REGIONAL COMMAND - SOUTH MEETING, APRIL 28, OTTAWA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 07 OTTAWA 000626 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR NATO AF CA SUBJECT: REGIONAL COMMAND - SOUTH MEETING, APRIL 28, OTTAWA REF: A. RC-S PLAN - VERSION FROM 4/17/08 ¶B. BRITISH DRAFT PAPER - INTEGRATING CN AND COIN ¶C. DFID/WORLD BANK PAPER OF 12/17/07 - ECONOMIC INCENTIVES AND DEVELOPMENT TO REDUCE OPIUM PRODUCTION ¶D. U.S.-UK MYTHS AND FACTS PRESS RELEASE OF MARCH 11 ¶E. 2008 ¶1. (U) Summary: On April 28 in Ottawa, Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) hosted a DAS-level officials' meeting for countries contributing to NATO-ISAF Regional Command - South (RC-S). NATO and United Nations Peace Keeping Operations (UNPKO) representatives also attended. SCA DAS Patrick Moon headed the United States delegation (lists in para 19). The agenda included breakout sessions on the RC-S Plan, counternarcotics, national Afghan issues (reconciliation and elections planning), communications, the rule of law, and border security. ¶2. (U) RC-S Allies provided detailed input on the draft RC-S Plan document, and the United States will prepare a new draft for final approval at the Ministerial level by Canada, US, UK, the Netherlands, Australia, and Denmark. The goal remains to produce a counterinsurgency-oriented plan that addresses issues specific to RC-S and that is consistent with broader NATO efforts. ¶3. (U) INL will lead a "virtual community" on Rule of Law and Canada will lead a similar group on the police. The Netherlands offered to host the next RC-South meeting; dates are still to be determined. End Summary. Plenary: Reflection on Bucharest -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) meeting organizer and Director General for Afghanistan Kerry Buck called on delegates to build on the success of previous RC-S officials' meetings and the NATO Leaders Summit in Bucharest. She said that Prime Minister Harper was happy with the outcomes of Bucharest, the Canadian public had responded well, and Canada's critical Summit objectives were met -- helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, and a combat capable partner in Kandahar. The NATO Vision Statement and Comprehensive Strategic Political-Military Plan (CSPMP) for Afghanistan offered a useful strategic way forward, she observed. The job of RC-S officials in Ottawa, Buck said, was to build upon this direction in practical ways with particular focus on the RC-S Plan, justice, rule of law, and reconciliation. RC-S Plan Working Group and Head of Delegation Lunch -------------- -------------- ¶5. (SBU) RC-S Plan: SCA DAS Patrick Moon briefed about the ongoing discussion with RC-S allies and partners about the draft RC-S Plan, and U.S. thinking on the matter (ref A). DAS Moon argued that, to be worthwhile, the Plan should: -- be based on successes in RC-E, applying those to RC-S; -- include counterinsurgency (COIN) in substance and word; -- be an action plan; and, -- not be a formal NATO paper, but remain consistent with NATO strategies and plans. ¶6. (SBU) Shifting from their previous opposition to any explicit COIN reference, the Dutch and others agreed to include both the term and the concept. They also sought a reference to "comprehensive approach," as another concept that brings together civilian and military elements. Allies Qthat brings together civilian and military elements. Allies called for a particular focus on the civilian aspects of counterinsurgency, and suggested that problems specific to RC-S -- poor governance, lack of reconciliation, and the need to strengthen UNAMA and NGOs -- ought to figure prominently in the Plan. Canada questioned why RC-S Allies and partners should draft a non-NATO paper of this type, noting that RC-S commanders report up the NATO chain of command and that conflicting guidance would be counterproductive. ¶7. (SBU) Acknowledging the Dutch and Canadian concerns, DAS Moon and reiterated the need to ensure that, if the parties decided to complete it, the Plan should be consistent with the NATO Vision Statement, CSPMP, and ISAF and RC-S OTTAWA 00000626 002 OF 007 Operations Plan (OPLAN). As such, the Plan could serve as a "common national agreement" guiding military and civilian efforts. Australia reminded the group that RC-S defense ministers had tasked the Plan, and stated that Australia would be willing to support a more high-level document that included specific references to COIN. Picking up from the Australians, the UK said the Plan should be consistent with the RC-S OPLAN, focus on COIN and counternarcotics (CN),and be viewed as both national guidance and a tool for monitoring progress within RC-S. ¶8. (U) DAS Moon relayed the intent to provide a revised draft reflecting previously received input on April 23 and the meeting