Excerpt from document summary
(C) The May 11-13 US-Tunisian Joint Military Commission
(JMC) saw productive exchanges on a variety of topics
relating to bilateral military cooperation. The Tunisians
were more forthcoming than they have been in recent years
about their priorities with respect to military assistance
needs

Full Document
VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTU #0314/01 1411714
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 211714Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY TUNIS
TO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6315
INFO RUCNMGH/MAGHREB COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
Content
S E C R E T TUNIS 000314

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DOD FOR OSD (DASD WHELAN) AND OSD/ISA/NESA
STATE FOR PM/RSAT(DANIELEWSKI) NEA/MAG (HAYES)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2019
TAGS: MASS, MARR, PREL, TS
SUBJECT: US-TUNISIAN JOINT MILITARY COMMISSION PRODUCES
BETTER TUNISIAN BRIEFINGS BUT MANY DETAILS STILL LACKING

Classified By: Ambassador Robert F. Godec for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

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Summary
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1. (C) The May 11-13 US-Tunisian Joint Military Commission
(JMC) saw productive exchanges on a variety of topics
relating to bilateral military cooperation. The Tunisians
were more forthcoming than they have been in recent years
about their priorities with respect to military assistance
needs, although they did not provide a comprehensive planning
document laying out these priorities in detail and how they
intendto use Foreign Military Financing (FMF) and other
means to meet them. In the coming weeks, the Mission will
review FMF and other US assistance here in light of the JMC
and other developments in US-Tunisian bilateral relations,
including issues related to the American Cooperative School
of Tunis. End Summary.

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Setting the Stage
-----------------

2. (C) On May 7, prior to the formal commencement of the 24th
US-Tunisian JMC, DASD Whelan met with Defense Minister
Morjane. In this meeting, both Morjane and Whelan expressed
appreciation for the long-standing military cooperation
between our two countries, noting our historic relationship
and friendly ties. Morjane was particularly grateful for the
provision of ground surveillance radar (GSR) and unmanned
aerial vehicles (UAVs), which will help the Tunisian military
patrol the border. Whelan made clear that the United States
Government was pleased to be able to help Tunisia better
secure its borders. She noted, however, that the current
economic environment would have an impact on foreign
assistance. "We may not be able to sustain" current levels
of military assistance to Tunisia, she explained.

3. (C) DASD Whelan underscored that the economic crisis made
it all the more important for th USG to understand Tunisian
military needs and prorities, explaining that such
information is criical to US planning and delivery of
military assstance. In addition, she addressed the need to
ave regular communications, to ensure that the US-unisian
military partnership stays strong and effctive. (Note: She
did not specifically mention S disappointment oer the
conditions imposed by he GOT on the ATLAS DROP exercise, but
it was clar that this incident was symptomatic of the
prolem to which she was alluding.) Morjane agreed, bu
noted that Tunisia's relatively small military mposes
constraints on the number of commitments hat they can take
on. He specified that Tunisiahas 11 joint military
commissions with various cuntries, including one just
created with Belgium nd noted that during the last year the
Tunisian ilitary had taken part in over 300 military
actiities, including 100 days, worth of activities wit the
United States. Whelan said the United Stats was interested
more in the quality of the relationship, rather than the
quantity of joint activities.

4. (S/NF) Follown their 30-minute meeting, DASD Whelan and
DefMi Morjane adjourned to his office for a restricted
meeting, which also included Ambassador Godec on he US side;
and Director General for Military Seurity Brigadier General
Mohamed Meddeb, Colonel bdelkader Adouni, and Major Chiheb
Khelifa on theTunisian side. Morjane and Whelan repeated
the hemes addressed in the broader meeting, with Whela
underscoring that the USG needs more precision bout
Tunisia's requirements to better guard against the threat
posed by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. General Meddeb
opined that better military-military intelligence cooperation
would help. He recalled that in the 1980's the United States
used to provide daily updates about Soviet ship movements in
the Mediterranean, suggesting that this kind of
information-sharing was an appropriate model. Whalen said
the US side would seek to strengthen this area.

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Productive Working Sessions
---------------------------

5. (C) The JMC itself proceeded as planned, with positive but
quite general exchanges in the plenary, with more detailed
briefings in the Subcommittees on Security Assistance and on
Military Cooperation. (Note: The minutes of these sessions
have been emailed to PM/RSAT and NEA/MAG.) US participants

described the Tunisian briefings as "more forthcoming than
ever," but still not quite reaching the level of precision
that the US side requires for planning purposes.
Specifically, the Tunisians did not provide a comprehensive
five-year planning document laying out in detail their
military assistance priorities and how they intend to use FMF
and other means to meet them.

6. (SBU) Highlights of the working sessions included:

-- A briefing on the Tunisian Army's top military assistance
priorities, i.e., light weapons, individual protection, NVDs,
GPS, laser range finders, aiming point devices, HWMMW and
shelters, chemical gear, EOD gear, parachutes, and support
vehicles.

-- A briefing on the Tunisian Air Force's top priorities,
i.e., upgrading F5 and T53 engines and C130 pilot training.
Secondary priority was given to EDA C130H and SH-60, J85-21C
engines for the F5 and T56 engines for C130, sustainment of
the UH-1, upgrade for the C130B, a UH-1H simulator, and
initial pilot training for graduating cadets.

-- The Tunisian side also requested as a top priority two
Protector Class (or equivalent 25 meter) coastal patrol
boats, which the Tunisian military intends to supplement with
an additional two coastal patrol boats by FY12.

-- The Tunisian side briefed on the Tunisian medical
organization, requesting US assistance for its intensive care
unit and burn unit, as well as in the area of aerospace
physiology.

-- The Tunisian side briefed on the military's civilian
development/engineering project in R'Jim Maatoug, located
south of Kebili. Both in Morjane's plenary statement and in
the more detailed briefing in the military cooperation
subcommittee, the project was held up as a model for
potential US-Tunisian cooperation in humanitarian assistance.
The US side expressed openness to considering future
projects in conjunction with the Tunisian Ministry of Defense
along the lines of the R'Jim Maatoug project, which the
Italians helped fund.

-- On the US side, the Tunisians welcomed the briefing on the
Scan Eagle Unmanned Air System, noting that a site survey by
the US program office would be required to better assess
support requirements. After repeated requests, the Tunisians
permitted a site visit along the Tunisian-Algerian border to
review issues related to deployment of GSRs and UAVs. The
Tunisians were invited to observe as part of AFRICOM's
mil-mil program the US Marine Corps exercise Mohave Viper at
29 Palms training area in California June 1-4, 2009 where
USMC employs Scan Eagle UAV as part of its predeployment
training. (Note: The Tunisian Military accepted this offer
on May 20, sending the Embassy the names of two Air Force
officers.)

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Comment
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7. (C) Although the session was productive, and the Tunisian
side more forthcoming than it has been in recent years about
its priorities with respect to military assistance needs,
there was still an absence of precision in some of the
Tunisian briefings. In the coming weeks, the Mission will
review FMF and other US assistance here in light of the JMC
and other developments in US-Tunisian bilateral relations,
including the future of the American Cooperative School of
Tunis. End Comment.

8. (SBU) DASD Whelan did not have a chance to clear this
cable prior to departing Post.

Please visit Embassy Tunis' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/tunis/index.c fm
Godec