Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07USNATO448
2007-08-08 15:30:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Mission USNATO
Cable title:  

NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT AUGUST 8 2007

Tags:  NATO PREL AF AU 
pdf how-to read a cable
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 USNATO 000448 

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/07/2017
TAGS: NATO PREL AF AU
SUBJECT: NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT AUGUST 8 2007

REF: STATE 110089

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 USNATO 000448

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NOFORN
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E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/07/2017
TAGS: NATO PREL AF AU
SUBJECT: NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT AUGUST 8 2007

REF: STATE 110089

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


1. (C) Summary from the NAC Meeting:

-- Afghanistan: D/SYG noted the upcoming Jirga in Kabul Aug
9-12 and applauded ISAF efforts in countering Taliban
propaganda. The Deputy Chair of the Military Committee
(DCMC) reported on the Border Security Sub-Committee
Meetings, and the Ops Briefing showed an increase in OMF
incidents. CDA briefed the NAC on the POTUS-Karzai meetings
at Camp David.
-- Balkans: Kosovo Troika set to meet with the Expanded
Contact Group in London for the first time.

-- Darfur: CDA outlined U.S. support to the airlift of four
Rwandan battalions; the UK PermRep informed the NAC of his
country's airlift support for three Nigerian battalions.

-- Somalia: D/SYG reported the AU has requested NATO to
extend its support for the AU mission.

-- Iraq: No briefing.

-- Statements on Political Subjects: Allies expressed serious
concern over the alleged Russian missile strike near the
territory of South Ossetia on 6 August, acknowledged
Georgia's request for support from NATO and the international
community, stressed that all the facts of the incident have
not been determined, and called for NATO to continue to
follow developments closely.

-- AOB: Both the U.S. and UK announced plans to release
counter-narcotic programs in Afghanistan on August 9.

END SUMMARY.

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

2. (C) D/SYG noted that Karzai and Musharraf will attend the
opening and closing sessions of the Jirga in Kabul Aug 9-12.
He also noted that ISAF did a good job countering Taliban
propaganda this week regarding civilian casualties in Helmand
province. He stated that SACEUR has confirmed that US
CENTCOM has issued guidance to OEF forces that parallels ISAF
guidance designed to minimize civilian casualties.


3. (C) DCMC LTG Eikenberry reported on the Border Security
Sub-Committee Meetings, which are chaired by ISAF Regional
Commanders (East and South) and include senior Afghan and
Pakistani officers and the ISAF DCOS for Ops. Issues
discussed at the Meetings included: security in Pakistan's

Northwest Frontier Province; enhanced communications; and
intel sharing between Afghan and Pakistani border units. IN
addition, the &Border Surveillance Center Concept8 ) to
collocate ANA, Pakistani, and ISAF forces ) is now under
development.


4. (C) Afghanistan ops briefing showed an increase in OMF
incidents in Regions South and East and in Farah province;
OMF are expected to increase ops in Kabul in the coming
months and this week,s Kabul Jirga provides a target of
opportunity to OMF. The Military Committee also provided a

USNATO 00000448 002 OF 003


readout of conditions in Pakistan's FATA region (poor, local
political autonomy, pop. 3.3 million). OMF activity is
expected to continue in Helmand province, and Musa Qala
remains an OMF stronghold. On 24 July, ISAF launched
Operation Charkush in northern Helmand and established FOB
Arnhem there. The NAC was also briefed on ISAF public
affairs, effective effort to counter false Taliban claim of
civilian casualties in Helmand,s Beghram district during
recent ISAF precision bombing.


5. (SBU) CDA Olson briefed NAC on the POTUS/Karzai meetings
at Camp David this week, emphasizing that atmospherics were
very good and that public comments largely reflected the tone
of private discussions.


6. (C) Lithuania noted that they will send a 54-person SOF
unit to Kandahar city, without caveats, for a one-year tour.
The unit should be fully operational within 2-3 weeks.

