Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07USNATO98
2007-02-15 15:54:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Mission USNATO
Cable title:
NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT FEBRUARY 14, 2007
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 USNATO 000098
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2017
TAGS: NATO PREL AF
SUBJECT: NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT FEBRUARY 14, 2007
Classified By: DCM 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 000098
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2017
TAGS: NATO PREL AF
SUBJECT: NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT FEBRUARY 14, 2007
Classified By: DCM RICHARD G. OLSON for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) SUMMARY:
-- Afghanistan: Chairman of the Military Committee (CMC)
stressed the immediate need to get ISAF X HQ fully staffed.
SHAPE MG Stein detailed ISAF operational successes and plans.
UK noted that the jury is still out on Musa Qala, though it
believes that Taiban influence is waning. Norway will send
150 SOF to ISAF. Ambassador Nuland called on the EU to
increase its police mission and briefed the NAC on Secretary
of Defense Gates, visit to Islamabad.
-- Kosovo: SYG announced his upcoming visit to Pristina,
Mitrovica on February 15 to reinforce NATO,s commitment; CMC
briefs on February 10 riots in Pristina, including KFOR
support to UNMIK and Kosovar police.
-- Darfur: AU PSC Djinnit plans to brief the NAC on March 2;
AMIS spring battalion rotations to be fully funded.
-- Iraq: CMC informed the NAC that the NTM-I National Defense
University (NDU) Director was kidnapped and murdered.
-- Six-Party Talks: Ambassador Nuland briefed the NAC on
successful outcome of Six-Party Talks in Beijing.
-- The NAC approved the Senior Resource Board,s (SRB)
recommendation to form the NATO Office of Resources (NOR).
END SUMMARY.
Afghanistan
--------------
2. (C) CMC Henault made a strong plea to nations to meet
commitments to the staffing of the ISAF X Composite HQ, still
at only 66% manning. In particular, he highlighted the lack
of a Role 1 medical facility and maintenance staffs as
shortfalls that stood to impact both the health and morale of
the HQ, not to mention more operational shortfalls and lack
of training that detracted from mission effectiveness. SHAPE
J3 MG Stein later stated that of 43 HQ slots in the
counter-IED branch (IEDs are COMISAF,s top threat),only 20
were filled.
3. (C) In the weekly operational update, MG Stein stated that
ISAF continued to assess Taliban goals as seeking to encircle
Kandahar and cut off Highway 1 traffic. The ongoing
Operation Oqab is paving the way for ISAF,s spring campaign,
(Operation &Now Ruz8 or "New Year"),which will seek to
preempt and dislocate enemy offensive operations, while
supporting development and governance. The recently
successful &Operation Kryptonite8 in the Kajaki Dam area,
had dislodged enemy camps despite Taliban efforts to use
children as human shields. Stein said that RC(S) reserves
were using rotary wing mobility to precisely interdict
reinfiltration attempts in the Panjwayi and Zhari districts
that had been cleared during Operation Baaz Tsuka. On Musa
Qala, he stated that COMISAF supported lettin the Afghan
government and elders work through te current problems, but
was ready to act if necesary. Planning for reconstruction
and aid had ben completed, and ISAF is poised to support
bothonce the security situation permitted. Finally, MG
Stein added that the next Tripartite Commission meeting would
be on March 14.
4. (C) Norway announced that in response to SACEUR,s
request, it would send a contingent of 150 SOF to RC
USNATO 00000098 002 OF 003
(Capital) for six months. The UK said it was cautiously
optimistic regarding Musa Qala, noting if the Afghans found
an Afghan solution, it would represent a large step forward,
and that the UK has seen signs of decreasing Taliban
influence there. Ambassador Nuland thanked Norway for
answering SACEUR,s call, and urged that the Norwegian
deployment be without geographical caveats. She welcomed the
recent EU GAERC decision to move ahead with an ESDP police
mission in Afghanistan, but hoped it was only the beginning,
noting the tremendous in-theater needs and that the U.S. had
deployed more than 500 police mentors compared with initial
E plans for approximately 120 new trainers. She gae
PermReps a brief sketch of SecDef Gates, meetig with
Pakistani President Musharraf, noting Mushrraf,s commitment
to regional security and our itent to help him better
deliver, and encouragingAllies to respond to any Pakistani
requests for echnical or training assistance for the border.
