Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06USNATO712
2006-12-13 15:50:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Mission USNATO
Cable title:  

U/S BURNS MEETS WITH NATO SECRETARY GENERAL

Tags:  MARR NATO OVIP PREL 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4194
OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV
DE RUEHNO #0712/01 3471550
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 131550Z DEC 06
FM USMISSION USNATO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0301
INFO RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD IMMEDIATE 0234
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE 0492
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 USNATO 000712 

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/05/2016
TAGS: MARR NATO OVIP PREL
SUBJECT: U/S BURNS MEETS WITH NATO SECRETARY GENERAL


Classified By: Amb. Victoria Nuland for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 USNATO 000712

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/05/2016
TAGS: MARR NATO OVIP PREL
SUBJECT: U/S BURNS MEETS WITH NATO SECRETARY GENERAL


Classified By: Amb. Victoria Nuland for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: In a meeting December 5 with NATO Secretary
General (SYG) De Hoop Scheffer, U/S Burns discussed strategy
for NATO's 2008 and 2009 Summits, which should focus on
NATO's global missions and partnerships, enlargement, and
Afghanistan. U/S Burns advised careful consideration of the
proposed Afghanistan Contact Group, suggesting that results
remained key and existing coordinating bodies might also need
strengthening. The SYG said he is concerned that some
European leaders lack the will to do what is needed in
Afghanistan, and worried where replacements for Dutch and
British soldiers will come from once these troops rotate out
of southern Afghanistan in 2008. The SYG asked for
high-level U.S. assistance in engaging Pakistan, and said he
will travel to Pakistan to meet with President Musharraf.
The SYG and U/S Burns agreed to try to organize a reinforced
NAC at Political Directors' level in January 2007 to
coordinate policy on Afghanistan and Kosovo. The SYG
underscored the need for more open NATO - EU consultations,
as well as increased EU involvement in Afghanistan and
Kosovo. De Hoop Scheffer agreed to U/S Burns's suggestion
that he visit Washington in the spring of 2007. End Summary.

Afghanistan Contact Group Proposal
==================================


2. (C) The SYG raised the proposed Afghanistan Contact
Group, as suggested by President Chirac at the Riga Summit,
and asked for U.S. thoughts. U/S Burns responded that, while
he had yet to speak with Secretary Rice, the proposal
required careful consideration. While Bosnia had a need for
a "Paddy Ashdown", Afghanistan has a democratically elected,
sovereign government, that needed to be empowered rather than
constrained by any proposals. Karzai had expressed his
concerns to Ambassador Neumann, including his unhappiness
that the French had not consulted him before floating the
proposal.


3. (C) U/S Burns pointed out that the existing Joint
Coordination and Monitoring Board (JCMB) already provides a

venue for coordination which could be strengthened. He
questioned the SYG about the proposed membership of the
Contact Group, noting that countries like Pakistan and India
should be included, although having too many participants
would make the proposed group unwieldy.


4. (C) The SYG said that anything more than ten participants
would be unmanageable. He noted a potential UK proposal that
would limit participation to the G7, NATO, and the UN. De
Hoop Scheffer agreed that while the JCMB is useful,
coordination among civilian organizations is weak. Given how
the proposal was floated - by President Chirac, supported by
Chancellor Merkel at the Riga Summit - he would need to
address the issue. U/S Burns said we would provide
additional USG views on the proposal soon. The SYG and U/S
Burns agreed to try to organize a Reinforced NAC at Political
Directors level on Afghanistan and Kosovo in January.


