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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• US Navy Destroyer En Route to Oman Gulf in Wake of Oil Tankers Attacks - CENTCOM Sputnik 14 Jun 2019 -- US Central Command said that US military is ready to defend US interests including freedom of navigation, noting that Washington has no interest in engaging in a new conflict in the Middle East.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Readout of Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan's Meeting with Portuguese Minister of National Defense João Cravinho DoD 14 Jun 2019
• Remarks By Acting Secretary Shanahan At An Enhanced Honor Cordon In Honor Of Portuguese Minister of National Defense João Cravinho DoD 14 Jun 2019 -- Acting Secretary Of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan; Portuguese Minister of National Defense João Cravinho
• Remarks By Acting Secretary Shanahan In A Media Availability DoD 14 Jun 2019 -- Acting Secretary Of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan
• Hospital Ship USNS Comfort Departs Norfolk for Medical Mission NNS 14 Jun 2019 -- The U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) left from Naval Station Norfolk, June 14, to begin its deployment to South America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
• Mine Warfare Integration Critical During BALTOPS 2019 NNS 14 Jun 2019 -- A team of researchers from the U.S. Navy's Office of Naval Research, German Naval Research (WTD 71), and staffs from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet boarded German multipurpose support ship FGS Kronsort to increase capability and experiment with technology never before used in Baltic Sea, June 11.
• Fort McHenry Conducts Refueling with German Supply Ship NNS 14 Jun 2019 -- The Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) conducted a replenishment-at-sea (RAS) with the German Navy Type 702 Berlin-class replenishment ship FGS Berlin (A 1411), in the Baltic Sea as part of Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2019, June 13.
• USS Fort McHenry Conducts Amphibious Operations in the Baltic Sea NNS 14 Jun 2019 -- The Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) participated in an amphibious landing on the Estonian coast while participating in exercise Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2019, June 12.
• US builds world's largest cyber arsenal, triggers cyber arms race People's Daily 14 Jun 2019 -- The US military and intelligence departments are building the world's largest cyber arsenal as destructive as nuclear weapons, triggering a cyber arms race in a global context.
• Florida Guard unit completes mission at Exercise Tradewinds 2019 Army News 14 Jun 2019 -- Over the past two weeks, Soldiers from the Florida Army National Guard's 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade teamed up with allies from throughout the Caribbean as part of U.S. Southern Command's exercise Tradewinds to bolster Caribbean defense capacity and strengthen regional ties. For the Soldiers of the FLARNG 54th SFAB, this marked their first overseas unit mobilization in the unit's history.
• Oklahoma National Guard operates on unfamiliar terrain at Western Strike Army News 14 Jun 2019 -- Soldiers of the Oklahoma Army National Guard's (OKARNG) 45th Field Artillery Brigade (FAB), with support from 90th Troop Command, worked through the muddy terrain and heavy rain of Fort Chaffee for exercise Western Strike, an annual training exercise, June 6-14 as part of the OKARNG's annual training.
• Readout of Performing the Duties of the Deputy Secretary of Defense David L. Norquist's Meeting with Djiboutian Minister of Defense Hassan Omar Mohamed Bourhan DoD 14 Jun 2019
• Harry S. Truman Conducts Ammo On-Load NNS 14 Jun 2019 -- The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) conducted an ammunition on-load with the fast combat support ship USNS Supply (T-AOE 6) June 10.
• Radar survey team uses new innovation for faster surveys US Air Force 14 Jun 2019 -- The Radar Survey section of the 84th Radar Evaluation Squadron at Hill Air Force Base, recently obtained new technology that revolutionizes how they survey terrain and man-made features.
• Ecuador Parliament Requires Explanations on Deal Allowing US to Deploy Jets in Galapagos Sputnik 14 Jun 2019 -- The Ecuadorian National Congress voted on Friday to summon the country's defence and environment ministers in order to demand their explanations on a recent agreement reached with the United States on using the territory of the Galapagos Islands by US military aircraft fighting drug trafficking.
• Russia vows 'retaliatory strike' to new US troops in Poland Press TV 14 Jun 2019 -- Russia says a new US military deployment to Poland announced by President Donald Trump on Wednesday would force Moscow to take retaliatory steps.
• Russian Military Detected 29 Foreign Spy Jets Near Airspace Over Past Week - Reports Sputnik 14 Jun 2019 -- Twenty-nine foreign aircraft have been detected while on reconnaissance missions near Russian airspace, a weekly infographic published by the Russian Armed Forces' official newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda showed on Friday.
