NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT JANUARY 10, 2007

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 04 USNATO 000015

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NOFORN
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E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/10/2017
TAGS: NATO PREL AF
SUBJECT: NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT JANUARY 10, 2007


Classified By: DCM RICHARD G. OLSON for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY:

-- Afghanistan: SYG focuses Allies on upcoming NATO foreign
and defense ministerials, agrees to Ambassador Nuland,s
suggestion to invite Afghan FM Spanta to meet ISAF Foreign
Ministers on January 26, while delaying a decision on
inviting the EU, UN, and World Bank to the ministerial.
SHAPE J3 MG Stein briefed the NAC, noting that RC-S Allies
and a French CIMIC team, (deployed from Kabul),are operating
together in Kandahar to dislocate hard core Taliban. MG
Stein stated that time is running short to fill HQ billets
for General McNeill,s ISAF X. While detailing the
investigation into the Zangabad incident where 31 civilians
died, the General strongly reiterated ISAF,s commitment to
avoid civilian casualties.

-- Kosovo: SYG will meet with Kosovo President Sejdiu on
January 15, and reported that UN Special Envoy Ahtisaari, in
a phone call on January 9, stated to him that it is
imperative that there be no further delay in status talks.
NATO-EU technical coordination talks to be held on January

11. COMKFOR proactively plans for security during and after
the January 21 Serb elections.

-- Darfur: The SYG observed that it appears that the Sudanese
government is softening its stance regarding UN troops in
Darfur, and noted that Khartoum is to be added as a third
site for African Union capacity building. With Ambassador
Nuland,s encouragement, the SYG will again offer NATO,s
assistance to the UN mission in Darfur.

-- Iraq: SYG to invite Prime Minister Maliki to address the
NAC on security and training issues. The Chairman of the
Military Committee described the new force protection
measures at Ar-Rustimayah which have successfully prevented
casualties and damage from continued mortar and rocket
attacks. Ambassador Nuland, on another topic, stated that,
"Poland sets a strong example by extending its mission in
Iraq, focusing its efforts on training Iraqis, and mentoring
new NATO partners.8

-- Response to Terrorism: Turkish PermRep announces that
Russia will participate in Operation Black Sea Harmony.
Ambassador Nuland informs the NAC on the U.S. operations in
Somalia which are helping to prevent the establishment of
al-Qaeda safe havens.

-- Secretary General de Hoop Scheffer to lead NATO into its
Seventh Decade as the NAC officially extended the term of the
SYG until NATO,s 60th anniversary events in 2009.

END SUMMARY.

Afghanistan
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2. (C) Secretary General de Hoop Scheffer stressed that NATO
and the international community needed to consolidate 2006
gains in Afghanistan and do even better in 2007. He welcomed
Secretary Rice's initiative for a January 26 ministerial to

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discuss comprehensive strategy and urged Allies to use this
and the defense ministerial February 8-9 in Seville to take
clear political and military steps. The SYG confirmed that
Pakistani PM Aziz will visit NATO at the end of January, that
military advice on NATO training support for the Afghan
National Army (ANA) should be expected prior to Seville, and
that NATO will send a team to Doha to address Qatari concerns
on the legal status of NATO personnel working at the ISAF
cell at CENTCOM,s Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) in
al-Udeid.


3. (S) In his operational brief, SHAPE J3 MG Stein attributed
the decrease in OMF (Opposing Militant Forces) activity since

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October 2006 to both ISAF successes and weather, and
predicted that by late March, OMF will seek to increase their
tempo of operations. He stated that ISAF,s pan-theater
Operation Oqab (Eagle) is transitioning to more aggressive
Phase 2 disruption operations, and Operation Baaz Tsuka,
comprising all Regional Command - South allies plus a French
CIMIC team deployed to the south from Kabul, is having
success cleaning out pockets of Taliban resistance following
reinfiltration in Kandahar province after last year's
Operation Medusa. Noting the completion of the joint
ISAF/GOA investigation into an October 24-25 ISAF air
operation at Zangabad that killed 31 civilians along with OMF
targets, MG Stein reiterated ISAF,s commitment to avoid
civilian casualties and to ensure that lessons learned from
this incident are carried forward. Finally, he urged nations
to fill the staffing requirements for the ISAF X composite HQ
quickly; at present rates, the HQ will only be 65% staffed
when it comes online on February 4.


4. (C) Ambassador Nuland,s proposal that NATO proceed with
issuing invitations to FM Spanta and non-NATO troop
contributors to a meeting with NATO foreign ministers on
January 26 met consensus; the SYG will send out the
invitations. A Norwegian request to invite the EU, UN, and
World Bank will be discussed further by PermReps on January

16. Ambassador Nuland noted that the death of senior Taliban
commander Osmani has had a considerable effect in disrupting
Taliban operations. She conveyed a sense from Kabul that
hand-wringing over a Taliban &spring offensive8 was
beginning to detract from our PD efforts, and the U.S. view
that ISAF and the international community should take the
initiative in the spring. She urged NATO PD to produce
weekly papers that will help NATO and Allied officials better
engage the press, and assured Allies that the U.S. was
working to fill our billets at the ISAF X composite HQ. The
Canadian ambassador noted his FM,s recent travel to
Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the UK Charge said that GOA
eradication planning is better organized than in past years.
Lithuania announced an equipment donation to the ANA of 3.7
million AK-47 rounds. The SYG agreed with Ambassador Nuland
that NATO could do better in maintaining a coherent public
policy line.

