NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT - NOVEMBER 22, 2006

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 04 USNATO 000684 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/23/2016 TAGS: NATO PREL SUBJECT: NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT - NOVEMBER 22, 2006 Classified By: DCM Richard G. Olson for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). (C) SUMMARY: -- Afghanistan: Defense Chiefs agree on need for burden sharing, but force generation comes up short; ISAF assisting flood relief in northwest Afghanistan; PM Blair,s visit to Afghanistan will inform his Riga intervention. -- Pakistan: Pakistani Chairman of Joint Chiefs has first-ever meeting with NATO SYG, SHAPE; he reiterated value of the Tripartite Commission, commitment to working with ISAF, and the importance of Afghanistan,s security to Pakistan,s security; he also requested technical capabilities to better monitor the Pak-Afghan border. -- Condemnation of Lebanese Minister Gemayal Assassination: SYG to issue statement condemning Lebanese Minister Gemayal assassination; France expresses hesitation and wants to refer the issue to capitals (statement was issued). -- Iraq: Deputy Prime Minister Salih underscored to the SYG the importance of NTM-I training and the need for further capacity building of Iraqi security forces; he asserted that conflict was between extremists and moderates, not sects, and fears Iraq is falling off international community,s radar screen due to the high levels of violence. -- Defense Against Terrorism Initiatives: ASYG Billingslea highlights cutting-edge Defense Against Terrorism initiatives that will help ISAF in Afghanistan, including countering IEDs and mortar attacks and protecting helicopters from RPGs. -- Medium-Term Financial Plan: NAC endorses Medium-Term Financial Plan for 2007-2011; U.S. objects to "zero real growth policy;" SYG highlights need to address CNAD budget. END SUMMARY. -------------- Afghanistan -------------- (C) SYG de Hoop Scheffer told Council that NATO,s Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Center (EADRCC) is in contact with ISAF, monitoring the floods in northwestern Afghanistan, and ready to respond to any Afghan requests for assistance. Following a Belgian break of silence, he urged the Military Committee to find a pragmatic way ahead to approve outline advice on ANA training so that the NAC could consider it prior to Riga. The SYG stated that the NATO military chain is looking into an EU request to NATO to provide logistical and security assistance for the upcoming EU planning mission to Afghanistan. He also noted that COMISAF and NATO Senior Civilian Representative Everts intend to travel to Islamabad soon. (C) CMC Henault gave a brief rundown of conclusions from the November 15 Chiefs of Defense meeting, highlighting that CHODs agreed on the need for political and military cohesion, equitable burden sharing, and the need to intensify efforts and improve ISAF,s communication strategy both inside and outside Afghanistan. CHODs agreed that Afghanistan had made security and development progress, but that timelines for progress were long, and that military means alone would not bring stability to Afghanistan. They called for better international coordination of reconstruction and development. IMS Operations AD MG Fenton gave the NAC a preliminary readout of the November 21 force generation conference. He said the conference was "disappointing;" while two training teams and additional air assets were offered, ISAF CJSOR shortfalls for a theater task force and three new PRTs remain. The SYG followed up forcefully, stating that the results were very unimpressive. USNATO 00000684 002 OF 004 (C) MG Fenton stated that insurgent attacks were again on the rise in RC-E, and that ISAF assessed insurgents were exploiting the "permissive border" as a result of the Pakistan government,s North Waziristan agreement. MG Fenton briefed on flood relief efforts in the northwest. ISAF was working with the GOA and UNAMA, helping to deliver food, water, blankets, and other supplies from PRTs in Meymana and Qal-e Now to Badghis province. ISAF fixed-wing and rotary-wing assets had been redeployed to assist, resulting in the postponement of other security and reconstruction operations. (S) Spain noted that its PRT in Qal-e Now had provided 52 tons of disaster aid, and that the governor of Badghis was dealing with the flood crisis competently. Germany argued that the Afghan Development Zones (ADZ) concept was not relevant nationwide and should not be applied to northern areas where the security picture was more stable and development was more advanced. The UK PermRep briefed on PM Blair,s November 20 trip to Afghanistan. Noting themes that he said would likely influence Blair,s Riga intervention, he stated real progress had been made since the PM,s last visit in January 2002, but that continuing threats from the Taliban, narcotics and corruption must be tackled firmly. PM Blair had found President Karzai confident, realistic, and cautiously optimistic. -------------- Pakistan -------------- (C) Visit of Pakistani Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: The SYG described his November 17 meeting with Pakistani CJCS General ul-Haq as productive, with an open exchange of views. The meeting convinced the SYG that Allies needed unity of messaging with the Pakistani government, and he stated his intent to return to this subject with the NAC at a later date. CMC noted that General ul-Haq,s meetings with the Military Committee