INVITATION TO CHAD ESDP FORCE GENERATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 003258 SIPDIS SIPDIS NOFORN DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/ERA (NDEAN),EUR/RPM (BTURNER),AF/FO (JSWAN),AF/SPG, AND PRM/AFR (MMCKELVEY) EUCOM FOR AFRICOM TRANSITION TEAM JCS FOR ENP J-5 (JHIRST) E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/28/2017 TAGS: PREL MOPS EUN CD PREF SUBJECT: INVITATION TO CHAD ESDP FORCE GENERATION CONSULTATIONS REF: BRUSSELS 03018 Classified By: USEU Pol-Mil Chief Jeremy Brenner for reasons 1.4 (b) an d (d). ¶1. (U) This message contains an action request. Please see paragraph 6. ¶2. (SBU) Summary: The EU has invited the U.S. to take part in informal force generation consultations with the operation commander of the ESDP mission to Chad. This follows oral and written invitations in September to participate in the mission. The U.S. has expressed strong support for the EU mission, and ESDP planners have briefed U.S. offices on mission objectives. We plan to respond positively to the invitation unless otherwise instructed. We expect that the early planning consultations will play out over the next two-three weeks. End summary. -------------- Background -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The European Union began consideration of a military mission to Chad and the Central African Republic under the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) in June. The mission, driven by French FM Bernard Kouchner, calls for the deployment of up to 3000 troops to secure the refugee camps in Chad and to create the security conditions that would allow internally displaced persons (IDPs) to return to their homes of origin. A UN Security Council Resolution (1778) has been adopted authorizing the mission and committing the UN to examine a follow-on force to take over from the EU mission a year after the EU's deployment. EU planners and Washington offices have had close contact through a series of videoconferences in which the details of mission planning and political next steps were shared. U.S. political support for the mission has been reiterated on a number of occasions, in both public statements by senior administration officials and in private conversations. ¶4. (C/NF) A number of EU member states have offered troop contributions, and the French will provide half the required force. Irish General Patrick Nash was officially designated as the operation commander by the Joint Action approved by the October EU Foreign Ministers' meeting. During initial discussions in September within the Political and Security Committee (PSC) of potential third-party contributors, non-EU partners Canada, Turkey, Norway, and Iceland were proposed in light of their previous participation in ESDP missions. When the list of possible participants grew to include Russia, Ukraine, and China, the UK delegation intervened to argue that the U.S. should be included in such a comprehensive list. The PSC approved the idea, and at Member State insistence, the Council Secretariat invited USEU for preliminary discussions and for a general briefing of the mission with other potential partners (See reftel for details). -------------- Force Generation Consultations -------------- ¶5. (SBU) A letter addressed to USEU Ambassador Gray from Javier Solana was received on October 24. The letter (text below) invites the U.S. to consider a possible participation in the Chad operation, and invites us to take part in informal consultations on force generation conducted by General Nash. No date is given for these consultations. Begin text of letter: Your Excellency, BRUSSELS 00003258 002 OF 002 As you know, the EU is planning to deploy a military bridging operation in Eastern Chad and Central African Republic in support of the multidimensional UN presence with a view to improving security in those areas. On 25 September 2007 the UN Security Council adopted Resolution UNSCR 1778 (2007) approving the establishment of a UN mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT) and authorizing the EU to deploy forces in these countries for a period of twelve months from the declaration on Initial Operating Capability. Subsequently, on 15 October 2007 the Council of the European Union adopted the Joint Action on the European Union military operation in the Republic of Chad and in the Central African Republic. The Joint Action sets out the legal framework of the EU-military operation, including on the participation of third States. You will find attached a copy of the Joint Action. The Political and Security Committee has asked me to invite you to consider a possible participation in this operation. The United States are therefore invited to take part in the consultations on force generation conducted by the designated operation Commander, General Patrick Nash. I would like to underline that, at this stage, this is an informal consultation in order to explore whether your country and other possibly interested countries would be ready to offer a contribution to the operation. The Political and Security Committee will take a formal decision after completion of the force generation process on the acceptance of contributions offered by third States, taking into account the Operation Commander's recommendation. Your country's participation will be subject to the conclusion of a legally binding participation agreement between your country and the European Union before deployment of your personnel. This agreement will cover inter alia legal and financial aspects of your country's participation, including the status of your forces. Yours Sincerely, Javier Solana End letter text. -------------- Action Request -------------- ¶6. (C) Unless otherwise instructed by COB November 7, USEU will convey to HR Solana our acceptace of the invitation to join in informal forc generation consultations. During any consultations, we will focus on what assistance or role the EU might be looking for from the U.S. Such issues have been discussed by EU and Department officials in the course of a series of classified videoconferences since August. Gray .