Allies in Afghanistan
=====================


5. (S/NF) U/S Burns asked the SYG how he plans to keep
pressure on allies to remove caveats on their troops in
Afghanistan. The SYG responded that he "will continue to do
what we are already doing." He said he was "worried about
Europe" - in particular where replacements for the UK and
Dutch troops deployed in RC-South will come from in 2008 --
but more generally about the lack of political will on the
part of some leaders. He had hoped that Chancellor Merkel
would both raise Germany,s profile in NATO and help "rein
in" the French, adding that "her speeches are there, but her
actions are not." He sees an increasing political populism
in Europe, where "the center is losing to the fringes,"
adding that Europe is more and more inward looking. De Hoop
Scheffer noted the need for more EU involvement in
Afghanistan, including discussion at EU summits. The SYG
emphasized that NATO needs "full U.S. pressure on Pakistan
behind closed doors."

Kosovo
======


6. (C) U/S Burns said we now expect Martti Ahtisaari to make
his recommendation in February 2007 for an independent
Kosovo. Russia may difficult, but would not veto a
resolution. Kosovo will inevitably have economic problems,
and already suffered from high unemployment, and limited

USNATO 00000712 002 OF 003


natural resources. Given these circumstances, it was
important that Kosovo quickly receive international
recognition and full UN status. De Hoop Scheffer said NATO
will remain as a guarantor in the security field, while also
building up Kosovo's security services. The SYG complained
that it was unclear whether NATO or the EU has the lead in
Kosovo, in part because the two organizations do not speak at
the political level. He commented that the EU realizes it
will have a large task helping build Kosovo's economy, and
that the EU needs to "take Kosovo by the hand" to ensure its
economic growth. He asked for U.S. assistance in pressing
Allies to address both Kosovo and Afghanistan more seriously
within the EU framework, including at the upcoming EU Summit.

Iran
====


7. (C) De Hoop Scheffer expressed appreciation for U/S
Burns's update of ongoing efforts to get an UNSCR on Iran and
to create additional avenues outside of the UN to keep the
pressure on Tehran, including an effective program to
discourage some types of lending.


Future Summit Strategies
========================


8. (C) The SYG noted the success of the Riga Summit, and
said the next step will be developing a workplan for the 2008
Summit. This summit should focus more on enlargement,
reconfirming NATO,s "open door" policy. The 2009 Summit
should then focus on larger NATO "concepts", including
global partners. U/S Burns agreed it is not too soon to look
at summit strategies, including how NATO can make the "leap
to a global mission," and that he is also enthusiastic about
the global partners concept. He underscored the importance
of the Afghanistan mission to the alliance, and agreed with
the SecGen on maintaining an "open door" policy. In
addition, the way NATO operates needs to be modified; while
issues of "war and peace" will still require a consensus,
other decisions could be agreed by a simple majority. The SYG
and Burns both endorsed an update of NATO's Strategic Concept
in time for the sixtieth anniversary summit in 2009.
Ambassador Nuland added that homeland security needed to be
addressed as well. U/S Burns voiced USG support for
Bucharest as the 2008 Summit host. The SecGen responded that
a "large majority of countries" favor Lisbon, but that he
would work towards an agreement.


9. (C) The SYG said there is a large degree of "immobility"
within the European Union, which puts the "focus of spreading
the zone of security on NATO." He envisioned strategic
discussions at NATO gaining more "weight," as the EU was
doubting its own identity. De Hoop Scheffer stressed the
need to fully integrate the Balkan states into the
Euro-Atlantic structures; if not, in the future there may be
a need to "send 60,000 soldiers back in to the Balkans."


10. (C) De Hoop Scheffer also pointed out the Riga Summit
had provided openings in both missile defense and energy
security which should be pursued. De Hoop Scheffer agreed to
U/S Burns' suggestion that he visit Washington in the spring
of 2007.

Participants
============


11. (U) Participants:

U.S. Delegation:

U/S Burns

Ambassador Nuland

Ms. Sumona Guha, EUR

Robert Kemp, USNATO


NATO Staff:

Secretary General de Hoop Scheffer

SIPDIS

Deputy Secretary General Minuto Rizzo

Amb. Schuwer, Acting Director, Private Office

Mr. Joe Manso, Deputy Director, Private Office

USNATO 00000712 003 OF 003




12. (U) U/S Burns's staff has cleared this cable.
OLSON