• Military Aircraft Crashes in Central Vietnam, Killing Both Pilots – Official Sputnik 14 Jun 2019 -- A Yak-52 trainer plane has crashed in central Vietnam, leaving both pilots killed, the VnExpress newspaper reported on Friday.
• India Requires Russian Nod to Arm Su-30MKI With Israeli Derby Missiles - Source Sputnik 14 Jun 2019 -- Last month, several reports suggested that the IAF planned to integrate Israeli Rafale's I-Derby missiles with the Su-30MKI by 2022 in view of the limited range of the R-77 BVR missiles currently fielded on the fighter.
• India No Longer Needs to Look to West for Heavy Torpedoes for Its Submarines Sputnik 14 Jun 2019 -- Currently, the Indian Navy's Scorpene-class submarine does not carry modern heavy torpedoes since India scrapped a $200 million deal with Whitehead Alenia Systemi Subacquei (WASS), a subsidiary of Italian arms manufacturer Finmeccanica, over corruption allegations involving another Finmeccanica subsidiary, Agusta Westland, in 2017.
• Germany Joins Race to Acquire Laser 'Weapon of the Future' - Reports Sputnik 14 Jun 2019 -- Along with the US, Russia, and China, Germany will join the club of countries aiming to acquire high-energy laser weapons. The outlet Die Welt reports that the German Navy is just a step away from equipping one of its warships with a laser cannon.
• Congress will block Trump's arms sales to Saudi Arabia: Pelosi Press TV 14 Jun 2019 -- US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said that Congress will block President Donald Trump's arms sales to Saudi Arabia, which has been carrying out a war of aggression against the impoverished people of Yemen since 2015.
• Turkey 'to reciprocate if US imposes sanctions over S-400' Press TV 14 Jun 2019 -- Turkey has warned that "reciprocal steps" will be taken if the United States imposes sanctions on Ankara over its purchase of Russian-made S-400 missile defense systems.
• Turkey Threatens To Retaliate Against Any U.S. Sanctions Over Missile Deal With Russia RFE/RL 14 Jun 2019 -- Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said that Ankara will retaliate against any possible sanctions imposed by Washington over Turkey's deal to buy the S-400 surface-to-air defense missile system from Russia.
• German and French Positions at Odds Over Turkey's Purchase of Russian S-400 Systems Sputnik 14 Jun 2019 -- The Turkish foreign minister recently blasted US attempts to impose an ultimatum on Turkey over its S-400 purchase, noting that no foreign state has the right to tell Ankara what it should or shouldn't do.
• If US Introduces Sanctions Against Turkey Over S-400 Deal, Ankara Will Retaliate – Foreign Minister Sputnik 14 Jun 2019 -- Tensions between Turkey and the United States have reached a fever pitch in recent months over Ankara's decision to go ahead with the purchase of Russian-built air defence systems, which Washington claims will jeopardise its NATO ally's role in the F-35 fighter jet programme, possibly prompting sanctions.

Defense Industry

• Contracts for June 14, 2019
• French Air Force bolsters its fleet of H225Ms Airbus 14 Jun 2019 -- The French Defence Procurement Agency DGA has signed an order to purchase an additional H225M which will be operated by the French Air Force. The aircraft will be delivered in a configuration that allows it to be interoperable with the existing fleet of 10 H225Ms in the French Air Force and in particular it will be capable of inflight refuelling, an essential operational advantage that this helicopter offers.

Other Conflicts

• 14 June 2019 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 14 Jun 2019
• Yemen: maternal and newborn health 'on the brink of total collapse', UNICEF alerts UN News 14 Jun 2019 -- After more than four years of grinding conflict in Yemen, healthcare for mothers and their babies is "on the brink of collapse", the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned on Friday, in a report that highlights the difficulties of childbirth and parenting in a war zone.
• Yemen drones target Saudi's Abha airport for second time in a week Press TV 14 Jun 2019 -- Yemen's armed forces have carried out retaliatory drone attacks on an airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia for the second time in a week.
• KSA to Security Council: We and Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen will Take Urgent Measures to Deter and Hold Accountable those Responsible for Planning and Execution of Terrorist Attack on Abha Airport. SPA 14 Jun 2019 -- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has confirmed that it and coalition to support legitimacy in Yemen will take urgent and timely measures to deter such the terrorist attack of the Iran-backed Houthi militia on Abha International Airport in Asir province.
• Russia, Syria bomb gathering of Jabhat al-Nusra ringleaders Press TV 14 Jun 2019 -- Syrian and Russian warplanes have jointly carried out precision attacks against the positions of Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group, formerly known as al-Nusra Front, in the northwestern province of Idlib.
