NATO-AFGHAN COOPERATION PROGRAM - GOA AND NATO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001045

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/A, EUR/RPM
NSC FOR HARRIMAN/AMEND
CENTCOM FOR POLAD, CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/08/2016
TAGS: PREL MARR AF
SUBJECT: NATO-AFGHAN COOPERATION PROGRAM - GOA AND NATO
AMBASSADORS DISCUSS DRAFT TEXTS


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Classified By: AMBASSADOR RONALD NEUMANN, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) Summary: Minister of Defense Wardak and
National Security Advisor called a meeting of NATO
Ambassadors on March 9 to discuss draft language for
the Afghan Cooperation Program negotiations, to take
place in Brussels on March 13-15. The Afghan side
has added a substantial amount of new language to
the NATO draft in order to increase the importance
of the agreement, and has proposed the new title,
&NATO-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership and
Cooperation Program.8 The new draft also includes
points on interoperability (although it does not
specify military equipment we suspect that is a
purpose),NATO actions in support of reconstruction
and development, and more detailed language
regarding cooperation with the Afghan National
Security Forces (army and police). We have
cautioned that some areas like development and
counter narcotics may not be within NATO,s purview.
(We will send scanned copies of the two drafts to
USNATO and SCA/A via classified email.) End
summary.


2. (C) NSA Rassoul emphasized that the primary
purpose of the agreement is to reinforce the Afghan-
NATO relationship on the strategic level. He said
that it was intended to reinforce Afghanistan,s
long-term link to NATO. Minister Wardak added that
Afghanistan is already working closely with NATO and
is seeking to build an enduring relationship.
Wardak said that the common interests and threats
shared by both Afghanistan and NATO justify the
request for a strategic partnership. He mentioned
three specific benefits they hope to get out of the
agreement. 1) It would reassure those who look at
the period of the 1990s when Afghanistan was
abandoned by most of the international community; 2)
In future Afghanistan would like to contribute to
NATO peacekeeping efforts and the proposals in the
agreement would help Afghanistan develop this
capability; and 3) A strategic partnership with
NATO, together with the strategic partnership
already signed with the United States, would show
neighboring countries that the international
community is committed to Afghanistan for the long
term, and would thereby have a strong deterrence
effect.


3. (C) NATO SCR Minister Cetin noted that while some
NATO member nations would be willing to accept the
concept of a strategic partnership with Afghanistan
others might not. When Minister Wardak said that
Afghanistan wanted an agreement that would be &more8
than the Partnership for Peace, Cetin responded that
the NATO draft already went beyond the PfP, but that
Afghanistan should remember that NATO has special
relationships with PfP countries as well.


4. (C) The Canadian Ambassador requested
clarification about the binding nature of the
document. It was agreed that it should be
political, not legally, binding, since NATO does not
have authority to conclude treaties and member
nations would have to obtain ratification from their
national legislatures.


5. (C) Ambassador Neumann, noting that he had not
had an opportunity to receive instructions from
Washington, remarked that during the process of

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discussing ISAF Phase III expansion it had become
clear that some NATO countries make a clear division
between civilian and military tasks and do not see a
developmental role for NATO. Thus inclusion of NATO
responsibilities for alternative livelihood and
economic development might be problematic.
Minister Wardak asked about the development work
undertaken by PRTs, and the Ambassador replied that
the subject had received a great deal of discussion
at the NAC. He said that the language regarding
PRTs in the OPLAN had been agreed by all parties,
and might be a good starting point for the Afghan-
NATO discussion on this subject.


6. (C) The German Ambassador questioned the lack of
differentiation between army and police in the
Afghan draft, noting that it refers primarily to
ANSF. He expressed the view of his government that
NATO is not the right partner for policing, and that
military and police issues need to be separated in
the document. Minister Wardak acknowledged the
point and said they would make some changes to their
draft.

Comment
--------------


8. (C) These drafts are the starting point for
negotiations, and the Afghans will probably accept
changes to their proposals. What was clear from the
today,s discussion was that the Afghan side does not
understand the decision-making process at NATO, nor
the relationship between NATO and its member states.
Rather, the Afghans see NATO as a single unit with
which they can easily come to agreement, and which
can take on a variety of tasks ) such as
reconstruction projects ) without reference to the
national policies of member states. However, while
both sides agreed that it is unlikely the three
days, discussion will result in a document ready for
signature, the meeting should pave the way for
eventual agreement to a document with value for both
sides.
NEUMANN