discussions within 10-14 days. Counternarcotics Working Group -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Counternarcotics: The UK chair opened by referring to the UK draft paper entitled "Integrating CN and COIN" and emphasized the "intertwined" nature of the two in Afghanistan (ref B). The insurgency provided a favorable environment for the opposition militant forces (OMF) to persist, she said, by fueling insurgents, crime, corruption, and disillusionment with the government. INL/AP Director Thomas Williams stressed the need to integrate CN into COIN at all levels by all military and civilian players. He pointed to the need for ISAF to support the efforts of the Poppy Eradication Force, and highlighted U.S. concerns about offering amnesty to members of drug trafficking organizations. The Dutch agreed that amnesty was problematic, but noted that The Hague worried that the Good Performers Fund risked creating "perverse incentives." The Australians, meanwhile, expressed agreement with the U.S. call to back Afghan CN efforts, and urged RC-S partners to empower personnel down-range to make calls regarding the right mix of incentives and deterrents. ¶10. (SBU) The second part of the CN session focused on a DFID-World Bank paper entitled "Economic Incentives and Development Initiatives to Reduce Opium Production" (ref C). INL's Williams took issue with elements of the report, noting that it was too limited in scope and perpetuated unhelpful myths about why most Afghan farmers grew poppy. Furthermore, the report offered no useful prescriptions for pursuing development in insecure areas, particularly the South, where 75 percent of Afghanistan's poppy is grown. After discussing the work, participants highlighted the fact that the RC-S OPLAN CN Annex established the COIN-CN nexus articulated in the report. To be successful, they agreed, the execution of CN strategy would require a differentiated approach based on the security environment, force protection, political buy-in, proper sequencing, and the participation of broad-based CN advisory task forces. National Afghan Issues - RC-S Perspectives Working Group -------------- -------------- ¶11. (SBU) Elections: The NATO representative observed that the Afghan Independent Electoral Commission (AIEC) had called for international support. It had done so despite the fact that Afghan authorities had not yet begun to consider the logistical and security requirements of the 2009 and 2010 elections. RC-S members agreed that their governments should Qelections. RC-S members agreed that their governments should discreetly press Afghan authorities to energize their registration and election planning processes. The Dutch chair expressed concern about the possible need for more ISAF troops to ensure security during the elections; "where would they come from?" he asked. ¶12. (SBU) Reconciliation: Participants focused on the Program Takhim-E-Sol (PTS). Most participants agreed that PTS was "good on paper" but not performing well, and yielded only "small fish" so far. All nonetheless conceded that PTS should be supported and strengthened as the main vehicle for reconciliation, and that reconciliation must be an Afghan-led process. DAS Moon noted that PTS would benefit from better management, and that President Karzai could help to reinvigorate it. Participants also discussed the Independent Directorate for Local Governance (IDLG) Afghanistan Social Outreach Program (ASOP). It was noted that ASOP is related to (but not a substitute for) reconciliation in that ASOP politically empowers and provides economic support to local communities, in exchange for an agreement for responsible OTTAWA 00000626 003 OF 007 action (much as reconciliation provides protections to individuals who lay down their arms and acknowledge the government's authority). The Working Group agreed that, despite its potential faults, the ASOP also merits continued support. DAS Moon observed that providing transitional justice would be an even tougher problem, and it will take some time for the Afghans to figure out how to address it. We should not pressure them, he said, and the UN delegate agreed. Communications Working Group -------------- ¶13. (SBU) Communications: The UK chair began with his assessment that strategic communications ought to strike a balance between home and Afghan audiences, and that the Interim Government Media Center in Kabul should open by June ¶2008. The British asked, and those present agreed, whether they should invite an Afghan embassy official to the regular meetings of the informal RC-S Communications Working Group in London. The UK distributed draft talking points on reconciliation, and proposed drafting a counternarcotics communications plan based on the U.S.