Ambassador Nuland and the Spanish ambassador agreedon the
need for consistent, unified messaging from NATO HQ and ISAF,
with Ambassador Nuland noting the need for Afghan faces to
deliver the message.
Kosovo
--------------
5. (C) The SYG said he intends to use his trip to Kosovo
February 15 to assess the security situation following the
February 10 riots in Pristina and to send a strong signal of
continued NATO commitment to maintaining a safe and secure
environment. In addition to Pristina, the SYG will visit
Mitrovica to meet with Kosovar Serb leaders and will tour
Camp Nothing Hill. Due to a Serbian holiday, the SYG has
postponed his planned stop in Belgrade until the week of
February 19. The CMC briefed on the February 10 riots by
Kosovar Albanian radicals, noting that KFOR deployed a
mission specialty company in support of the Kosovar police
and UNMIK. KFOR also manned checkpoints throughout the city,
conducted aerial surveillance, and placed tactical reserve
units on heightened alert. He further noted, in response to
PermReps, inquiries, that the KFOR unit employed tear gas in
accordance with NATO/KFOR,s rules for non-lethal engagement.
In response to an inquiry from the UK PermRep over the lack
of information during the riots, the SYG said he had been in
constant touch with SACEUR and stated that there are systems
in place to increase the flow of information during a crisis.
Ambassador Nuland drew PermReps, attention to the fact that
the riots show that time is not on our side and that it is
critical to move the Kosovo status process forward. She
further reiterated what Secretary of Defense Gates stated at
the Defense Ministerial in Seville -- which UNMIK should not
reduce by a single person until the EU ESDP police mission is
at full operating capacity.
6. (C) A/SYG Pardew provided an update to the NAC on the
status of NATO-EU technical discussions, noting that the
organizations have drafted technical agreements for the five
previously identified common areas of responsibility.
Further refining of the agreements will continue with the
objective of formalizing an exchange of letters between the
two organizations which will outline respective areas of
responsibility. Pardew mentioned that NATO planners
continued to conduct prudent planning for NATO,s future role
based on U.N. Special Envoy Ahtisaari,s proposal and that
the MC will brief the NAC on staff planning on February 28.
The next round of technical discussions between NATO and the
EU is scheduled for March 2.
Darfur
--------------
USNATO 00000098 003 OF 003
7. (SBU) The SYG said that international attention is focused
on the ongoing AU/UN Special Envoy,s five-day mission aimed
at re-energizing the stalled peace process. This mission is
being conducted in parallel with the implementation of the
three-phase UN assistance package to AMIS. He reported that
the UN is establishing a monitoring mission to Chad and the
Central African Republic which could ease the spillover
effects of the Darfur crisis. The SYG also reminded the NAC
of tentative plans for AU Commissioner for Peace and
Security, Ambassador Djinnit, to brief the NAC on March 2.
CMC stated that he expects all of the spring 2007 troop
rotations to be funded. Current commitments to fund the
rotations include the UK (one of three Nigerian battalions),
France and Germany (Gambian and Senegalese battalions).
After the NAC, a UK mission officer told PolOff that the UK
intends to fund the remaining two Nigerian battalion
rotations, but must wait until the beginning of the UK fiscal
year, April 1, to confirm.
Iraq
--------------
8. (SBU) CMC reported that NTM-I Brigadier General Nawfal,
Director of the Defense Language Institute of the National
Defense University (NDU) at Ar-Rustimayah was kidnapped on
February 8, and found dead on February 9. This is the second
time in six months that a commanding general of NDU has been
kidnapped and murdered (the previous incident took place in
September 2006). It is currently unknown if the two
incidents are linked. An investigation is underway and
instruction on personal security outside of the compound
(both of these incidents happened in private homes) is being
conducted.
Six-Party Talks
--------------
9. (U) Under Political Subjects and using information
contained in State 18387, Ambassador Nuland briefed the NAC
on the February 13 agreement by the Six Parties on the
&Initial Actions for the Implementation of the September
2005 Joint Statement.8 She emphasized that this would not
have been accomplished without the strong united effort of
all parties. Ambassador Nuland told PermReps that she would
circulate details of the agreement separately, following the
NAC.
NATO Office of Resources
--------------
10. (U) The NAC approved the Senior Resource Board,s (SRB)
recommendation to form the NATO Office of Resources (NOR) and
revisions to the resource committees terms of reference so
that the Infrastructure Committee (IC) and Military Budget
Committee are subordinate to the SRB. The Director of the
NOR will be DASG Peltier (US). During the next three months,
the SRB will review the source of the IC Chairman, currently
DASG Peltier, as most nations favor a national chairman.