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

7. (SBU) The D/SYG noted for the Council UN SYG Ban
Ki-Moon,s August 1 statement on the new period of engagement
between Belgrade and Pristina which started the 120 day
period of negotiations with a report back date of December

10. The DSYG informed the Council that a meeting of the
Expanded Contact Group will take place in London on Thursday,
August 9 where representatives will meet for the first time
with the members of the Troika who will facilitate the
upcoming negotiations. Deputy Assistant SYG Pardew will
represent NATO and will update the Council following the
meeting.

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

8. (C) CDA Olson informed the NAC that the U.S. intends to
support airlift of four Rwandan (AU) Battalions and armored
vehicles to El Fasher in the North Darfur region, Sudan and
rotate three AU Battalions back to Rwanda. U.S. plan is to
complete the airlift in the second half of September. U.K
informed that its military would airlift a rotation of 3
Nigerian Battalions to Darfur.

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

9. (C) D/SYG informed the NAC that the African Union (AU) has
requested NATO to extend its agreement to support the AU
mission in Somalia (AMISOM) until Feb 08. The current
support agreement is set to expire 21 Aug 07. D/SYG said he
would issue a memo to council later this week.

Statements on Political Subjects
--------------

10. (C) The Spanish Charge, as OSCE Chair representative,
voiced concern over the South Ossetia conflict and the
alleged Russian missile strike near the territory on 6
August. He reminded Allies that Spain's Miguel Angel
Moratinos currently has the OSCE Chair, and discussed the
late-July visit to Tbilisi by the OSCE Special Envoy for
meetings with HOSG and with the commander of the Joint
Peacekeeping Forces there; the discussions acknowledged that
implementation of some joint decisions on security issues in
the Ossetia conflict have yet to be implemented (he mentioned
joint policing as one example). He then stated that Moratinos

USNATO 00000448 003 OF 003


has called for restraint on all sides with regard to the
recent missile incident, and has requested an OSCE report
with accurate and complete information. Finally, he noted
that Georgia's Foreign Minister has asked for a strong OSCE
response because Russia will view a weak response as
encouragement for escalating the conflict.


11. (C) CDA Olson welcomed the OSCE Chair's statements on the
missile incident, and drew on press guidance to note that we
are following the issue closely, condemn any attack on
sovereign Georgian territory and noted the need to move
forward in solving the South Ossetia conflict. Olson urged
the NAC to continue to follow the issue closely as the
investigation of facts on the ground moves forward.
Statements along similar lines were made by Reps from
Lithuania, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Poland,
Romania, and Bulgaria;many of them informed Allies about
bilateral disussions between their capitals and Georgian
Miniters on the missile strike.


12. (C) Lithuanian nd Romanian Reps stressed that a
commitment to the territorial sovereignty of Georgia is
crucial (Romania stated that this was in line with the spirit
of the Riga commitments). Latvia acknowledged the special
relationship between Georgia and NATO. The Czech Republic
stated that the incident should not escape our condemnation.
France stated it was concerned about renewed tensions in the
area, welcomed the role of the OSCE, and stressed the
importance of determining the facts of the case, because
&different versions8 were currently out there. (Portugal
essentially seconded the French position). D/SYG then
informed Allies that the IS was following the issue closely,
but that it has not yet been formally approached by Georgian
officials about the matter (he indicated that this is likely
to happen within the next day or two).

AOB: U.S. and UK on CN Strategy for Afghanistan
-------------- --------------

13. (C) Prior to the NAC meeting, per reftel, CDA briefed the
D/SYG on the rollout of the U.S. CN strategy for Afghanistan.
At the NAC, the U.S. stated that a new enhanced
counter-narcotics program for Afghanistan will be announced
on August 9 and it will highlight how U.S. plans to more
effectively use its counter-narcotics resources. The UK
PermRep briefed that his country, like the U.S., will rollout
its CN strategy on August 9. The UK plan includes: enhanced
interdiction; more military support for CN; more support for
CN criminal justice; better eradication; and expanding Good
Performers Initiative. The UK PermRep also explained that
his government is &skeptical8 about aerial eradication, and
that ISAF needs to follow the GoA lead on eradication.



OLSON