-UK myths and facts press release (ref D). The Danes conveyed the importance of getting messages to partners when major news events of civilian casualties are imminent, in order to help mitigate negative domestic reactions. The U.S. representative shared a draft communication plan for the run-up to the Paris conference in June, which should be discussed at the next regular meeting of the Communications Working Group in London. Finally, the NATO International Staff and the Danish representatives described the recent, somewhat premature, launch of the "NATO TV" site. While up and running, NATO TV still has to work out issues of editorial control. Rule of Law Working Group -------------- ¶14. (SBU) Rule of Law: Members of the Working Group agreed that the Focused District Development (FDD) program was off to a good start, and acknowledged the need to coordinate governance and reconstruction efforts with FDD's police training component. All agreed that the EUPOL mission has gotten off to a weak start, but the group was generally supportive of trying to turn EUPOL into a success. The Dutch delegate expressed concern about a projected reduction in the number of authorized Afghan National Police (ANP) in Uruzgan. (Note: This draw-down is part of a revised "tashkil," approved by the Ministry of Interior to rebalance the ANP, based on population and threat, and to eliminate the ANAP.) All delegates agreed that the Law and Order Trust Fund (LOTFA) deserved continued support. Several delegates noted concern about security for prosecutors and judges. There was general recognition that justice efforts must be Afghan-led. At the closing plenary, INL/AP's Williams agreed to lead an email discussion "virtual community" on Rule of Law and Canadian Director General Buck agreed to lead a similar group on the police. Border Security Working Group -------------- ¶15. (SBU) Border Security: As chair for the group, DAS Moon opened with an explanation of U.S. efforts and concerns regarding the Pakistan and Iranian borders. The Canadians briefed their Dubai Border Workshop for Afghanistan and Qbriefed their Dubai Border Workshop for Afghanistan and Pakistan security, defense, and foreign affairs officials, and asked that donors consider funding elements of the action plan that the two countries are set to sign in June. There was consensus that refugees were not yet a significant issue in RC-S because the closure of the long-established camps on the Pakistan side of the border in Baluchistan had not yet been scheduled. ¶16. (SBU) The discussion that ensued focused almost entirely on Afghanistan's eastern border and led to general agreement that the border presented huge challenges that must be addressed in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, and that border police capacity and border security are critically important. The one, sustained discordant note came from the British delegate, who insisted that resources would be better spent on domestic police training than on beefing up Afghanistan's border police. The current political situation in Pakistan OTTAWA 00000626 004 OF 007 further complicated engagement on the border and on advancing the cross-border Peace Jirga process with Islamabad. That said, allies agreed upon the need to continue to press border issues, OMF sanctuaries, and our desire to engage Pakistani officials along the border and in Islamabad at all levels. Comment -------------- ¶17. (SBU) The RC-S group continues to meet informally at various levels from working level to ministers, and serves as a caucus-like body of Allies and partners dealing with a similar set of challenges in the Regional Command - South area of operations. The Dutch, who will provide the next RC-S commander, offered to host the next RC-S meeting, dates TBD. The United States will continue to steer these RC-S forums toward addressing operational issues while keeping the Allies and partners in sync with the broader NATO efforts. End comment. ¶18. (U) DAS Moon has cleared this cable. ¶19. (U) ATTENDEE LIST AUSTRALIA Mr. Paul Robilliard (HoD) Assistant Secretary Afghanistan and Iraq Branch Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade Mr. Andrew Chandler Assistant Secretary Central Asia Middle East and Africa Branch Department of Defence Ms. Sheridan Kearnan Director Afghanistan Section Department of Defence Mr. Alan March Senior Adviser Humanitarian and Reconstruction Australian Agency for International Development Mr. Dave Vosen Director Iraq Middle East Afghanistan and Pakistan Section, Australian Agency for International Aid Brigadier General Andrew Smith Director-General Plans, Joint Operations Command Department of Defence Lieutenant Colonel Byron Cocksedge Staff Officer Grade 1 Military Strategic Commitments Department of Defence Lieutenant Colonel Lyndon Anderson Defence Adviser Australian High Commission, Ottawa Mr. Ben Burdon Counsellor