NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT - APRIL 30, 2008

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 07 USNATO 000151

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/30/2018
TAGS: NATO PREL AF
SUBJECT: NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT - APRIL 30, 2008

REF: STATE 43817

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Classified By: DCM Richard G. Olson, Jr., for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C/NF) Summary from the NAC Meeting:

-- Afghanistan: Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said
that Karzai urged caution in judging the Kabul security
situation following the April 27 assassination attempt. IMS
Assistant Director for Operations Li Gobbi stated that
Pakistani "peace deals" could negatively impact Afghan
security, and that Opposing Militant Forces (OMF) may be
planning to try to retake Musa Qala. A U.S. firm partially
lost ISAF intra-theater sustainment airlift contract due to
non-performance. NATO's Acting Senior Civilian
Representative in Kabul, Ambassador Maurits Jochems, briefed
that UNAMA is leading an effort to define a common position
on reconciliation among the Afghan government and
international community. Ambassador Nuland's call for
significant pledges at the upcoming Paris Conference revealed
skepticism from France, Germany, and Spain over whether the
Paris Conference should be considered a pledging conference.
Canada expressed irritation over President Karzai's recent
bashing of western forces to the press.

-- Balkans: The NAC approved the Initiating Directive to
allow national military authorities to revise the KFOR
Operational Plan to account for NATO's new tasks. The CMC
briefed on his visit to Kosovo and informed the NAC that
future uncertainty with the UN-EU missions could lead to KFOR
assuming increased missions.

-- Africa ) Support to the AU: No discussion.

-- Iraq: Italian Ambassador Stefanini mentioned that the
third class of carabinieri-trained national police graduated
on April 21.

-- Response to Terrorism: Spain urged Allies to support the
UNSCR on Somalia now being drafted by Permanent Security
Council nations U.S., France and UK. Spain also informed the
NAC that a Spanish vessel, formerly seized by Somali pirates,
had been liberated off the coast of Somalia.

-- Statement on Political Subjects: Ambassador Nuland
informed PermReps that U.S. intelligence indicated it was a
Russian MiG 29 aircraft which shot down a Georgian UAV in
Georgian airspace on April 20. She also informed the NAC
that some websites of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty have
been cyber-attacked since April 28, and delivered points on
Syria's clandestine nuclear program (see reftel),sharing
with the NAC video evidence presented to the U.S. Congress
last week.

-- AOB: The SYG reported that pending formal confirmation

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from Georgian authorities the NAC will visit Georgia on
September 4 and 5.

-- Farewell to the PermRep of Slovakia: The SYG bade
Ambassador Igor Slobodnik a fond farewell as this was his
last NAC before leaving NATO.

END SUMMARY.

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Afghanistan
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2. (C) The SYG said that in a call to Afghan President
Karzai, the Afghan President blamed a lapse in his security
services for the April 27 assassination attempt against him,
and both the SYG and Karzai acknowledged that the attack
should not lead to hasty conclusions about the security
situation in Kabul. Chairman of the Military Committee (CMC)
General Henault stated at least six insurgents were involved
in the attack, with three killed and three captured, and that
responsibility for the attack was still unknown, despite
claims by both the Taliban and Hizb-I Islami Gulbuddin. He
noted the information ops victory gained by the enemy in this
attack, but credits Afghan security forces with establishing
the initial necessary security tactics that forced the
attackers to carry out the attack under sub-optimal
conditions, from 400 meters away.


3. (C) IMS Assistant Director for Operations MG Li Gobbi
opened his brief by expressing skepticism toward a recently
negotiated "peace deal" between the Swat district authority
in Pakistan and militants, and similar efforts underway in
South and North Waziristan. Analysis shows similar past
agreements have led to increased enemy freedom of movement
and safe haven in Pakistan's tribal areas, from which they
operate against Afghanistan. Looking at the Regional
Commands, Li Gobbi said that the impact of the April 27
attack on Afghan intentions to assume responsibility for
Kabul, from both an Afghan and ISAF perspective, needed to be
assessed. RC-North focused on cordon-and-search operations
in Kunduz, while Afghan forces in RC-West conducted security
operations along the Ring Road, and ISAF forces conducted
counter-IED training for the ANA 207th Corps. Li Gobbi
stated that reporting suggests OMF are gathering in villages
surrounding Musa Qala, and are likely to try to retake it
following the poppy harvest. He noted increased OMF kinetic
activity in RC-East, particularly in Kunar, where OMF had
recently attacked a civilian truck convoy.


4. (C) Li Gobbi stated that the contract awarded to the
U.S.-based Mesopotamia Group to provide ISAF intra-theater
sustainment airlift had been partially terminated due to a
long-standing inability of the firm to provide contracted
lift in RC-South. Mesopotamia will now only continue to

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provide service in RC-North and RC-West, where it had been
working, and JFC-Brunssum should have a new contract
concluded by mid-May with a firm called Skylink to cover
RC-South. Li Gobbi briefed that 2 Mi-8s should begin
operating from Kandahar airfield on April 30, though. The
U.S., Netherlands, and Australia have met RC-South's lift
needs in the interim given the Mesopotamia Group's failure.


