NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT JUNE 6 2007

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 04 USNATO 000357

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2017
TAGS: NATO PREL AF
SUBJECT: NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT JUNE 6 2007

Classified By: DCM Richard G. Olson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (S) SUMMARY:

-- Afghanistan: SYG stated that force generation is a top
priority for the Alliance in the run-up to the Defense
Ministerial. Chairman of the Military Committee (CMC)
briefed on: next steps in long-term Afghan National Army
(ANA) training; support to ESDP police mission in Afghanistan
and fielding Operational Mentoring and Liaison Teams,
(OMLTs); counter-IED shortfalls at ISAF HQ; Operation Adalat;
Danish troop increase; and additional Bulgarian forces
deploying to Kandahar.

-- Balkans: SYG noted that Kosovo independence would be a key
topic at the Defense Ministerial. Norway, supported by
several delegations, proposed inviting the new Serbian
government to meet with the NAC regarding PfP. SYG reported
that he will meet Serbian Defense and Foreign Ministers in
June, and shared that Serbs have already proposed a NAC plus
one meeting for September.

-- Somalia: SYG outlined Military Committee advice on NATO
airlift support for the African Union (AU) mission in
Somalia. SYG agreed to issue an SG under a short silence for
NAC approval.

-- Iraq: SYG detailed the recommendation of the Senior
Resource Board on NTM-I; SG for NAC approval expected soon.

-- NATO Special Committee: Chairman of the NATO Special
Committee presented a briefing on &Developments in Iraq
Affecting NATO and Its Member States, Security.8

-- Energy Security: SYG presented draft language on a
modified tasking to be put under silence until June 8.

Note: The June 6 NAC included an exchange of views with
Croatia,s Prime Minister Sanader, Defense Minister Roncevic,
and State Secretary Biscevic on Croatia,s progress in the
context of the Membership Action Plan (MAP). Reporting on
this session will be by septel. End Note.

END SUMMARY.

Afghanistan
--------------

2. (C) Looking ahead to the June 12-13 force generation
conference at SHAPE, and the meeting of NATO Defense
Ministers in Brussels June 14-15, Secretary General de Hoop
Scheffer stated that ISAF force generation remained a top
priority, and that he expected concrete results over the
coming week. He stated his expectation that Ministers will
discuss the need for greater coordination between ISAF and
OEF, as well as civilian casualties.


3. (C) The CMC, General Henault, briefed that the Military
Committee (MC) had provisionally agreed advice on potential
NATO long-term training initiatives for the ANA, and non-NATO
troop contributors were in the process of associating
themselves with the advice, after which it would be passed to
Council. The MC is currently deliberating on draft advice
concerning possible NATO support to the planned EU police
mission in Afghanistan. CMC also stated that he had
distributed to the MC a proposal by D/SACEUR to streamline
requirements for fielding NATO embedded trainers, OMLTs, with

USNATO 00000357 002 OF 004


the ANA, by establishing a &lead nation8 system whereby
ISAF Regional Commands would help coordinate logistics and
provide other services to help smaller nations establish
multinational OMLTs.


4. (C) IMS AD for Operations Maj Gen Fenton provided the
operational brief, and attributed a recent spike in &troops
in contact8 incidents to aggressive ISAF operations, rather
than any organized Taliban offensive. He highlighted the
continuing shortfalls in counter-IED capabilities in ISAF HQ,
stressing the imperative to fill these slots as the number of
IED incidents and their lethality continue to rise. In
RC-South, he noted that Operation Adalat, aimed at helping to
establish the Afghan Development Zone in northern Kandahar,
will replace Operation Achilles (in the Sangin area of RC-S)
as ISAF,s main operational effort; timing for the transition
will be conditions-based, at COMISAF,s discretion.


5. (C) The Danish PermRep informed the NAC of the Danish
Parliament,s recent decision to beef up the Danish presence
in Afghanistan by 200 (to a total of 640),which will deploy
in the fourth quarter of 2007 with the UK,s Task Force
Helmand. The Bulgarian PermRep stated that the Bulgarian
mechanized infantry company had arrived in Kabul, along with
5 additional staff officers for ISAF HQ. The 200-soldier
Bulgarian force protection unit for Kandahar airfield is set
to deploy in the coming week, per the availability of
strategic airlift. Norway noted its Defense Minister was in
Afghanistan, and would commemorate the opening of a
10-million Euro Norwegian-built camp for an ANA Kandak in
Meymana.

Balkans
--------------

6. (C) The SYG noted that this would be an important topic at
next week,s Defense Ministerial. He welcomed the May 31
tabling of a new UNSCR draft that expresses support for the
provisions in Special Envoy Ahtisaari's proposal. He stated
that the current text meets NATO,s future requirements for a
post-status presence. The SYG also noted this issue will be
discussed at the G-8 meeting in Heiligendamm, Germany, and
cautioned that the longer it takes to find an agreement on
this, the higher the risks ) a quick settlement was in
everyone,s interest.


