NAC-PSC DISCUSSES EU-NATO COORDINATION IN KOSOVO

C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 000138

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2017
TAGS: KCRM NATO PGOV PHUM PREL SR
SUBJECT: NAC-PSC DISCUSSES EU-NATO COORDINATION IN KOSOVO


Classified By: Ambassador Victoria Nuland, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: Immediately following the February 26 NAC-PSC
on Bosnia, NAC and PSC Ambassadors (with Cypriot and Maltese
representatives present) met "informally" to discuss NATO/EU
coordination in Kosovo. Both NATO SYG De Hoop Scheffer and
EU High Representative/SYG Solana called for close
coordination between the two organizations during the
transition from UNMIK to an EU Rule of Law mission. De Hoop
Scheffer reported that staff talks between NATO and the EU
regarding technical arrangements on six areas of common
concern are going well. Solana stressed that the ESDP could
not deploy until a UNSCR endorsing the Ahtisaari plan was
adopted. Solana cautioned that it was not clear how long the
Security Council would deliberate, and the period leading up
to adoption of the SCR would be the most risky for Kosovo.
Several PermReps urged de Hoop Scheffer and Solana to consult
with the UN to assure UNMIK's strength is maintained until
the ESDP mission is in place. Ambassador Nuland said that
the EU had invited the U.S. to participate in its ESDP
mission, and that the USG was looking very carefully at this
possibility. The Turkish Ambassador said that his government
would permit informal NAC-PSC meetings only as warranted and
according to circumstances, noting that the EU and NATO
already have an existing framework for consultations. During
the formal NAC-PSC the Ambassadors discussed defense reform
and political developments in Bosnia. End Summary.

Kosovo: NATO and the EU Agree Close Cooperation Needed
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2. (C) The SYG reported that he and Solana (who had met for
45 minutes beforehand) agreed that the EU and NATO needed to
be a "united team" in Kosovo. De Hoop Scheffer said NATO
needs to work closely with the pending EU ESDP rule-of-law
mission, and that cooperation between the two organizations
in Bosnia should be used as a model for Kosovo. Staff talks
between NATO and the EU on preliminary technical arrangements
on six areas of common concern were going well. Options for
higher level political endorsement of these arrangements
would need to be considered at the appropriate time, fully
respecting each organization's prerogatives. The SYG added
he is confident of KFOR's ability to support UNMIK and
Kosovar forces.


3. (C) HR Solana confirmed that the EU fully supports
Ahtisaari's mission, and pointed out the need for the
international community's "coherence" regarding Kosovo. At
the same time, the international community needs to treat
Serbia with "generosity, and with a constructive approach."
Solana stressed and revealed at several other points, that it
is "fundamental" that an additional UNSCR be adopted prior to
any EU ESDP mission deploying to Kosovo. He reemphasized the
need for an "appropriate, well-defined" resolution, saying
the EU mission would be "impossible" without it. He pointed
out that, once Ahtisaari has forwarded his proposals to the
UN, it is not clear how long the Security Council might
deliberate. This period of deliberation will be the most
risky for Kosovo. During this complex time, KFOR and UNMIK
will be the international forces responsible for security.
Solana also stressed the need for the ESDP mission to work
closely with NATO, both in the field and in Brussels. He
noted that a large percentage of police in UNMIK are
Europeans, and will stay in their positions for the ESDP
mission. Solana added that Kosovo was a "unique case," and
not a "precedent" for other conflicts, alluding to frozen
conflicts in other regions.


4. (C) Several PermReps (Estonia, Czech Republic, Hungary,
the Netherlands, UK, Bulgaria, Portugal, and Sweden)
supported further NAC-PSC discussions on Kosovo, and called
for close EU-NATO relations. Ambassador Nuland also welcomed
the informal session, noting that when Allies and the two
SYGs confer and reach agreement it sends a strong message.
She urged Allies to repeat these common positions in Moscow,
Pristina, the UN and in Belgrade. The U.S. is doing its part
in Kosovo, she added, and encouraged flexibility on the part
of the EU and Allies. Ambassador Nuland emphasized the need
for UNMIK to remain in Kosovo until an ESDP mission is in
place (a view echoed by several other PermReps),adding this
will have the benefit of providing a "surge" during a time of
transition. She said that the EU had invited the U.S. to
participate in its ESDP mission and that the USG was looking
very carefully at this possibility.


5. (C) The UK PermRep described progress on NATO-EU technical
planning as "encouraging," adding that transparency of plans
will encourage countries to participate more fully. The
Czech Ambassador noted the need for full coverage of crowd
control capabilities, as well as sufficient border control.
The Swedish Ambassador emphasized the need to define
responsibilities for crowd and riot control. The Belgian
Ambassador asked that protection of religious and cultural
sites be a priority. Both the Dutch and Swedish Ambassadors
called for the SYGs to stress to the UN the need to maintain
UNMIK police levels until the ESDP mission was in place. In
response, Solana said that he was in contact with the UNSYG
and his team towards this end.


6. (C) The Turkish PSC Ambassador told PermReps not to "get
carried away" with coordination through informal meetings of
the NAC-PSCs. He argued that informal meetings warrant
themselves only according to circumstances, saying that the
EU and NATO already have existing frameworks for exchanges.


Bosnia: Slow Progress on Defense Reforms
--------------


7. (C) During the formal session de Hoop Scheffer noted that
the NATO Senior Civilian Representative has been engaging
senior Bosnian leaders to move defense reforms forward.
While the effort has been somewhat successful, the
identification of redundant military officers and the slow
transfer rate of military assets has hindered progress. The
formation of a new Bosnian government may pressure the
military to speed reforms. The SYG noted the process of
assigning general officers should not be politicized. He
underscored the importance of implementing a new force
structure, as well as the demilitarization process, noting
there are 8 million euros available in a trust fund.


8. (C) Solana said that, four months after elections, there
is still no Bosnian government at the federal level, which is
"not good news." He described the security situation as
"stable," adding that the political developments of the last
year were "disappointing." EUFOR is being reconfigured for
the situation on the ground, with one battalion based in
Sarajevo, but maintaining a presence throughout Bosnia. This
force has the capacity to react immediately, he said,
including using "over the horizon" forces.


9. (C) Comment: Due to long-standing theological issues the
agenda for formal meetings of the NAC/PSC is limited to
generally sterile discussions of Bosnia. This means that
member states of the EU and NATO cannot discuss any other
issue, no matter how pressing. We have sought to get around
this conundrum by holding "informal meetings." This
mechanism has been used for the NAC and PSC to discuss Darfur
and the February 26 discussion of Kosovo. While future
"informal" discussions of Kosovo are possible, arranging them
will be cumbersome as each one will require agreement of all
member states of both organizations, most notably France and
Turkey.

Missile Defense: We've Consulted the Russians
--------------


10. (C) Under AOB during the formal NAC-PSC, Ambassador
Nuland circulated an information sheet listing U.S.
approaches to Russia on missile defense. She pointed out
that recent Russian complaints about not having been
consulted are not true; the U.S. has consulted with Russia
ten times in the last year, and had been discussing the issue
with Moscow for fifteen years.


NULAND