NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT FEBRUARY 28, 2007

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 USNATO 000137 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2017 TAGS: NATO PREL AF SUBJECT: NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT FEBRUARY 28, 2007 REF: CABLE ON ESDP USNATO 128 Classified By: AMB Victoria Nuland for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: -- Afghanistan: SYG announced 7,000 soldiers force generated since the Riga Summit, and that he intends to invite SACEUR to brief the NAC soon. Deputy Chairman of the Military Committee (D/CMC) stressed the importance of the on-going negotiations with Qatar regarding the status of NATO personnel and the potential loss of the ISAF cell at CENTCOM,s Qatar Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) would have a significant negative impact on ISAF operations. The International Military Staff (IMS) noted that despite public announcements, SHAPE lacks formal confirmation of force offers from many nations. Ambassador Nuland highlighted Vice President Cheney,s travel to Pakistan and Afghanistan. Germany and France called for greater NAC oversight of ISAF military operations. -- Kosovo: Ambassador Nuland informed NAC that U.S. is considering whether to participate in ESDP rule of law mission (reftel). D/CMC updated NAC on ongoing military planning for KFOR post-status. SYG announced his visit to Belgrade on March 8. -- Darfur: SYG confirmed that AU PSC Commissioner Djinnit will address NAC on March 2. Sudanese foot-dragging in providing visas to AU officers delays NATO-AU &lessons learned8 team. -- Iraq: Ambassador Nuland outlined U.S. intention to participate in &Neighbors Conference8 on Iraq. -- Missile Defense: Under AOB, Ambassador Nuland continued USG engagement on missile defense and confirmed that Director of the Missile Defense Agency, LTG Obering, who briefed the NATO-Russia Council (NRC) later in the afternoon, was willing to participate in a NRC-Reinforced in April, (date TBD). -- Central Europe Pipeline System (CEPS): The Chairman of the Central Europe Pipeline Management Organization Board of Directors (CEPMO BOD),and the General Manager of the Central Europe Pipeline Management Agency (CEPMA),assured the Council that CEPS remains a vital NATO asset for military bulk fuel storage and distribution in Central Europe, and encouraged the NAC to endorse the NATO Capability Package. END SUMMARY. Afghanistan -------------- ¶2. (C) SYG de Hoop Scheffer announced that he will soon invite SACEUR to a coffee with PermReps to discuss force generation. He added that since the Riga Summit, 7,000 additional soldiers have been offered against the CJSOR. De Hoop Scheffer touched on his recent trip with SACEUR to Afghanistan (report emailed to EUR/RPM). Noting his admiration of the men and women of ISAF ) &a credit to all our nations8 ) he reassured the NAC that ISAF was making a real difference in Afghanistan, and having seen the progress at the Kajaki dam, Jalalabad, and Tarin Kowt, he stated that if Allies make the necessary efforts, NATO will succeed. The SYG flagged continuing staffing problems in the ISAF X HQ, noting that the Counter IED branch, of utmost importance to the safety of ISAF soldiers, was still only staffed at the USNATO 00000137 002 OF 004 50% level. ¶3. (C) In the context of ongoing NATO negotiations with Qatar over the status of NATO personnel working in the ISAF liaison cell at CENTCOM,s Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) at al-Udeid airbase in Qatar, D/CMC Baptiste outlined the liaison cell,s critical role supporting ISAF. Describing how the cell articulates the ISAF mission and priorities within a CAOC responsible for air operations throughout the entire CENTCOM AOR, including minute-by-minute visibility of ISAF priorities, D/CMC told PermReps that a Qatari eviction of the NATO personnel would have a major impact to ISAF across all the CAOC,s functional areas, and degrade the CAOC,s support to COMISAF. Ambassador Nuland also encouraged nations with political representation in Qatar to engage the Qataris on the importance of maintaining the ISAF presence in Qatar; the multinational aspect that the ISAF cell brought to the CAOC was too important to lose. ¶4. (C) In response to requests from several PermReps, IMS AD for Operations MG Fenton said that SHAPE was working on a post-Seville update to the ISAF CJSOR. However, despite prominent announcements of force contributions (note: implying the U.S. and UK),SHAPE had received no formal force prep or transfer messages, and could not formally count the pledges against the CJSOR. Once these notes were received, SHAPE would issue the update. MG Fenton noted an uptick in enemy activity in RC-South over the past week. Looking at Helmand province, he briefed on the success of UK ISAF forces in the Garmser district and in dislodging insurgents at the Kajaki dam. In Musa Qala, he assessed that while the Taliban still dominates the district center, the elders have been negotiating and have the popular support. The Afghan government has not asked ISAF to take action. ¶5. (C) Ambassador Nuland noted Vice President Cheney,s recent travel to Pakistan and Afghanistan, citing the Islamabad stop as a continuation of our Riga Summit pledge to intensify high-level dialogue with Pakistan. In Kabul, VP Cheney briefed an upbeat President Karzai on his Pakistan stop and discussed economic development, the cross-border jirga initiative, and national reconciliation, among other issues. He reassured President Karzai of the U.S. long-term commitment to Afghanistan. ¶6. (C) The German Ambassador expressed objection to plans by the Policy Action Group in Kabul to establish an Afghan Development Zone in RC-North, saying that troop contributors should be consulted before any decision to establish an ADZ in regions other than the south. Germany, supported by France, also advocated greater NAC oversight of military planning, to include assurances that NMAs were suitably incorporating NATO,s &Comprehensive Approach8 into both operations planning, and in delivering aid following operations. The Dutch echoed concerns regarding the comprehensive approach. The SYG said he would raise the issue at a PermReps lunch or coffee in the future. Ambassador Nuland and the UK Ambassador welcomed detailed NAC political discussion of operations, but cautioned against the NAC micromanaging military operations. The Danish Ambassador briefed that his Prime Minister