US embassy cable - 05OTTAWA952

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000952 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, MARR, MASS, PREL, CA 
SUBJECT: CANADA: DEMARCHE ON SUPPORT FOR LIBERIAN MILITARY 
REFORM 
 
REF: SECSTATE 49284 
 
1.  Poloff delivered reftel demarche concerning support for 
Liberian military reform to Louis Hamel, Director of the 
West/Central Africa Division at Foreign Affairs Canada (FAC), 
and Simon Snoxell, FAC Desk Officer for Liberia, on March 23. 
 Snoxell subsequently advised poloff on March 31 that Liberia 
remains a relatively low priority and that the Government of 
Canada (GoC) has no specific plans at this time for providing 
assistance to the Liberian military. 
 
2.  Poloff also discussed this demarche with Andrew 
Armstrong, Manager of Fleet Policies and Standards at 
Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) Headquarters, since reftel 
indicated that the GoC may have a number of 12-15 meter Coast 
Guard vessels appropriate for coastal patrol use.  Armstrong 
confirmed that the CCG has nine 13.5 meter boats (identical 
to U.S. Coast Guard 44-foot patrol boats) that are scheduled 
for retirement.  However, he questioned whether these boats 
would be appropriate for coastal patrols, given their age (30 
years), low operating speed, and limited endurance. 
Continuing, he said that the CCG used these boats primarily 
for inland surf rescue, and that they were not blue-water 
capable. 
 
3. Minimize considered. 
 
Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa 
 
DICKSON