TAORMINA INFORMAL DEFENSE MINISTERIAL -- MOD

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 000563

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2016
TAGS: MARR PREL FR NATO
SUBJECT: TAORMINA INFORMAL DEFENSE MINISTERIAL -- MOD
LOOKING TO RAISE BROADER NATO OBJECTIVES


Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER-COUNSELOR JOSIAH ROSENBLATT, REASON 1
.4 B/D


1. (C) On January 26, during the course of a previously
scheduled meeting to discuss NATO issues, pol/miloff raised
the recent unsuccessful debate at NATO on securing a NAC-PSC
meeting on CT. In response, Camille Grand, Deputy Diplomatic
Advisor in the MOD Cabinet, said that the minister was also
concerned about ongoing differences at the technical level
among allies at NATO.


2. (C) Grand said that the recent debates and/or
disagreements arise from the different visions alliance
members have of NATO, adding that Alliot-Marie plans to
broach this issue at Taormina, as well as with SYG de Hoop
Scheffer, during the latter's stopover in Paris in February.
Alliot-Marie, he added, is very concerned about the evolution
of NATO and whether the right priorities are being set.
(Note: Grand did not provide a date for the SYG's visit, but
de Hoop Scheffer is scheduled to speak before the
European-American Press Club in Paris on 2 February.)


3. (C) In response to pol/miloff's observation that such
political discussions were already possible at the NAC, Grand
observed that a general debate on NATO's mission was still
needed. To emphasize this point, which embassy officers have
also heard at the MFA, Grand noted that the alliance is
discussing new operations, while modalities of existing
operations have not been sorted out. In the Balkans, the
concept of "in together, out together" was under question as
the United States considers a withdrawal of its forces.
Similarly, although NATO quite rightly reacted to a crisis
and embarked on a humanitarian operation in Pakistan, it is
not clear that NATO's militaries are equipped for such
civilian tasks. Without providing details, Grand observed
that Spain is unhappy with how the relief operation in Bagh
turned out.




Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm

Stapleton