Australian Embassy, Washington CANADA Ms Kerry Buck (HoD) Director General Afghanistan Task Force Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada BGen Peter Atkinson Director General - Operations Strategic Joint Staff Department of National Defence Mr. Don Sinclair Director General OTTAWA 00000626 005 OF 007 International Security Bureau Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada Mr. Richard Arbeiter Director, Policy and Advocacy Division Afghanistan Task Force Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada Mr. Michael Elliott Senior Policy Analyst Afghanistan Task Force Privy Council Office Mr. Geoffrey Dean Director Strategic Communications Afghanistan Task Force Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada Mr. Kevin Rex Director Peace and Security Policy Afghanistan Task Force Canadian International Development Agency Ms. Mieke Bos Deputy Director Afghanistan Task Force Department of National Defence Ms. Marina Laker Director Peace Support Operations Stabilization and Reconstruction Task Force Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada Ms. Rebecca Netley First Secretary, Political Embassy of Canada, Washington Mr. Christopher Gibbins Deputy Director, Policy and Advocacy Division Afghanistan Task Force Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada DENMARK Amb. Carsten Nilaus Pederson (HOD) Under Secretary for Bilateral Co-operation Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Peter Alexa Head of Department Ministry of Defence ESTONIA Mr. Margus Kolga (HoD) Director General Political Department. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Christian-Marc Liflnder Director of the Policy Planning Department Ministry of Defence Mr. Taimar Peterkop Counsellor Embassy of Estonia, Washington Mr. Rasmus Lumi Charg d'Affaires Embassy of Estonia, Ottawa NATO Mr. Gordon Brett (HoD) Acting Head, Operations Section Operations Division NATO HQ Mrs. Delphine Mauss Officer, Crisis Management Policy Section Operations Division NATO HQ OTTAWA 00000626 006 OF 007 Mr. Erik Povel Afghanistan Media Operations Center (MOC) Public Diplomacy Division NATO HQ NETHERLANDS H.E. Mr. Karel de Beer Ambassador to Canada Mr. Robert de Groot (HoD) Director Security Policy Department Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Koen Davidse Director Peacebuilding and Fragility Unit Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Hidde Baars Policy officer South Asia Division Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Matthijs Veenendaal Senior policy Advisor Department for General Policy Affairs Ministry of Defence Ms. Cynthia de Ligt Policy officer Security Policy Department Ministry of Foreign Affairs ROMANIA Mr. Daniel Ene (HoD) Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Romania, Ottawa UNITED KINGDOM Mr. Matthew Lodge (HoD) Head of Afghanistan Group Foreign and Commonwealth Office Mrs. Rachel Brass Team Leader (Strategic Communications) Afghanistan Group Foreign and Commonwealth Office Mr. Peter O'Rourke Team Leader (Pol/Mil) Afghanistan Group Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ms. Katharine Hammond Team Leader (Rule of Law) Afghan Drugs Interdepartmental Unit UK High Commission BGen. Gordon Messenger Director Joint Commitments Ministry of Defence Col. Gerhard Wheeler DTIO Ministry of Defence Ms. Emily Travis Team Leader Afghanistan Team Department for International Development Ms. Jessica Irvine, Head of ADIDU Afghan Drugs Interdepartmental Unit UNITED NATIONS Ms. Radha Day (HoD) UNAMA desk OO - AMED Department of Peace Keeping Operations OTTAWA 00000626 007 OF 007 United Nations Headquarters, New York UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Mr. Patrick Moon (HoD) Afghanistan Coordinator Deputy Assistant Secretary Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Department of State Mr. Robert Newberry Principal Director Europe and NATO Policy Office of the Secretary of Defense Mr. Thomas Williams Office Director Bureau of Narcotics and Law Enforcement, Office for Afghanistan and Pakistan Programs Department of State Ms. Kathleen McInnis Director NATO ISAF Operations Europe and NATO Policy Office of the Secretary of Defense Mr. Ian Rainey Afghanistan Country Director Asian and Pacific Security Affairs Office of the Secretary of Defense Captain James Hirst NATO Division Chief Joint Staff, J5 Department of Defense Mr. Peter Shea NATO-Afghanistan Action Officer Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, Regional Security and Arms Transfers Department of State Ms. Nisha Singh Foreign Affairs Officer Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Office for Afghanistan Department of State Mr. Brett Mattei First Secretary for Political Affairs United Sates Embassy, Ottawa Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada BREESE