• Cameroon Military Delivering Aid to English-Speaking Regions VOA 14 Jun 2019 -- Cameroon's military is taking 55 truckloads of humanitarian aid to its English-speaking regions, amid heavy clashes with separatist forces that have killed at least 25 people in the past two weeks.
• Ethnic Conflicts in Mali Exacerbated by Extremist Presence VOA 14 Jun 2019 -- An attack that killed at least 35 people in a central Malian village on June 9 has been attributed to ethnic violence, but as Islamist militants continue to hold parts of Mali and the broader region, the distinction between ethnic conflict and jihadist terror is becoming blurred.
• UN suspending handover of camps in Darfur, peacekeeping chief tells Security Council UN News 14 Jun 2019 -- The joint African Union-UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), is suspending the handover of any more camps for displaced civilians to the Sudanese military, against a backdrop of worsening violence and insecurity across the country.
• South Sudanese facing famine in all but name, warns UN food agency UN News 14 Jun 2019 -- Record numbers in South Sudan – some seven million people – face acute food shortages, while more than 20,000 are close to famine, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Friday.
• Millions of People in South Sudan to Face Acute Hunger in Coming Weeks: UN VOA 14 Jun 2019 -- U.N. agencies warn millions of people in South Sudan will face acute shortages of food by the end of July, with tens of thousands experiencing famine-like conditions. A new report released Friday by the U.N.'s World Food Program, Food and Agriculture Organization and UNICEF, along with the government of South Sudan, assesses the food situation in the world's youngest country.
• Israeli Jets Strike Hamas Bases in Gaza VOA 14 Jun 2019 -- Israeli jets hit Hamas bases in Gaza Friday in response to a rocket fired into southern Israel that damaged a Jewish theological seminary.
• Israeli Forces Initiate Retaliatory Strikes on Gaza Strip - Report Sputnik 14 Jun 2019 -- Israeli airstrikes were reported in the Gaza Strip east of Gaza City around midnight Friday, believed to be in response to a rocket fired at the Israeli city of Sderot the previous day.
• Russia Begins Handing Out Passports To Ukrainians From Conflict Zone RFE/RL 14 Jun 2019 -- Russia has begun handing out Russian passports to Ukrainians from separatist-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine, a move condemned by Kyiv as "legally void."
• 'It's Time To Pay': Ukraine Detains Donetsk Separatist Referendum Organizer RFE/RL 14 Jun 2019 -- The chief organizer of a 2014 Donetsk separatist "independence" referendum in eastern Ukraine condemned by the international community has been detained by Ukrainian authorities, Prosecutor-General Yuriy Lutsenko has announced.
• Ahead of 2020 elections, situation in Burundi shows encouraging signs but remains fragile UN News 14 Jun 2019 -- A UN Security Council meeting on the security and political situation in Burundi was held on Friday, as the country continues to grapple with a four-year-long crisis and is gearing up for new elections in 2020.

News Reports

• Primary problem of foreign ships' incident technical: Official IRNA 14 Jun 2019 -- Director General of Ports and Maritime Department of Hormozgan province says that the appearance and preliminary estimation of experts from the department indicates that the problem of foreign ships' incident in the Oman Sea was technical.
• Suspicious accidents for oil tankers alarming: Spox IRNA 14 Jun 2019 -- Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said the US accusations regarding oil tankers in the Oman Sea are not only a joke and funny, but alarming and worrisome.
• Iran says attacks on 2 oil carriers in Sea of Oman "suspicious" People's Daily 14 Jun 2019 -- Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Thursday that the attacks on two oil tankers in the Sea of Oman earlier on the day were "suspicious."
• Russia warns against 'hasty conclusions' about tanker incidents in Sea of Oman Press TV 14 Jun 2019 -- Russia has warned against jumping to conclusions about a Thursday incident involving two oil tankers in the Sea of Oman, which the United States has claimed were attacks carried out by Iran.
• Iran warns US over blame game through 'suspicious' attacks Press TV 14 Jun 2019 -- Iran has warned the US to stop playing a blame game through "suspicious" attacks on oil tankers in the Middle East, describing the American behavior as "worrying".
• Oil-Tanker Attacks A 'Dangerous Escalation' In U.S.-Iran Confrontation, Expert Says RFE/RL 14 Jun 2019 -- Attacks on two commercial oil tankers in the Gulf Of Oman have escalated tensions in the Middle East and raised the prospect of a military confrontation between Iran and the United States. Washington and its allies in the region have blamed Tehran for the blasts on board the Norwegian-owned Front Altair and Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous. The cause of the explosions remains unclear.
• Trump Blames Iran For Attacks On Oil Tankers In Gulf Of Oman RFE/RL 14 Jun 2019 -- U.S. President Donald Trump has accused Iran of carrying out the June 13 attacks against two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.