Kosovo
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5. (SBU) The SYG announced that he will meet with Kosovo
President Fatmir Sejdiu on 15 January to discuss NATO,s
current and future political and operational commitment to
Kosovo. He will stress to President Sejdiu the importance of
a constructive, responsible, and fully cooperative role by
Kosovo leadership in the next stage of the status process.
The SYG also announced that another round of NATO-EU
technical coordination talks will take place on 11 January
that will focus on the planning for future roles in Kosovo.
Lastly, the SYG mentioned that during a telephone discussion
on 9 January, UN Special Envoy Ahtisaari reiterated to him
that there should be no further delay in the Kosovo status
process.


6. (C) The Chairman of the Military Committee (CMC) provided
an operational and security update to the NAC, stating that
while a few low-intensity incidents occurred during the
holiday period, overall the security situation remains
peaceful. He further said that COMKFOR has developed a
proactive plan for maintaining security in Kosovo during and
after the Serbian parliamentary elections on 21 January. The
plan includes close coordination with UNMIK and maintaining
KFOR,s over-the-horizon reserve force readiness.

Darfur
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7. (SBU) The SYG said it appears the Sudanese government is
softening its stance on UN troops in Darfur; however, the
&true intent8 of the GoS regarding facilitation of the UN

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force is still unclear. He noted a NATO document currently
under silence to add Khartoum, (in addition to Addis Ababa
and El Fasher),as a site for staff capacity building and
lessons learned training. The SYG said African Union PSC
Chairman Djinnit is likely to address the NAC in mid-February.


8. (SBU) Ambassador Nuland asked whether the SYG had
contacted new UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to offer NATO
assistance to the UN mission in Darfur. The SYG replied that
in November 2006 he had offered such support to DPKO U/SYG
Guehenno as well as the Deputy Secretary General, and that he
would reiterate this offer.

Iraq
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9. (C) The SYG announced he intends to invite Iraqi Prime
Minister Maliki to brief the NAC on the security situation in
Iraq and training needs for the Iraqi security forces. CMC
reported that the Ar-Rustimayah Force Protection Report was
released on December 18. The next force protection report
will be given in conjunction with SHAPE input to the spring
2007 Periodic Mission Review in mid-February. Further mortar
and rocket attacks occurred at Ar-Rustimayah during the
second half of December. The fact that no casualties or
significant damage had been sustained was attributed to force
protection measures. Since the New Year, the number of
indirect fire attacks at Ar-Rustimayah has decreased. CMC
also noted that an Italian scoping mission for gendarmerie
training will be in Iraq from January 11-18. He highlighted
that this mission had been coordinated with SHAPE, NTM-I, and
the Iraqi Ministry of Interior.


10. (U) The Polish PermRep noted his government's decision to
extend its mission in Iraq until the end of 2007. Poland
also will continue to command the Multi-National Division
South, whose main goals are training and mentoring Iraqis
comprising the 8th Iraqi Army Division, police, and border
guards. He noted that there are 13 nations, seven of which
are Allies, participating in this effort. He also made
special mention of Bosnia and Herzegovina's contribution of
an EOD team that joined the effort in November. Lastly, he
confirmed that Poland will assume leadership of the 11-man
MALT team in February.


11. (U) Ambassador Nuland thanked Poland for its continued
strong commitment and courageous political decisions. She
applauded Poland's model of focusing on training and putting
Iraqis in front. She also lauded Poland's example of
mentoring new partners in facing the security challenges of
the 21st century.

Response to Terrorism
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12. (SBU) The Turkish PermRep announced that on December 27,
Russia told Turkey that it will begin to formally participate
in future Black Sea Harmony operations.


13. (C) U.S. Counterterrorism Actions in Somalia: Ambassador
Nuland confirmed to the Council that the U.S. was taking
action to prevent the establishment of Al-Qaeda safe havens
in southern Somalia.

Secretary-General to Lead NATO into its Seventh Decade

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14. (SBU) Thanking him for his excellent leadership of the
Alliance as it prepares to enter its seventh decade of
existence, the NAC officially extended Secretary General de
Hoop Scheffer,s term in order for him to prepare and preside
over NATO,s 60th anniversary events. Under the terms of the
extension, laid out by the Council's Dean, (the Polish
PermRep),in 2008 the next Dean will have the responsibility
of informing the Secretary General in writing, after informal
consultations, the exact date of his departure and presiding
over the selection process for his successor. The Secretary

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General thanked the Council for its endorsement and noted it
was both a privilege and a pleasure to accept the terms of
the extension.

NULAND