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DE RUEHVJ #1471/01 1841612
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 031612Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6560
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JCS WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHFQAAA/HQ USAFE RAMSTEIN AB GE IMMEDIATE
RUFGCCM/CDRUSAREUR STUTTGART GE IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUFOAOA/USNIC SARAJEVO IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE
RHFMIUU/CDR USAREUR HEIDELBERG GE IMMEDIATE
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SARAJEVO 001471 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
SECDEF FOR FATA AND BEIN, DEPT FOR EUR (DICARLO), D 
(SMITH), P (BAME), EUR/SCE (HOH, SAINZ, FOOKS) AND EUR/RPM 
(BROTZEN), NSC FOR BRAUN, USNATO FOR REID, UNDERWOOD, 
SHAFFER, EUCOM FOR MAJOR GENERAL CATTO, USAFE FOR MAJOR 
GENERAL FLETCHER, USAREUR FOR BG PERKINS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR BK
SUBJECT: BOSNIA: EAGLE BASE TRANSFER CEREMONY MARKS NEW ERA 
IN RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BOSNIA AND THE UNITED STATES 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  The return of Eagle Base in Tuzla to the 
authority of Bosnia-Herzegovina was marked in a poignant 
ceremony at the facility on June 30.  The ceremony focused on 
the essential contributions to peace and security of the 
approximately 100,000 U.S. servicemen and women who served in 
Bosnia since 1995.  The ceremony also marked the beginning of 
a new era for Bosnia, as the transfer of Eagle Base signaled 
that for the first time in modern history, the country was 
cpable of providing for its own security.  End summry. 
 
¶2. (U) The Bosnian Ministry of Defense and te Embassy 
jointly organized a transfer ceremony ecognizing the return 
of Eagle Base in Tuzla to osnia in June 30.  Eagle Base, the 
prime U.S. miitary facility in Bosnia since 1995, will be 
used by both the new Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina 
and as a civilian airport facility. The return of the 
facility and prior U.S. military drawdown were driven by 
Bosnia's success in implementing comprehensive defense 
reforms, merging the two former warring entity armies and 
establishing a state-level Ministry of Defense. 
 
¶3. (U) Bosnian President Nebojsa Radmanovic, President Haris 
Silajdzic, Defense Minister Selmo Cikotic, CHOD LTG Sifet 
Podzic and other high level officials attended the ceremony 
with the Ambassador, National Guard Bureau Commander LTG H. 
Steven Blum and other senior U.S. military representatives. 
The ceremony, held on the airfield at Eagle Base, consisted 
of a flyover by U.S. Air Force F-16 fighters, speeches by 
President Radmanovic, Minister Cikotic, the Ambassador and 
LTG Blum, a signing of a memorandum transferring authority 
for the base and the lowering of the American flag followed 
by the raising of the Bosnian flag over the facility. 
 
¶4. (U) A key theme of the ceremony reflected in all speeches 
was the successful conclusion of the U.S. military mission in 
Bosnia and the lasting contributions of the United States 
Armed Forces in establishing peace and security in the 
country following a horrific war.  President Radmanovic in 
his opening remarks expressed "in the name of all citizens of 
Bosnia and Herzegovina, thank you" to U.S. soldiers who 
served in Bosnia.  Minister Cikotic, speaking in English as a 
sign of respect for Bosnia's "closest friend," said that the 
United States military had allowed Bosnia to reach the 
doorstep of NATO and thanked U.S. servicemen and servicewomen 
for their 12 years of service in the country. 
 
¶5. (U) The ceremony also underscored that while our 
relationship is changing, the United States will continue to 
play a leading role in Bosnia as the country further 
integrates into Euro-Atlantic institutions.  President 
Radmanovic noted that the U.S. military drawdown was a signal 
of Bosnia's success in implementing defense reform and 
providing for its own security, but the foundation of our 
bilateral relationship remained strong.  Minister Cikotic 
stated that Bosnia remains on the path to full NATO 
integration, and now looks to the United States as its 
alliance partner, not security provider.  In his own remarks 
that received wide press coverage, the Ambassador noted that 
"we see a future for this country in a united Europe, with an 
American friend always at its side." 
 
COMMENT: A MISSION COMPLETE 
--------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) In an otherwise bleak political climate here, the 
Eagle Base transfer ceremony was an important reminder that 
our project in Bosnia has achieved substantial, lasting 
successes that go well beyond our early military and 
diplomatic efforts to end a war.  The images of the ceremony 
itself, particularly the emotional lowering of our colors and 
raising of the Bosnian state flag to the country's national 
anthem, serve to demonstrate that the United States has 
accomplished its military mission here.  Other key signs of 
progress that would have been unthinkable a decade earlier 
 
SARAJEVO 00001471  002 OF 002 
 
 
were also on clear display at the ceremony.  The Bosnian-Serb 
President stood and publicly thanked the United States for 
its military intervention in Bosnia and lead role in 
stabilizing the country. The new, multi-ethnic Armed Forces 
of Bosnia and Herzegovina that took control of the facility 
has allowed Bosnia to become an exporter not importer of 
global security and finds itself on the doorstep of NATO. 
The heads of other state-level institutions created with 
substantial U.S. resources were on hand for the ceremony. 
Above all, the key role that the United States has played and 
continues to play in creating a peaceful, stable and 
democratic society was reaffirmed. 
 
A NOTE OF THANKS 
---------------- 
 
¶7. (U) We wish to express our sincere gratitude to all those 
from the United States Armed Forces who were able to join us 
for the ceremony, particularly LTG Steven Blum, MajGen 
William Catto, Maj Gen Paul Fletcher, BG David Perkins, and 
NATO HQ Sarajevo Commander MG Richard Wightman.  Our special 
thanks also goes out to EUCOM, USAREUR, and USAFE for their 
substantial assistance with the ceremony, and for arranging 
the orderly and transparent transfer of Eagle Base. 
MCELHANEY