7. (C) CMC reported that the security situation is relatively
calm, but the potential for violence continues. Violence
currently is limited to criminal and inter-ethnic disputes.
CMC also noted that the operational reserve force from Italy
is scheduled to reach full operational capability on June 9
and will be in Kosovo until month,s end, primarily in
support of the task force in the north.


8. (C) The Norwegian PermRep (supported by IT, GR, HU, SI,
SP, NL, RO and BU) argued that we should expect progress on
PfP initiatives from the new government and that the NAC
should consider inviting a high ranking delegation from
Serbia. The purpose of such a meeting would be to present
Serbia,s plans regarding PfP and to remind the Serbs of
their ICTY obligations. He additionally noted the positive
news of the arrest of General Tolimir. The Italian PermRep
said that Italy, as the Contact Point Embassy in Belgrade,
had observed much interest from Belgrade in PfP and that the
timing would be right to send a signal by extending such an
invitation. The SYG reported that he will meet with the
Serbian Defense Minister next week on the margins of the EAPC

USNATO 00000357 003 OF 004


meeting, that the Serbian Foreign Minister has requested a
meeting on June 27, and that the Serbs have proposed a NAC
plus one meeting for September. The SYG also noted that he
might travel to Belgrade after the Defense Ministerial to
continue this positive momentum.

Somalia
--------------

9. (C) The SYG outlined the quickly delivered military advice
stating that NATO can support the AU,s request for airlift
for the AU mission in Somalia using procedures established in
Darfur. The only additional piece will be to establish a
temporary liaison cell in Addis Ababa for the AU. He noted
that it will depend on nations to provide this airlift and
suggested that the NAC approve airlift support for an initial
period of six months. The German PermRep said that while
they can agree to this in principle, they cannot agree to it
without a written SG for their government,s approval. He
also stated that Germany would not be in a position to
contribute airlift for this mission. Ambassador Nuland
commended the MC,s quick work and noted this allows nations
to contribute to AMISOM under a NATO umbrella, giving NATO
credit for working with the AU. She urged the SYG to issue a
quick SG under a short silence procedure; he agreed to do so.


Iraq
--------------

10. (SBU) The SYG said that the Senior Resource Board (SRB)
was working on a recommendation regarding NTM-I eligibility
for common funding, which should be forwarded shortly for NAC
approval. (Note: The SRB actually issued this recommendation
on June 1; the International Staff is working to rectify this
and we expect to see an SG issued soon. End note.) CMC said
that the autumn 2007 PMR would include more details on the
content of the gendarmerie training and that a start date of
September is planned, pending mission approval.

Report on the Activities of the NATO Special Committee
-------------- --------------

11. (S) Ambassador Ioannis Corantis, Director-General of the
Greek National Intelligence Service and Chairman of the NATO
Special Committee and Frank Jensen, Danish Security
Intelligence Service presented a briefing on Developments in
Iraq Affecting NATO and Its Member States, Security. The
report posited that NATO itself is not a specific target for
terrorists operating from Iraq. However, NATO member states
involved in Coalition operations are at increased risk
because terrorists use Iraq as a pretext for attacks. If
nations involved in Iraq withdraw, the long term terrorist
threat will diminish, but not disappear. Grece, Turkey,
Germany, Slovakia, The Netherlands ad Poland all commented
on aspects of the report,putting emphasis on the complex
nature of radicaization and observing that terrorist are
using other pretexts than just Iraq are used to "legitimize
their actions. Ambassador Nuland registered diagreement
with the analysis that the withdrawal f member states from
Iraq would make NATO memberstates safer. In fact, if
withdrawal occurs without leaving peace and stability, she
said, then trrorism from Iraq will become an even greater
theat.

Energy Security
--------------

12. (C The SYG presented draft language for a tasking to
NMAs on energy security stating he was aware of differences

USNATO 00000357 004 OF 004


in opinions among delegations on the subject, but hoped that
the new language would be enough to bridge gaps. Ambassador
Nuland commended the text, but noted disappointment at its
lateness; she suggested editorial fixes, which the SYG and
Allies took on board. The Netherlands foreshadowed
difficulties with the text if, as currently drafted, the
tasking asked NMAs to look at only military risks to critical
infrastructure, yet ignored other, likely more pertinent
risks, such as terrorism. France objected to any language in
the tasking which potentially prejudged the Alliance,s
response to eventual military advice, such as assigning a
lead committee to carry work further, or asking NMAs to
identify possible avenues for addressing threats. Rather,
the French PermRep stated a desire to wait for advice on
potential risks to be produced, and proceed in a step-by-step
manner after the NAC evaluated that advice. GM supported the
French objections on new oversight instructions. The SYG
expressed &utter disappointment8 at the NAC,s inability to
agree a tasking since the Riga tasking in November 2006. He
intends to circulate a new draft (which will reflect the U.S.
editorial amendments) under a silence period that would end
June 8. The SYG noted the NAC was close to putting him a
position where he would have to tell Ministers that Heads of
State and Government &got it wrong8 at Riga.


NULAND