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