OLSON
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2017
TAGS: NATO PREL AF
SUBJECT: NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT FEBRUARY 14, 2007
Classified By: DCM RICHARD G. OLSON for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) SUMMARY:
-- Afghanistan: Chairman of the Military Committee (CMC)
stressed the immediate need to get ISAF X HQ fully staffed.
SHAPE MG Stein detailed ISAF operational successes and plans.
UK noted that the jury is still out on Musa Qala, though it
believes that Taiban influence is waning. Norway will send
150 SOF to ISAF. Ambassador Nuland called on the EU to
increase its police mission and briefed the NAC on Secretary
of Defense Gates, visit to Islamabad.
-- Kosovo: SYG announced his upcoming visit to Pristina,
Mitrovica on February 15 to reinforce NATO,s commitment; CMC
briefs on February 10 riots in Pristina, including KFOR
support to UNMIK and Kosovar police.
-- Darfur: AU PSC Djinnit plans to brief the NAC on March 2;
AMIS spring battalion rotations to be fully funded.
-- Iraq: CMC informed the NAC that the NTM-I National Defense
University (NDU) Director was kidnapped and murdered.
-- Six-Party Talks: Ambassador Nuland briefed the NAC on
successful outcome of Six-Party Talks in Beijing.
-- The NAC approved the Senior Resource Board,s (SRB)
recommendation to form the NATO Office of Resources (NOR).
END SUMMARY.
Afghanistan
--------------
2. (C) CMC Henault made a strong plea to nations to meet
commitments to the staffing of the ISAF X Composite HQ, still
at only 66% manning. In particular, he highlighted the lack
of a Role 1 medical facility and maintenance staffs as
shortfalls that stood to impact both the health and morale of
the HQ, not to mention more operational shortfalls and lack
of training that detracted from mission effectiveness. SHAPE
J3 MG Stein later stated that of 43 HQ slots in the
counter-IED branch (IEDs are COMISAF,s top threat),only 20
were filled.
3. (C) In the weekly operational update, MG Stein stated that
ISAF continued to assess Taliban goals as seeking to encircle
Kandahar and cut off Highway 1 traffic. The ongoing
Operation Oqab is paving the way for ISAF,s spring campaign,
(Operation &Now Ruz8 or "New Year"),which will seek to
preempt and dislocate enemy offensive operations, while
supporting development and governance. The recently
successful &Operation Kryptonite8 in the Kajaki Dam area,
had dislodged enemy camps despite Taliban efforts to use
children as human shields. Stein said that RC(S) reserves
were using rotary wing mobility to precisely interdict
reinfiltration attempts in the Panjwayi and Zhari districts
that had been cleared during Operation Baaz Tsuka. On Musa
Qala, he stated that COMISAF supported lettin the Afghan
government and elders work through te current problems, but
was ready to act if necesary. Planning for reconstruction
and aid had ben completed, and ISAF is poised to support
bothonce the security situation permitted. Finally, MG
Stein added that the next Tripartite Commission meeting would
be on March 14.
4. (C) Norway announced that in response to SACEUR,s
request, it would send a contingent of 150 SOF to RC
USNATO 00000098 002 OF 003
(Capital) for six months. The UK said it was cautiously
optimistic regarding Musa Qala, noting if the Afghans found
an Afghan solution, it would represent a large step forward,
and that the UK has seen signs of decreasing Taliban
influence there. Ambassador Nuland thanked Norway for
answering SACEUR,s call, and urged that the Norwegian
deployment be without geographical caveats. She welcomed the
recent EU GAERC decision to move ahead with an ESDP police
mission in Afghanistan, but hoped it was only the beginning,
noting the tremendous in-theater needs and that the U.S. had
deployed more than 500 police mentors compared with initial
E plans for approximately 120 new trainers. She gae
PermReps a brief sketch of SecDef Gates, meetig with
Pakistani President Musharraf, noting Mushrraf,s commitment
to regional security and our itent to help him better
deliver, and encouragingAllies to respond to any Pakistani
requests for echnical or training assistance for the border.
Ambassador Nuland and the Spanish ambassador agreedon the
need for consistent, unified messaging from NATO HQ and ISAF,
with Ambassador Nuland noting the need for Afghan faces to
deliver the message.
