VZCZCXYZ0013
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #6110 0512126
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 202110Z FEB 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 4024
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 4334

UNCLAS STATE 016110 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: IZ CA MOPS PREL
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE TO ENCOURAGE GOC TO ACCREDIT AND APPOINT 
BRIGADIER GENERAL TREMBLAY TO ITS DIPLOMATIC MISSION AND 
APPOINT HIM TO SERVICE WITH MNC-I 
 
(SBU) This is an action request to encourage the Canadian 
Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Defense to arrange for 
Canadian Brigadier General Eric Tremblay to serve in Iraq 
with MNC-I. The Department has raised this issue with 
officials from the Canadian Embassy in Washington and 
concluded that it would be mutually beneficial to the 
Coalition and Canadian forces.  The Department requests that 
Embassy Ottawa encourage the GOC to accredit BG Tremblay to 
serve in Iraq. 
 
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BACKGROUND 
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¶2.  (SBU) Canadian service members embedded with U.S. units 
regularly deployed to Iraq with their host units until the UN 
Security Council (UNSC) mandate for Multi-National Force-Iraq 
expired December 31, 2008.  The U.S.-Iraq Security Agreement 
that succeeded the UNSC mandate for U.S. forces does not 
apply to third-country forces.  The GOC was not able to reach 
an agreement with the GOI on status protections for its 
deployed personnel, and withdrew its service members from 
Iraq.  I Corps, with whom BG Tremblay is currently assigned, 
will soon deploy to Iraq to assume duties as the 
headquarters, Multi-National Corps-Iraq.  The I Corps 
Commander, Lieutenant General Charles Jacoby, has requested 
that BG Tremblay deploy with I Corps to Iraq.  BG Tremblay 
and the Canadian military support the Deployment, but 
arrangements for status protections would be required. 
 
¶3. (SBU) NEA/I met with political officers from the Canadian 
Embassy to discuss the situation and suggested that the GOC 
might diplomatically accredit BG Tremblay to Iraq through its 
Embassy in Amman, which covers Iraq for Ottawa.  The 
Department does not foresee GOI objection to BG Tremblay,s 
service on the MNC-I staff.  Canadian Emboffs were receptive 
to this idea and agreed that retaining an officer in the role 
of Deputy CG of MNC-I would be immensely valuable to the 
Canadian Defense Forces. 
 
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ACTION REQUEST 
-------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Canadian Embassy Washington reported to Ottawa the 
Department's request and suggestion, but has not recieved an 
answer.  The Canadian Foreign Ministry necessarily would play 
a key role in accrediting BG Tremblay to Iraq.  Department 
requests that Embassy Ottawa engage with appropriate GOC 
counterparts to encourage them to accredit BG Tremblay to 
Iraq and approve his service there with I Corps. 
CLINTON