NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT JULY 11 2007

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 USNATO 000412

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2017
TAGS: NATO PREL AF
SUBJECT: NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT JULY 11 2007

Classified By: CDA Ian Kelly for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (S) SUMMARY:

-- Afghanistan: Spring 2007 Periodic Mission Review (PMR) is
under NAC silence; Chairman of the Military Committee (CMC)
notes that NMAs are working on strategic metrics of ISAF
effectiveness; IMS briefs continued high levels of OMF
activity in RC-South and RC-East; Ambassadors welcome
COMISAF,s active efforts to mitigate civilian casualties in
the face of Taliban tactics. Ambassador Nuland urges quick
work on turning NATO,s Strategic Communications Action Plan
into concrete results.

-- Kosovo: SYG to travel to Serbia on July 13; Ambassador
Nuland calls on Allies and EU to support new draft minimalist
UNSCR.

-- Darfur: CMC Gen. Henault notes that two movement planners
have been assigned to the NATO cell in Addis Ababa to assist
the AU in preliminary lift planning for the AU Mission to
Somalia.

-- Iraq: The SYG notes Monday,s rocket attacks at
Ar-Rustimayah; CMC highlighted that JFC Naples had to deploy
some of its own HQ and Component Command personnel to
temporarily fill national C2 and J2 posts at Ar-Rustimayah.

-- Farewell to Estonian Perm Rep: Outgoing PermRep Tiido
comments that narrow national interests too often took
precedence over the collective good in NATO decisions,
criticizes the &futile8 NATO-Russia Council, and emphasizes
the need for NATO to update its &e-government8 technologies
for the 21st century.

END SUMMARY.

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

2. (S) SYG de Hoop Scheffer noted that ISAF,s spring 2007
PMR had been sent to the NAC under a short silence procedure
for approval following the PCG,s work on it, and urged
Ambassadors to read it carefully and base future action on
it. The SYG suggested withholding further conversation on
civilian casualties until the NAC,s July 17 coffee with
SACEUR, but he said it was positive to see recent trends that
indicate the media might be starting to acknowledge that the
Taliban used civilian casualties as a propaganda tool.


3. (C) CMC Henault told the NAC that SHAPE was developing
measures of effectiveness for ISAF,s mission at the
strategic level, and the MC had asked for SHAPE,s product
prior to the fall 2007 PMR. The complexity and anticipated
duration of the ISAF mission demands an enduring strategic
assessment of the mission's progress towards achieving its
objectives and desired end-state outlined in the OPLAN, he
briefed.


4. (C) In his Ops update, IMS AD for Operations MG Fenton
pointed to the first ANA Air Corps operation, a helicopter
patrol in RC-Capital. Looking at the RCs, he stated Opposing
Militant Forces (OMF) continue to seek increased IED attacks
in Kabul. He cited a deteriorating security situation in
Badakshan in RC-North. Farah remains the focus of OMF
efforts in RC-West, he stated, while OMF kinetic activity was
expected to remain high in RC-South, particularly west of
Kandahar city and in the Gereshk, Sangin, and Kajaki
districts of Helmand. Pakistani military operations on their
side of the border with RC-East stood to push militants from
Pakistan into Afghan safe havens, as such RC-East,s main
effort at present was to disrupt OMF operations in the border
region. ISAF,s theater task force would soon move east, as
ISAF,s overall main effort will shift from RC-South to
RC-East.

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5. (C) The Spanish PermRep welcomed SHAPE,s work on
strategic measures of effectiveness. He suggested that NATO
echo UN SRSG Koenigs, strong July 10 condemnation of a
Taliban suicide attack that killed multiple Afghans
(including children) and wounded seven Dutch ISAF soldiers.
He welcomed COMISAF,s June 28 Tactical Directive on steps
ISAF commanders should take to reduce civilian casualties in
the face of Taliban tactics, and asked if it could be
de-classified for governments to use with their publics. The
Dutch PermRep agreed with Spanish comments on COMISAF,s
Tactical Directive and Koenigs, statement, but cautioned
that NATO should only develop measures of effectiveness of
its security role, and leave governance and development
indicators to civilian entities. The UK PermRep again
suggested having an informal NAC discussion on future
strategy in Afghanistan and metrics of success (note: we
understand this will take place on July 17 at the PermReps,
luncheon, following the SACEUR coffee).


6. (C) Ambassador Nuland praised COMISAF,s June 28 Tactical
Directive as a superb document, which showed the care and
attention to detail with which ISAF approached the issue of
civilian casualties. She supported exploring with SACEUR if
there are certain elements or themes of the Tactical
Directive that could be used helpfully with publics, without
declassifying the entire document. She asked if the
substance of the document had been briefed to President
Karzai, who, she speculated, would probably like it very
much. Supported subsequently by the UK, she also commended
NATO Spokesman Appathurai,s recent Action Plan on NATO,s
Strategic Communications, and urged the SYG to act
immediately to fund actions that did not need NAC approval,
and Committees to carry forward their work on other elements
of the plan quickly.

Kosovo
--------------

7. (C) The SYG noted that he will travel to Belgrade on
Friday, July 13 to discuss Serbia,s progress in PfP and to
emphasize the need for the resolution of Kosovo,s status.
CMC briefed that the situation in Kosovo remains stable and
that KFOR is returning to a normal operating tempo following
the Kosovo Polje commemorations and demonstration by the
Kosovo Movement for Self-Determination. He stressed that
despite the potential for violence, both events remained
relatively peaceful owing to the good coordination between
UNMIK, Kosovo Police Service, and KFOR. Ambassador Nuland
informed the NAC that we expect the minimalist draft version
of a UN Security Council Resolution to be discussed this week
in New York and called on all Allies and EU members to
support the ongoing efforts in the UN as well as to encourage
Russia to show flexibility on the issue.

Darfur
--------------

8. (SBU) CMC Gen. Henault noted that two movement planners
have been assigned to the NATO cell in Addis Ababa to assist
the AU in preliminary lift planning for the AU Mission to
Somalia.

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

9. (C) The SYG noted Monday,s rocket attacks at
Ar-Rustimayah and said that while NTM-I has not received much
attention lately; Allies needed to remember not to be
complacent. CMC highlighted that JFC Naples had to deploy
some of its own HQ and Component Command personnel to
temporarily fill national C2 and J2 posts at Ar-Rustimayah.
J2 billets are the priority, and both SHAPE and the NMAs have
been notified of the open positions. He reminded nations
that filling these billets is important to the training
operations in Iraq.


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Farewell to Estonian PermRep
--------------

10. (SBU) In his farewell address to the NAC, Harri Tiido,
the first Estonian PermRep to NATO, acknowledged
&frustrations8 with the NAC over the years, commenting that
narrow national interests too often took precedence over the
collective good. He noted some nations often take different
positions at NATO and the EU on the same issue. He offered
blunt criticism of the &futile8 NATO-Russia Council, and
expressed concern regarding the Russian government,s
&proto-fascism8 while expressing confidence the Russian
people were fully capable of democracy. Finally, he
emphasized the need for NATO to update its &e-government8
technologies for the 21st century.


NULAND