NATO-RUSSIA: PUTTING "NO BUSINESS AS USUAL" INTO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 093447 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/27/2018 TAGS: MOPS NATO PREL GG RS SUBJECT: NATO-RUSSIA: PUTTING "NO BUSINESS AS USUAL" INTO PRACTICE REF: USNATO 309 Classified By: Assistant Secretary Dan Fried for reasons 1.4 (B and (D) ¶1. (C) Pursuant to the agreement among NATO Foreign Ministers at their August 19 meeting that there can be "no business as usual" in the NATO-Russia relationship under the current circumstances, Washington supports Mission's view (reftel) that it is important "not to use" the NRC as currently structured. Our goal is to send a strong political signal to Russia in a way that will preserve Allied unity, without provoking Russia to sever its relationship with NATO and end NATO-Russia activities we deem of benefit to the Alliance and the U.S., such as ISAF transit. ¶2. (C) Mission may draw on the following points at the September 2 NATO PermReps discussion: -- Consistent with the NAC's decisions on "no business as usual," and to reflect the reality of the NATO-Russia relationship at the present time, it is not possible to use the NRC structures and procedures during this time. -- In practice, this means that the NRC should not meet at the Ambassadorial level, nor hold regular Prep Coms. NATO-Russia working-level meetings should occur only on an ad-hoc basis in order to address specific issues -- such as areas of cooperation that support the Alliance's larger goals such as Afghanistan, ISAF transit, counterterrorism, counternarcotics, and humanitarian issues -- and must be pre-coordinated by the Allies. -- We do not exclude a priori future meetings at Ambassadorial level, although any such meeting at present is premature and would need to be carefully pre-coordinated in terms of substance and format and require instructions from Washington. -- Mission should make clear that the U.S. is not proposing a formal suspension or annulment of the NRC. We agree with Allie that it is important to keep open channels of communication wit Russia. -- Washington supports Mission's recommendation that the NATO International Staff remain engaged with the Russian Mission to provide an additional channel of communication. -- Other NATO activities and mechanisms that include Russia as only one of a number of partners should continue. Russia should not be allowed to prevent us from doing the important work of the Alliance. This includes the activities and meetings of the Partnership for Peace/Euro-Atlantic Partnership council (PfP/EAPC),of which Russia remains a member. Mission should engage with the International Staff to ensure Russia is not permitted to use these meetings solely as a platform for rhetorical attacks against NATO or its partners. ¶3. (C) In addition to the NATO-Russia specific points above, Washington instructs Mission to make the following points on related topics at the September 2 PermReps Lunch: A) NATO AID TO GEORGIA: -- NATO's contribution to the reconstitution of the Georgian military should include assistance and advice relating to the national military structure, airspace, leadership education and training, and command and control issues. B) NATO-GEORGIA COMMISSION: -- We support a short framework document, which should be agreed as quickly as possible; -- The Commission should be used to accelerate Georgia's STATE 00093447 002 OF 002 integration into NATO as mandated at Bucharest, and coordinate the implementation of the Alliance's assistance to Georgia; -- The Commission should provide a political framework to highlight NATO's close strategic relationship with Georgia, including at the ministerial and heads of state and government level; -- The Commission should include a mechanism for emergency consultations; -- We should hold a "26 plus 1" meeting with Georgia prior to the NAC visit to Tbilisi. Mission should confirm that the Private Office intends to schedule one for September 10; -- We should hold the first meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission during the NAC's September 15-16 visit to Tbilisi. RICE