Kosovo
--------------
5. (C) The SYG said he intends to use his trip to Kosovo
February 15 to assess the security situation following the
February 10 riots in Pristina and to send a strong signal of
continued NATO commitment to maintaining a safe and secure
environment. In addition to Pristina, the SYG will visit
Mitrovica to meet with Kosovar Serb leaders and will tour
Camp Nothing Hill. Due to a Serbian holiday, the SYG has
postponed his planned stop in Belgrade until the week of
February 19. The CMC briefed on the February 10 riots by
Kosovar Albanian radicals, noting that KFOR deployed a
mission specialty company in support of the Kosovar police
and UNMIK. KFOR also manned checkpoints throughout the city,
conducted aerial surveillance, and placed tactical reserve
units on heightened alert. He further noted, in response to
PermReps, inquiries, that the KFOR unit employed tear gas in
accordance with NATO/KFOR,s rules for non-lethal engagement.
In response to an inquiry from the UK PermRep over the lack
of information during the riots, the SYG said he had been in
constant touch with SACEUR and stated that there are systems
in place to increase the flow of information during a crisis.
Ambassador Nuland drew PermReps, attention to the fact that
the riots show that time is not on our side and that it is
critical to move the Kosovo status process forward. She
further reiterated what Secretary of Defense Gates stated at
the Defense Ministerial in Seville -- which UNMIK should not
reduce by a single person until the EU ESDP police mission is
at full operating capacity.
6. (C) A/SYG Pardew provided an update to the NAC on the
status of NATO-EU technical discussions, noting that the
organizations have drafted technical agreements for the five
previously identified common areas of responsibility.
Further refining of the agreements will continue with the
objective of formalizing an exchange of letters between the
two organizations which will outline respective areas of
responsibility. Pardew mentioned that NATO planners
continued to conduct prudent planning for NATO,s future role
based on U.N. Special Envoy Ahtisaari,s proposal and that
the MC will brief the NAC on staff planning on February 28.
The next round of technical discussions between NATO and the
EU is scheduled for March 2.
Darfur
--------------
USNATO 00000098 003 OF 003
7. (SBU) The SYG said that international attention is focused
on the ongoing AU/UN Special Envoy,s five-day mission aimed
at re-energizing the stalled peace process. This mission is
being conducted in parallel with the implementation of the
three-phase UN assistance package to AMIS. He reported that
the UN is establishing a monitoring mission to Chad and the
Central African Republic which could ease the spillover
effects of the Darfur crisis. The SYG also reminded the NAC
of tentative plans for AU Commissioner for Peace and
Security, Ambassador Djinnit, to brief the NAC on March 2.
CMC stated that he expects all of the spring 2007 troop
rotations to be funded. Current commitments to fund the
rotations include the UK (one of three Nigerian battalions),
France and Germany (Gambian and Senegalese battalions).
After the NAC, a UK mission officer told PolOff that the UK
intends to fund the remaining two Nigerian battalion
rotations, but must wait until the beginning of the UK fiscal
year, April 1, to confirm.
Iraq
--------------
8. (SBU) CMC reported that NTM-I Brigadier General Nawfal,
Director of the Defense Language Institute of the National
Defense University (NDU) at Ar-Rustimayah was kidnapped on
February 8, and found dead on February 9. This is the second
time in six months that a commanding general of NDU has been
kidnapped and murdered (the previous incident took place in
September 2006). It is currently unknown if the two
incidents are linked. An investigation is underway and
instruction on personal security outside of the compound
(both of these incidents happened in private homes) is being
conducted.
Six-Party Talks
--------------
9. (U) Under Political Subjects and using information
contained in State 18387, Ambassador Nuland briefed the NAC
on the February 13 agreement by the Six Parties on the
&Initial Actions for the Implementation of the September
2005 Joint Statement.8 She emphasized that this would not
have been accomplished without the strong united effort of
all parties. Ambassador Nuland told PermReps that she would
circulate details of the agreement separately, following the
NAC.
NATO Office of Resources
--------------
10. (U) The NAC approved the Senior Resource Board,s (SRB)
recommendation to form the NATO Office of Resources (NOR) and
revisions to the resource committees terms of reference so
that the Infrastructure Committee (IC) and Military Budget
Committee are subordinate to the SRB. The Director of the
NOR will be DASG Peltier (US). During the next three months,
the SRB will review the source of the IC Chairman, currently
DASG Peltier, as most nations favor a national chairman.
OLSON