[Canadian] Tories Closing Embassies in Bosnia, Cambodia

Apr. 22, 2009
By Lee Berthiaume, Michelle Collins
Embassy Magazine (Canada)

"If it happened that Canada closed much more embassies than one or two, it would be easier to understand" - Bosnian Ambassador Milenko Misic wondering how much Canada would save by closing only 2 missions

The government has quietly decided to shutter Canada's embassies in Cambodia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, signalling an end to almost 20 years of intense engagement in both countries that included major contributions in peacekeeping and development.

While the government has cited financial reasons, the move has come as a shock to diplomats and reinforced criticism that the government is gutting Canada's foreign service and rendering the country irrelevant on the world stage.

In April 2007, media outlets began reporting that the government was looking to close 19 missions abroad as part of a major cost-cutting exercise that started the previous month with the closure of consulates in Russia, Italy and Japan.

The government had reportedly undertaken a major review of Canada's presence abroad, and some of the missions cited for closure included Cambodia, Latvia and those in the Balkans.

In an interview on Tuesday, Bosnian Ambassador Milenko Misic said he asked about the reports at that time, but "I got some information that it was a rumour, just a rumour. At that time, I got information that it was not the case."

So when Mr. Misic was summoned to a meeting with Foreign Affairs' director-general for Europe Robert Hage on April 9 at DFAIT headquarters, he was shocked to learn that the Canadian government was finally acting and would be closing the embassy in Sarajevo in August.

"I didn't expect such bad news," he said. "We know DFAIT's decision is of an economical nature and not political.... But I'm really disappointed and surprised."

Canadian Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina David Hutchings broke the news to the country's foreign ministry at the same time and also cited financial reasons.

Mr. Misic said that while he and his government understand the constraints the Canadian government is under, he couldn't help but wonder how much would be saved by closing only two missions.

"If it happened that Canada closed much more embassies than one or two, it would be easier to understand," he said.

The Canadian Embassy in Sarajevo was officially opened in 1996 after the signing of the Dayton Agreement, which ended the Bosnian War and marked the beginning of a new era of Canadian-Bosnian relations.

Canadian peacekeepers had been heavily involved in the war and remained afterwards. A total of 40,000 Canadians helped bring peace and stability to the country, with the brunt of the force leaving in September 2004. More than 25 died while serving there.

According to the National Defence website, Canada still has one peacekeeping operation underway there, with a total effective strength of eight. DND did not respond to inquiries about the mission by press time.

Canada has also contributed more than $144 million since 1990 in development projects, according to CIDA. All programs are slated to end in early 2010.

Noting that Canada had employed the three-D approach to relations with Bosnia—diplomacy, defence and development—Mr. Misic said the closing of the embassy in Sarajevo and the expiration of CIDA projects in the country essentially marks an end to all three.

Canada "really significantly contributed to the post-war reconstruction," the ambassador said, adding that Canada is still considered an important player for what "now is a normal country in transition."

While acknowledging that bilateral trade between the two countries was relatively small, at only about $10 million, Mr. Misic noted there are about 30,000 Bosnians living in Canada now, "and I'm sure they will be very, very disappointed and even shocked by the decision."

Mr. Misic's term as ambassador to Canada is due to expire in July, and a successor has not been appointed. He did not know if his government was considering closing its embassy in Ottawa.

According to the DFAIT website, the trade investment section of Canada's embassy in Hungary will be responsible for export, investment and business development assistance in Bosnia and Herzegovina, while the government is looking to set up an honorary consul to handle consular issues.

James Bissett, Canadian ambassador to Yugoslavia from 1990 to 1992, said missions abroad are closed from time to time based on needs and value, and that Canada's interests in Bosnia are not huge.

"I think we went there in the first place primarily to demonstrate our solidarity of the new state of Bosnia," he said, "and I think as a gesture we opened an embassy there.... When you're looking at the cost and benefits of where you put missions, Bosnia, unfortunately, ranks quite low."

Mr. Bissett did, however, predict disappointment—and possibly anger—because the U.S. and European Union have started paying more attention to Bosnia.

"Just at a time when they seem to be talking about a renewed interest in Bosnia and hoping that it will come along much stronger and eventually be able to get into the European community, Canada's pulling out will not be seen as a positive thing," he said. "It will probably be interpreted that we've kind of given up on the place."

Like Bosnia, Canadian peacekeepers served in Cambodia in the 1990s, and Canada has been a major donor in the Southeast Asian country, including to the ongoing Khmer Rouge Tribunal and to support governance and democracy.

DFAIT's website says the embassy in Phnom Penh will close next month, while a CIDA bilateral project "will continue to operate in Phnom Penh to provide project and logistical support to Canada's development assistance projects in Cambodia." Bilateral aid to the country totalled $6.89 million last year, but in February it was revealed Cambodia has been stricken from CIDA's list of development partners.

Consular services will be handled by the Australian Embassy.

Officials from the Cambodian Embassy in Washington, D.C., did not respond to calls, while DFAIT did not respond to questions by press time.

Gutting Foreign Affairs

The decision to close the two missions comes at a time when the government has been slashing DFAIT's budget, and was foretold in the department's Report on Plans and Priorities. The document revealed that overseas spending will drop by more than $86 million by 2011-12. The greatest cuts—$75.3 million—are planned for this year.

Roland Paris, research chair in international security and governance at the University of Ottawa, said the embassy closures are symptomatic of a larger problem, namely cuts to DFAIT's budget.

"The Harper government talks about Canada's leadership on the world stage, but in reality the government is quietly and systematically undermining this country's foreign policy infrastructure," he said.

"These budget cuts are short-sighted and foolish, and they will weaken Canada's voice and influence in the world. We should be investing in our foreign policy capacities, not starving them."

Speaking from Washington, D.C., where the Commons' Foreign Affairs committee is meeting with American officials, Liberal Foreign Affairs critic Bob Rae described the closures as "a sign of our government moving in a completely opposite direction of virtually every other government in the West."

"The closures reflect a lack of understanding of the importance of both countries where there's been significant conflict," he said. "There's still a great deal of work to do with civil society, there's enormous possibilities for aid and for that kind of presence, and I just think the Harper government moves from one disaster to another."

NDP Foreign Affairs critic Paul Dewar, also in Washington, said the closures are coming at a time when the U.S. is looking to double its spending on diplomacy. He dismissed suggestions the closures were due to financial reasons, noting it is the government who has cut DFAIT's budget.

"This is a political decision, and they didn't fund our overseas presence," he said, adding he believed more closures were on the way. "At its core, it's political."

lee@embassymag.ca