and at SHAPE were the first-ever by a Pakistani CHOD. He said that ul-Haq made an insightful presentation on the regional situation, reiterated that Pakistan values the Tripartite Commission and is committed to working with ISAF, and that Pakistan views security in Afghanistan as fundamental to Pakistan,s security. Ul-Haq made a strong pitch for technical capabilities, from NATO or others, to help monitor the border with Afghanistan. -------------- -------------- Assassination of Lebanese Minister Gemayel -------------- -------------- (U) Deploring the murder of Minister Pierre Gemayel in Lebanon, the SYG asked PermReps whether he should issue an SYG statement, or a statement on behalf of the NAC. The US, UK, SP, IT, CA, BU, GR and Portugal all spoke in favor of issuing a strong condemnation. French Ambassador Duqu, however, said that this issue was "so sensitive and the risk of misinterpretation so great," that he could not authorize a NAC statement until "capitals were consulted." Questioning what risk a NATO statement could pose in light of the UN and EU's own statements of condemnation, Ambassador Nuland urged the SYG to issue a statement condemning the assassination as an act of terror, and to express NATO solidarity with the Lebanese people. -------------- Iraq -------------- (C) The SYG noted that the tasking for NMAs to provide options regarding Prime Minister Maliki,s request for gendarmerie training had gone forward, and that discussion on the Fall 2006 PMR began last week. The SYG also reported on his November 21 meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih. Salih underscored the importance to Iraq of the USNATO 00000684 003 OF 004 training done at the NTM-I, and the need for further capacity building of Iraq,s security forces, including paramilitary training. Salih characterized the conflict in Iraq as between moderates and extremists, rather than between religious sects. Salih expressed concern that Iraq might be falling off the radar screen of international organizations; he hopes they can look beyond the violence to the larger goals and Iraq,s progress. He assessed that the assassination of Pierre Gemayel in Lebanon may have grave negative affects on regional stability. -------------- Balkans -------------- (SBU) The SYG noted issuance of SG(2006)0830, a paper on the status of NATO preparations for post-settlement Kosovo, including its technical talks with the EU. The SYG reminded Council that planning and close consultation with other international organization was critical. CMC noted that November 28 was Albanian Flag Day, which is often used by ethnic Albanians to underscore their aspirations for independence. He assured PermReps of KFOR,s readiness to deter or deal with any incidents that may occur in conjunction with Albanian Flag Day. -------------- Darfur -------------- (SBU) The SYG noted the outcome of the November 16 meeting in Addis Ababa on Darfur, including a possible "hybrid" UN-AU force for Darfur. The Sudanese government is expected to formally offer its views prior to the November 29th AU PSC meeting, and the PSC is expected to extend the mandate of AMIS for six months beyond the end of the 2006. The SYG also told PermReps that all parties to the conflict are scheduled to meet soon, under AU-UN auspices, to try to resolve outstanding issues. CMC noted the strategic military order for NATO assistance to AMIS expires December 31. If AMIS is extended, and the AU asks for support, this military order will need to be readdressed. -------------- CNAD and NC3 Board Meetings -------------- (C) ASYG for Defense Investment Marshall Billingslea emphasized that CNAD and NATO C3 Board's work efforts continue to be focused on providing maximum support to ISAF. He noted "significant advances" in developing information and communication systems capabilities, with NATO's new equipment increasingly mobile and deployable. Billingslea reviewed NATO's progress-to-date on various Defense Transformation initiatives, including the CNAD "Defense Against Terrorism" initiatives. He stressed that new, cutting-edge technologies were being developed to address major threats, including to counter IEDs and mortar attacks, as well as helicopter and large body armaments for protection against RPGs. He reviewed the Afghan Force Tracking System, noted that the C-17 initiative was moving forward, and said that NATO hopes to sign its first AGS contract by March 2007. -------------- Medium-Term Financial Plan -------------- (SBU) The SYG noted that the Civil Budget Committee (CBC) had presented its report with recommendations (C-M(2006)0125), while noting that the caveats that nations have placed on certain issues will require further discussion by the CBC or an appropriate NATO committee. A large number of PermReps spoke up in favor of accepting the CBC report as a compromise solution (GE, UK, BE, FR, IT, TU, CZ). Portugal opposed zero real growth policy, and Italy criticized the cuts in NATO's Security Through Science Program. Ambassador Nuland said that the U.S. accepted the CBC recommendations, as a bare USNATO 00000684 004 OF 004 minimum, but that "zero real growth policy" was not the way for NATO to focus on the future, especially in light of NATO's global role. She advised that the U.S. would seek to revisit this issue after Riga. The SYG said that unresolved issues concerning a requested Euro 10 million budget for CNAD's "Defense Against Terrorism Initiatives" needed to be studied to determine where such funding should come from, and that he would take this up after Riga. NULAND