US embassy cable - 03OTTAWA2181

S E C R E T OTTAWA 002181 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2013 
TAGS: CD, LI, ML, MR, NG, PGOV, PHUM, PREL, XY, CA, UNSC 
SUBJECT: FORCES FOR LIBERIA: CANADA WOULD LIKE TO HELP, 
BUT.... 
 
REF: STATE 219151 
 
Classified By: A/Pol Min Mary Witt for reasons 1.5(b) and (d) 
 
(S) Post conveyed points contained reftel concerning support 
for peacekeeping operations in Liberia to Barbara Martin, 
Director of DFAIT's Regional Security and Peacekeeping 
Division, Lt. Col. Denis Thompson, of the Directorate of 
Peacekeeping Policy at National Defense Headquarters, and 
Cindy Kleiman, DFAIT desk officer for Liberia, on July 31. 
Martin commented they had recently received a similar 
approach through informal channels at the UN. Martin said 
Canada takes the situation in Liberia very seriously, and is 
exploring ways it can support the peacekeeping mission there. 
But because Canada's forces and military assets are stretched 
thin by deployments in Bosnia and, more recently, in 
Afghanistan, Martin was "not optimistic" it will find a way 
to contribute to peacekeeping forces in Liberia, at least in 
the near term. Over the long term, Martin said, Canada would 
have an interest in providing civilian support to help to 
establish and train local police and security forces in 
Liberia. 
CELLUCCI