GOF: ISAF U.N. MANDATE STRONG ENOUGH AS IS;

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 005608

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/19/2015
TAGS: AF MARR PREL FR NATO UNSC
SUBJECT: GOF: ISAF U.N. MANDATE STRONG ENOUGH AS IS;
PREPARING FOR KABUL

REF: SECSTATE 146276

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt for Reaso
ns 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) On August 9 poloff spoke with MFA Afghanistan Desk
Officer, Cyril Gerardon, who said that the MFA was still
studying the mandate in conjunction with MOD officials to
determine what changes, if any, would need to be made. On
August 18 poloff met with Alexandra Novosseloff of the MOD
office for Peacekeeping Operations and Crisis Management.
Novosseloff said that the MOD had looked at the mandate in
the context of CFC-A and ISAF integration envisioned by SHAPE
and concluded that the mandate would not need to be changed.
She said that the mandate, in allowing ISAF to create a
"secure environment," is sufficiently broad to cover
integration. Furthermore, she added, counter-terrorism
activities, while not mentioned in the mandate itself, are
explicitly addressed in UNSCR 1368.


2. (C) Novosseloff, adding historical context, explained
that the GoF had been reluctant to support the integration of
ISAF and OEF, mostly due to its fear that the U.S. would use
the merger to draw down its forces in Afghanistan. She said
that while the French have since recognized the utility of
integration, they still harbor concerns that the U.S. could
one day make the determination that ISAF is sufficient to
deal with hostilities and radically downsize its troop
strength in the country. The GoF would not feel comfortable
with ISAF being forced to expand to fill that void.


Preparing for New Responsibilities in Kabul
--------------


3. (U) Novosseloff said that the French are examining all of
the elements involved in taking responsibility for Kabul and
will be ready to assume command of that area as scheduled
next summer. She said that France would be asking other
countries to provide support for the mission (a medical
services unit, for example). Also, the French continue to
talk with the Turks who, she said, have proved themselves a
reliable and competent partner in Afghanistan. She said that
the French envision that they will need to augment their
forces to approximately 1,000 in advance of taking
responsibility for Kabul, which they are prepared to do.
Hofmann