovo Force (KFOR) 
------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Germany has 2,300 military personnel under the KFOR 
mandate, which has a ceiling of 8,500 total personnel.  The mandate 
extends automatically unless there is a change to the UNSC 
Resolution framework for the Kosovo Force. 
 
----------------------------------- 
European Union Force (EUFOR) Bosnia 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Germany currently has 888 soldiers in Bosnia as part of an 
EU force known as Operation ALTHEA. The mandate, amended on December 
1, 2006, allows for up to 2,400 military personnel.  This operation 
extends automatically unless there is a change to its underlying 
UNSC resolution.  Security permitting, the German government has 
announced it intends to reduce its military presence in coordination 
with its allies during 2007. 
 
-------------- 
EUFOR RD Congo 
-------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) The EUFOR operation in Congo (maximum ceiling 780 military 
personnel in Congo and Gabon) ended on November 30, 2007 and forces 
currently are withdrawing.  On December 17, there were still 269 
soldiers in-theater.  The Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced that 
the bulk of the forces will have left the country by December 23, 
with only 10-20 persons remaining to close the camps. 
 
--------------------------------- 
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) The German Navy has 248 military personnel operating on the 
Horn of Africa under OEF.  The OEF mandate, which has a ceiling of 
1,800 personnel, also covers the deployment of Special Forces for 
counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan.  There are currently no 
acknowledged German OEF forces in Afghanistan.  The OEF mandate also 
covers contributions to NATO's Operation Active Endeavor (OAE).  The 
OEF mandate extends through November 15, 2006. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Germany currently has 35 military observers in UNMIS, 
monitoring the implementation of the peace agreement.  The 
parliament imposed a caveat, which bars military observers from 
going to Darfur without consultation of the Bundestag Foreign 
Relations Committee's chairman and ranking members. The mandate 
 
BERLIN 00003563  002 OF 002 
 
 
allows the participation of up to 75 military observers. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) The German Air Force provides logistical support for the AU 
mission in Darfur, Sudan - primarily airlift into and out-of theater 
for rotating AMIS forces.  The mandate allows up to 200 military 
personnel.  There currently are no German soldiers in-theater.  The 
mandate will expire on June 2, 2007. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
Other minor deployments: 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Two military observers serve in Ethiopia and Eritrea for 
the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE).  One 
soldier is seconded to the EU's advisory and assistance mission for 
security reform in the Democratic Republic of Congo (EUSEC - R.D. 
CONGO).  One German military observer is seconded to the United 
Nation Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).  The Bundeswehr 
has seconded 29 military personnel to Strategic Medical Evacuation 
(STRATAIRMEDEVAC). 
 
TIMKEN, JR