• Gulf of Oman attacks: UK statement UK FCO 14 Jun 2019 -- UK Government statement following the attacks on tankers in the Gulf of Oman.
• UK Accuses Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps of Attacking Tankers in Gulf of Oman Sputnik 14 Jun 2019 -- UK Foreign Office accused on Friday the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) of attacking tankers in the Gulf of Oman.
• Owner of One Tanker in Oman Gulf Rules Out Technical Errors as Cause of Fire - Reports Sputnik 14 Jun 2019 -- The chief executive of Norwegian shipping firm Frontline Management, the owner of the Front Altair oil tanker, which was reportedly attacked in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday, has ruled out the possibility of a technical malfunction being behind the fire aboard the vessel, in an interview published on Friday.
• Trump Accuses Iran of Committing Attack on Oil Tankers in Gulf of Oman Sputnik 14 Jun 2019 -- Earlier, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Iran of committing attacks against two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. Tehran has vehemently denied Washington's accusations and called to stop using false flag provocations to shift the blame onto the Islamic Republic of Iran.
• Iran Urges US, Allies to Stop False Flag Ops in Mideast After Gulf of Oman Tanker Sabotage Sputnik 14 Jun 2019 -- The warning comes on the heels of US accusations that Iran was behind the attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman on 13 June - just one month after a similar incident near Fujairah was likewise blamed on the Islamic Republic.
• Sudan Ruling Council Admits It Ordered Deadly Dispersal of Protesters VOA 14 Jun 2019 -- Sudan's ruling military council has acknowledged it ordered the June 3 attack on protesters in Khartoum that left dozens of people dead. Meanwhile, talks between the council and opposition parties on forming an interim government appear to have stalled again.
• Sudanese Military Council Confirms Reports About New Coup Attempts Sputnik 14 Jun 2019 -- The Sudanese Transitional Military Council (TMC) has confirmed that it has thwarted several coup attempts which followed the overthrow of former President Omar Bashir.
• New Annual Data Released by White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Shows Poppy Cultivation and Potential Heroin Production Remain at Record-High Levels in Mexico The White House 14 Jun 2019
• The Week In Russia: One Step Forward, At Least 530 Steps Back RFE/RL 14 Jun 2019 -- There was euphoria in Moscow as journalist Ivan Golunov walked free after a historic climbdown by the Russian law enforcement authorities, who dropped a drug charge widely seen as fabricated. But it was back to business as usual the next day, with police detaining hundreds of peaceful demonstrators seeking to turn an exception into the norm.
• U.S. Senators Submit Bill With Sanctions Targeting Russian Gas Pipeline RFE/RL 14 Jun 2019 -- A group of U.S. Republican senators has introduced a bill to sanction entities involved with a Kremlin pipeline project as Washington seeks to force its European allies to reduce their dependence on Russian energy.
• Russian Charged With Trying To Obtain F-16 User Manuals To Avoid U.S. Trial RFE/RL 14 Jun 2019 -- A Russian software developer charged by U.S. authorities with trying to obtain user manuals and instructional materials for F-16 fighters jets will forgo a scheduled jury trial to enter a plea.
• EU Probe Finds 'Continued, Sustained' Online Disinformation By 'Russian Sources' RFE/RL 14 Jun 2019 -- The European Union says that it has gathered evidence of "continued and sustained" disinformation activity by Russia aimed at influencing the results of May's elections for the European Parliament.
• Drought Lingers in DPRK KCNA 14 Jun 2019 -- Drought has been persisting in some areas of the DPRK.
• Central Election Guidance Committee Formed in DPRK KCNA 14 Jun 2019 -- The Central Election Guidance Committee for the election of deputies to provincial (municipality), city (district) and county people's assemblies was organized in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
• Russia says interested in energy investment in Iran Press TV 14 Jun 2019 -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have discussed expansion of business ties between the two states in a range of fields, particularly in the energy sector, despite Washington's unilateral sanctions.
• Iran FM Zarif: US causing insecurity in region IRNA 14 Jun 2019 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif referred to his fruitful talks at Shanghai Summit, saying the US unilateral acts are responsible for regional insecurity.
• SCO states support JCPOA IRNA 14 Jun 2019 -- Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member-states in their final statement urged the signatories of Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), to comply with their commitments.
• Iran nuclear deal implementation only logical, correct path: Russian president Press TV 14 Jun 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned of the negative consequences of the US' withdrawal from the 2015 multilateral nuclear agreement, saying the parties' compliance with the deal would be the "only logical and correct path."
