EU REQUEST FOR SUPPORT TO EU POLICE MISSION IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L USEU BRUSSELS 002603

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/ERA (DEAN) AND EUR/RPM (SHEA)
DOD FOR DASD DAN FATA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2017
TAGS: PREL EUN AF MOPS
SUBJECT: EU REQUEST FOR SUPPORT TO EU POLICE MISSION IN
AFGHANISTAN


Classified By: CDA Christopher Murray for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) This message contains an action request. Please see
paragraph 8.


2. (C) Summary: The EU seeks support to enable its police
training mission to deploy beyond Kabul. EU Council Director
General for External and Politico-Military Affairs, Robert
Cooper, is prepared to send a letter with a list of required
support to SACEUR or any other designated addressee
immediately, but asks for guidance on how the letter should
be framed. End summary.


3. (C) USEU Charge and Pol-Mil Chief met August 14 with
Robert Cooper, Director General for External and
Politico-Military Affairs in the Council Secretariat, and
Olivia Holdsworth, Political Advisor for the EU Police
(EUPOL) Mission in Afghanistan. Cooper explained that, while
the EUPOL mission has strong Member State support, and is a
priority for the EU, the risks of operating in Afghanistan
are of serious concern. He stated flatly that his primary
interest is in ensuring that the mission has the necessary
support to enable it to deploy safely outside of Kabul to the
Provincial Reconstruction Teams and other elements.


4. (C) Cooper summarized the political difficulties that have
complicated NATO-EU cooperation in Afghanistan. Though he
termed the difficulties "very unwelcome," he reiterated that
he had no desire to engage in any debate or discussion of
philosophy, but was rather interested in doing whatever is
necessary to allow military commanders in Afghanistan to sort
out what support can be provided by which authorities.
Holdsworth pointed out that there have been "many hours" of
discussions between the EU and NATO Secretariats, and that
NATO knows in detail what the EU needs.


5. (C) Referring to a telephone conversation he had in July
with DASD Dan Fata, Cooper expressed his willingness to
convey the EU request for support via whatever channels the
U.S. deemed necessary, saying, "Tell us what to write, and
we'll write it." Because it is unclear in some instances
which assets within PRTs are nationally-owned and which are
under COMISAF's authority, Cooper said he was prepared to
send the EU's detailed list of support needs to SACEUR and
allow the military to determine which commanders could offer
which kinds of support. (Note -- Cooper sent a more general
letter to SACEUR on July 24, 2007. Text appears in paragraph
6 below. End note) Cooper said that in addition to support
provided within the ISAF/PRT structure, there would be an
additional need to negotiate bilateral support in instances
where it was clearly under national, non-ISAF authority.


6. (SBU) Begin text of July 24 letter.

Brussels, 24 July 2007

General John Craddock
Supreme Allied Commander Europe
SACEUR
B-7010 SHAPE
Belgium

Dear General

I am writing to express our thanks for the memorandum of 10
July 2007 from the ISAF Chief of Staff to the Head of Mission
EUPOL in Kabul confirming ISAF'S in extremis support within
means and capabilities, and to make two additional requests.

Cooperation on the ground in Kabul and at desk level with
NATO/SHAPE is good and the ISAF's support for EUPOL in the
present difficult circumstances is much appreciated.

The deployment of the EUPOL Afghanistan neverthelss
represents a considerable risk for the EU. We would like to
take on these risks in a context of the best possible
partnership between the EU and NATO.

As you know, we had originally asked for support for force
protection, CIS, real life support, logistics, air lift,
medical treatment including emergency medical treatment,

MEDEVAC and information sharing that relates to staff and
programme security.

We would be grateful for whatever assistance you could
provide in all of these areas but in particular we would
welcome help with a NATO compatible CIS/Force Tracking
Systems which would be a key to in extremis support. The
second area to which we attach particular importance is that
of information sharing where our own resources are far less
than those of NATO or the USA.

ISAF support for EUPOL is important to ensure that the
mission works well and that our personnel are as safe as
possible. We would therefore welcome all further steps to
ensure the support EUPOL needs in these other important areas.

Yours sincerely,

Robert Cooper

End text of letter.



7. (C) In a parenthetical aside, Cooper said that he was
sympathetic to the Turkish concerns that prompted them to
break silence on the arrangements for NATO-EU cooperation in
Afghanistan. He said that his Turkish interlocutors assured
him that Ankara did not want to cause actual disruption on
the ground that might put lives at risk. Cooper urged that we
"compare notes" on the dimensions of a possible deal that
could resolve the underlying issues of NATO-EU cooperation.
He said he had given some thought to a way ahead, but
cautioned that he did not believe a deal was likely until
after elections in Cyprus.


8. (C) Action request: The EU Council Secretariat understands
the U.S. view that at least some elements of their requests
for support should be directed to SACEUR, and Cooper is
prepared to send such a letter immediately. The EUPOL
mission has been severely hampered in its deployment due to
the lack of the necessary logistical, communication, and
force protection support, among other needs. USEU requests
guidance on a number of specific points regarding next steps.
These include:
A) Are there specific elements or language that must be
included in the EU's letter to SACEUR and others, including
references to the modalities of technical arrangements?
B) Is any request to SACEUR expected to include
non-military U.S. support provided by non-ISAF elements such
as CSTC-A or Regional Training Centers?
C) What are the next steps and who is the authorizing
authority for any bilateral U.S. support (to include
technical arrangements for this support)?
D) How, and in what venue, will specific elements of ISAF
and U.S. support be determined in negotiation with the EU?
E) What specific authorization is necessary for providing
appropriate requested communications gear and associated
cryptographic materials?


9. (U) Post appreciates Agencies' assistance in providing the
EU with a concrete series of steps in order to secure the
support necessary to allow EUPOL to make its best
contribution to police reform in Afghanistan. The issues
described above were also raised with USEU Ambassador Gray in
letters of April 18, 2007 from EU Council Secretariat
Director for Civilian Crisis Management, Pedro Serrano, and
June 29, 2007 from EU High Representative Javier Solana.

Murray
.