BUILDING ON NATO FOREIGN MINISTERIAL: GERMANY

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 000065

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/07/2015
TAGS: MARR PREL AF GM NATO
SUBJECT: BUILDING ON NATO FOREIGN MINISTERIAL: GERMANY
SUPPORTS GOALS ON AFGHANISTAN

REF: STATE 2743

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor John K. Bauman;
Reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) In response to reftel demarche, on January 6 MFA
Deputy NATO director Herbert Beck assured Embassy that
Germany will continue to push other NATO allies increase
their contributions to ISAF. When asked if he thought Germany
would be able to persuade the Spaniards to provide a PRT in
Qala-e Nah or Chaghcharan, Beck replied "that is a good
question." Germany has urged the GOS to take over a PRT, but
thus far they have been noncommital. He said that the
success of ISAF remains one of Germany's top priorities and
that Germany raises the issue with allies at every
opportunity.


2. (C) Beck said that Germany did not have a specific plan in
mind for how it could help with the Parliamentary elections.
He noted that when Turkey takes over the ISAF lead from
EUROCORPS in February, Germany will have a larger cushion
between deployed forces and the parliamentary-imposed ceiling
of 2,250. Although Germany had originally thought that its
NRF-IV forces would be deployed to support the Parliamentary
elections, the French would prefer to keep NRF-IV troops on
standby for other missions. Instead he expected that the
German contribution for election support will be determined
by the upcoming force generation process.

Kabul minimize considered.
COATS