VZCZCXYZ1686
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTU #0745 2791056
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061055Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY TUNIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE ASHDC 6856
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUWMFD/USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS TUNIS 00745 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR PM, NEA/MAG(HAYES) AND PM/PPA (PORRECA, KNOCH) 
DOD FOR AFRICOM SSP/SC (CINNAMOND) AND OSD/ISA/NESA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MARR MASS PTER KTIA TS
SUBJECT: SUPPORTING TUNISIA'S COUNTER-TERRORISM EFFORT: A 
FY10 1206 TRANCHE 1 PROPOSAL 
 
REF: AFRICOM/SSP-PADDOCK E-MAIL EXCHANGE ENTITLED 
     "TUNISIA FY10 1206 TRANCHE 1 FOR TUNISIAN 
     FAST PATROL BOATS" 
 
 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  OSC Tunisia is resubmitting its FY09 Section 1206 
Tranche 2 proposal to AFRICOM Security Cooperation Division, 
per 
ref e-mail exchange. The proposal,entitled "Tunisian Maritime 
Interdiction Operations (MIO) Vessel Enhancement Package," 
seeks to provide approximately $7.9 million in immediate 
assistance to the Tunisian Navy for the acquisition of six 
interdiction vessels necessary to counter the emerging 
terrorist threat posed by Al Qaida in the Lands of the 
Islamic 
Maghreb (AQIM) and growing regional security threats linked 
to 
illicit weapons and smuggling drugs. As AQIM continues to 
evolve 
into a more effective and lethal organization capable of 
developing new tactics, techniques and procedures to move and 
employ personnel and materiel throughout the region, the 
requirement to effectively and safely conduct fast-response 
maritime interdiction/boarding operations is increasingly 
important to U.S. security interests in the region. 
 
¶2. (SBU)  Specifically, this 1206 proposal seeks to provide 
the Tunisian Navy with the vessels necessary to support fast 
response interdiction operations into its economic exclusion 
zone, support its transition from Level I/Level II 
(compliant/non-compliant) boardings to Level IV (opposed) 
boardings, and support its mission of force 
protection/high-value asset protection.  Due to a lack of 
surface interdiction vessels with sufficient range, armament 
and operability across all sea states, the Tunisian Navy is 
currently unable to conduct sustained fast response missions 
in 
its economic exclusion zone and the type of opposed boardings 
required to effectively conduct maritime counter-terrorism 
operations.  The addition of six high-speed boats with 
improved range (doubling the range of Tunisia's current fast 
response capability) and lethality will increase the 
effectiveness of the Tunisian Navy's counter-terrorism 
operations. 
 
¶3. (SBU)  The Ambassador, with the concurrence of the country 
team, urges the Department and USAFRICOM to support this 
proposal and continue to back the Tunisian Government's 
efforts to combat the transnational terrorist threat posed by 
AQIM as well as other illicit activities which could be 
employed by AQIM to further its cause. 
GRAY