Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06USNATO684
2006-11-24 18:52:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Mission USNATO
Cable title:  

NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT - NOVEMBER 22, 2006

Tags:  NATO PREL 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO8067
OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHROV
DE RUEHNO #0684/01 3281852
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 241852Z NOV 06
FM USMISSION USNATO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0243
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNOSC/ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY COOPERATION IN EUROPE PRIORITY
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 0315
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0207
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 0067
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE PRIORITY 1305
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 0482
RUEHUP/AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST PRIORITY 0088
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 0227
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0481
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY 0091
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0118
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 0565
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0223
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 0471
RUEHSQ/AMEMBASSY SKOPJE PRIORITY 3269
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0307
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