will begin negotiating within the government to send approximately 200 soldiers returning from Iraq to Afghanistan in August 2007. Denmark will also donate 250,000 euros to the trust fund recently established on behalf of NATO equipment support for the ANA. Kosovo USNATO 00000137 003 OF 004 -------------- ¶7. (C) The SYG viewed as productive the NAC-PSC discussions with the EU held on February 26 and thanked Allies on their flexibility in allowing a discussion of Kosovo in the &informal8 part of the meeting. He said he will encourage further dialogue with the EU at all levels and will make this point to EU Defense Ministers when he joins them for their March 1 informal ministerial in Germany. The SYG provided an update on status process saying that Belgrade and Pristina remain far apart in the ongoing consultations on U.N. Special Envoy Ahtisaari,s status proposal in Vienna. The SYG mentioned he will travel to Belgrade on March 8. ¶8. (C) D/CMC updated the NAC on NATO,s ongoing military planning regarding the military aspects of Ahtisaari,s proposal. The planning envisions three phases for KFOR: immediate, transition, and implementation. These phases have no fixed dates, but rather have triggers that would lead to the next phases. He told the Council that we currently are in the immediate phase, which started with the Ahtisaari status proposal announcement. Trigger points to move to the next phases are a new U.N. Security Council Resolution and the start of the international civilian presence to replace UNMIK. NATO planning foresees two documents to provide guidance to NATO forces during the transition and implementation phases: a transition directive that would give COMKFOR the tools to face any difficulties during the transition phase; and a full revision of the current operational plan that would allow NATO to begin implementing any new missions such as standing up the new Kosovo Security Forces. The transition directive will need to be approved by the NAC, and revising the OPLAN will require NAC political guidance in the form of a NAC initiating directive (NID). ¶9. (C) PermReps emphasized the importance of close coordination with the EU and concern over a perceived UNMIK drawdown. The Norwegian PermRep suggested that the NAC-PSC should meet with representatives of UNMIK present in order to address the perceived drawdown. The SYG and D/CMC stated that, based on NATO prodding, the EU verified with UNMIK that there is no drawdown occurring and that UNMIK police will maintain their current levels until the standing up of the ESDP mission. The D/CMC responded to the Italian,s inquiry over Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC) disbandment and who should lead the process by saying that the process will require close coordination with the new civilian representative and the EU, but that NATO should have the lead. Ambassador Nuland emphasized that NATO,s planning has to evolve sooner rather than later on KPC disbandment and building of the Kosovo Security Force, otherwise we cannot move forward with other partners. ¶10. (C) The Spanish PermRep gave a read out of Foreign Minister Moratinos, recent trip to Belgrade and Pristina in his capacity as the OSCE representative, saying that the FM had encouraged both sides to adopt a constructive approach and move toward a compromise. The FM impressed upon President Tadic the need to form a new government as quickly as possible, thereby moving Serbia toward Euro-Atlantic integration and further compliance with ICTY. The Spanish FM said that the OSCE remains committed to its role in Kosovo and asked that Kosovo Albanians demonstrate political unity and patience. ¶11. (C) Ambassador Nuland updated the Council on potential U.S. involvement in the future EU ESDP rule of law mission in Kosovo, saying that our participation on a bilateral basis is USNATO 00000137 004 OF 004 being reviewed at senior levels, but that no decision has been taken. (Details reported reftel, USNATO 128.) Darfur -------------- ¶12. (SBU) The SYG confirmed African Union PSC Commissioner Djinnit will address the NAC on March 2. He hopes this visit will clarify the way ahead for NATO support to the AU in Darfur, and perhaps the AU mission to Somalia as well. The SYG also anticipates a discussion on the overall &rapport8 between the two organizations. UK PermRep noted the AU contingent of the NATO sponsored &lessons learned8 team for AMIS has not been able to get Sudanese visas. Eldon asked if it would be possible to apply leverage on the Sudanese government to provide visas to the AU officers. The SYG said he would raise the issue with Djinnit as an initial step. Iraq -------------- ¶13. (SBU) Ambassador Nuland said that Iraq has announced its intention to hold a &Neighbors Conference8 at sub-cabinet level in March, then at ministerial level in April. She confirmed that the U.S. plans to participate. She also noted Secretary Rice,s call for all of Iraq,s neighbors to come SIPDIS prepared to work for a better Iraq. Ambassador Continues US Engagement on Missile Defense -------------- -------------- ¶14. (SBU) Under AOB, Ambassador Nuland said the U.S. was committed to fully discussing missile defense issues in that afternoon's NRC. She confirmed that LTG Obering was willing to participate in a NRC-Reinforced in April, (date TBD). Central Europe Pipeline System -------------- ¶15. (C) The Chairman, Central Europe Pipeline Management Organization Board of Directors (CEPMO BOD),Major General Michel Bergeret (FR),and the General Manager (GM),Central Europe Pipeline Management Agency (CEPMA),Lieutenant General Hedwig VanRemoortel (BE) presented the state of the Central Europe Pipeline System (CEPS),assured the Council that the CEPS remains a vital NATO asset for military bulk fuel storage and distribution in Central Europe, and encouraged the NAC to endorse NATO Capability Package (CP) 9A0980 &Bulk Fuel Assets in the Northern Area of NATO8 on its submission to the Council for approval, later this year. CEPS member nations include Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and the United States. Not surprisingly, the Belgium, Dutch, French and German PermReps all endorsed the strategic importance of the CEPS and the need to approve CP 9A0980 once submitted to the NAC. The Czech PermRep commented that the CEPS could support Alliance efforts in the domain of Energy Security and suggested that, perhaps, consideration should be given to linking the CEPS with the Czech Republic pipeline system. NULAND