• Trump says wants Iran 'back at the table' after tanker attacks Press TV 14 Jun 2019 -- US President Donald Trump has said that he wants Iran to get back at the table, following attacks on two oil tankers in the Sea of Oman which Washington has blamed on Tehran.
• President Xi: China to promote ties with Iran no matter what Press TV 14 Jun 2019 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping says Beijing will continue to promote steady development of ties with Tehran no matter how the situation changes.
• Iranian President Tells SCO Summit That Trump Poses 'Serious Risk' To Stability RFE/RL 14 Jun 2019 -- Iranian President Hassan Rohani has told a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Bishkek that U.S. actions pose a "serious" threat to regional and global stability.
• China slams US for 'crude interference' in Hong Kong Press TV 14 Jun 2019 -- China has denounced as "crude interference" proposed US legislation for the annual certification of Hong Kong's autonomy.
• Beijing Sternly Criticizes US Legislation Over Hong Kong Crisis VOA 14 Jun 2019 -- China summoned a U.S. envoy in Beijing on Friday to protest against remarks by Washington about Hong Kong's controversial extradition bill.
• Taiwan Jumps In to Support Hong Kong Protesters VOA 14 Jun 2019 -- Not long after street demonstrators massed in Hong Kong this week to protest a controversial extradition bill that would allow criminal suspects to be sent to mainland China for trial, Taiwan's president, her ruling party and two of her government ministries voiced emphatic support for the demonstrators.
• Xi urges SCO shared future Global Times 14 Jun 2019 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called on Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states to build a closer community of shared future and to encourage multilateralism, free trade and a more reasonable and fair international order.
• Brussels To Drop Criticism Of Ukraine's Controversial Education Law RFE/RL 14 Jun 2019 -- A draft statement expected to be issued at an upcoming EU-Ukraine summit will express Brussels' continued recognition of Ukraine's European aspirations while dropping criticism of the country's education law, according to a copy of the draft seen by RFE/RL.
• SCO plays constructive role in promoting regional peace, stability: Statement Press TV 14 Jun 2019 -- The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is an "effective and constructive" mechanism for promoting multilateral cooperation that plays an important role in maintaining regional peace and stability, the SCO member states say.
• Shanghai Cooperation Organization Members Sign Joint Declaration RFE/RL 14 Jun 2019 -- The leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) countries have signed a joint declaration at their summit in Kyrgyzstan's capital, Bishkek, calling for greater cooperation among member countries and reaffirming their intent to ensure security for their region.
• New York Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Attempting to Join ISIS in Yemen US Dept. of Justice 14 Jun 2019 -- Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, Mohamed Rafik Naji was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment to be followed by five years supervised release by United States District Judge Frederic Block for attempting to provide material support or resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization. Naji pleaded guilty to the charge in February 2018.
• Prosecutors From The United States, Colombia and Mexico Strengthen Their Commitment to Dismantling Transnational Criminal Organizations US Dept. of Justice 14 Jun 2019 -- On June 12 to 14, in Cartagena, Colombia, prosecutors from Colombia, Mexico, and the United States came together for the second Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCO) Working Group. The mission of the Working Group is to engage in specialized training and to develop joint strategies and best practices to dismantle the transnational criminal organizations that threaten the three nations.
• Welcoming Democratic Change in Moldova US Dept. of State 14 Jun 2019
• Moldova's Democratic Party Government Resigns RFE/RL 14 Jun 2019 -- Moldova's Democratic Party (PDM) says Prime Minister Pavel Filip's government is resigning, signaling that a standoff with an incoming coalition cabinet is coming to an end.
• Moldova's Dual-Power PM Sandu Urges Democratic Party To Accept Opposition Status RFE/RL 14 Jun 2019 -- As Moldova approaches its second week of dual power, the cabinet backed by parliament has called for a public show of support on June 16.
• Erdogan's AKP Eyes Kurds to Reverse Istanbul Electoral VOA 14 Jun 2019 -- With Turkey's mayoral rerun election on June 23 looming, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AKP is eyeing the Kurdish vote, as speculation rises about a resumption in peace talks with Kurdish rebels.
• Anti-Corruption Protests Sweep Haiti's City of Independence VOA 14 Jun 2019 -- "Down with Jovenel! Down with Jovenel!" a group of PetroChallengers shouted Friday in Gonaives, a lush, port city 142 kilometers (88 miles) north of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
• No End in Sight for Thailand's Turbulent Politics VOA 14 Jun 2019 -- When Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha swears in his new cabinet this month, the ex-general who toppled Thailand's elected government five years ago will officially return civilian rule to a country that has made a cottage industry of coup d'états.