5. (C) Acting SCR Jochems briefed in person on three topics:
the April 27 attack, reconciliation, and development.
Jochems, who was present at the stadium during the attack,
noted the attack was almost ineffective militarily, but
succeeded with its desired media effect. He deferred to
COMISAF to provide analysis and lessons learned, but noted
that improved coordination between the MOI, MOD, and NDS
should be one outcome. On reconciliation, he relayed PTS
chief Professor Mojaddedi's complaints regarding lack of
funding, and allegations that Coalition and Afghan forces are
unwilling to provide sufficient guarantees against arrest to
possible reconcilees. He cited a UNAMA-drafted paper,
presently with NSA Rassoul, which goes beyond the PTS
framework and seeks to establish a common reconciliation
framework between the Afghan government and the international
community. Jochems acknowledged the desirability of
reconciliation, but cautioned Allies about taking too overt a
public stance on it, lest the perception ) already present
among some in Kabul ) be strengthened that Allies are
looking for "an exit strategy on the cheap." On development,
he called for a stronger NATO civilian presence in the
provinces and in PRTs, reaffirmed that SRSG Eide seeks a
pledging aspect to the Paris Conference, noted a database his
office is developing in cooperation with ISAF on assistance
projects delivered and planned, and noted that COMISAF has
undertaken a review of ISAF's PRT structure.


6. (C) During the discussion period, Ambassador Nuland told
Allies that SRSG Eide had a good series of high-level visits
in Washington, including with the President, and that the
U.S. intended to provide him assistance on strategic
communications and other areas he felt he needed to bolster
UNAMA's efforts. In this light, she drew upon the SECSTATE
demarche cable to make a strong call for significant
financial pledges at the Paris Conference. She said U.S. was
prepared to put at least $205 million toward the $475 million
needed for elections, and Allies needed to bridge the gap.
The German PermRep stated he understood Paris to be a
stocktaking conference, and also an opportunity for the
Afghans to "make their case" to the international community.
The Spanish PermRep noted there was no agreement on the
nature of the Paris Conference, and asked that the NAC
receive more information. He agreed with Germany that
stocktaking would be crucial. The French Charge said she
would be happy to provide more information to the NAC on the
Conference, but had believed until now it was being worked
between capitals. Of course it will be a stocktaking

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conference, she noted, as "it is not necessarily meant to be
a pledging conference."


7. (C) Ambassador Nuland, echoed by the SYG, also asked NATO
military authorities for a final accounting of offers of
additional forces for ISAF made at the Bucharest Summit. The
CMC stated that National Military Reps are working the issue
at SHAPE, but that clear military communications to SHAPE on
contributions following the political statements at Bucharest
have not been forthcoming.


8. (C) The Canadian PermRep expressed irritation at President
Karzai's recent strong public criticism against the United
States and ISAF, acknowledging the election context, but
asking rhetorically if anybody was advising Karzai that
running against ISAF in his elections did not bolster his
case among populations in the NATO homelands. The German
PermRep noted that the April 27 attack would need to be
carefully factored into any decision-making on whether the
Afghans could assume responsibility for Kabul later this
year, as Karzai had announced at Bucharest. He noted a
German project worth 36-million euros to build 33 police
stations in RC-North. The Italian Charge announced a
10-million euro contribution to the Reconstruction Trust
Fund, and a 63.4-million euro contribution to finish the
second stage of the Kabul-Bamyan road.


9. (C) The Italian PermRep also asked if the April 27 attempt
against Karzai could be traced to shortfalls in the Afghan
National Police. CMC Henault cited the need to wait for an
investigation, but reminded the NAC of well-known shortfalls
in training ANP, and that by filling requirements to provide
the ANA with embedded trainers (OMLTs),Allies could help
U.S. ANA trainers shift their efforts to the police. MG Li
Gobbi reinforced the importance of this notion, by stating
that while EUPOL is still in its early days, it is only 50
percent sourced at approximately 120 personnel, with 80 of
those at its Kabul headquarters.

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Balkans
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10. (C) The NAC formally approved the NAC Initiating
Directive, which will provide NATO's military authorities
with the necessary guidance to develop the 3rd revision of
the Balkans Joint Operations Plan. Turkey informed the
Council that while Ankara reluctantly supported consensus,
they would issue a detailed paper elaborating Turkish views
regarding NATO support to international organizations in
Kosovo, as outlined in the directive (sent separately to
EUR/RPM on April 30). The CMC briefed the NAC on the
Military Committee's (MC) recent visit to Kosovo where they
received operational briefings from COMJFC Naples and
COMKFOR, and discussed the overall situation with the UN SRSG

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and the Deputy International Civilian Representative.
Describing a calm, but very tense, picture, the CMC said that
there is a lot of uncertainty in Kosovo in the run up to both
the Serbian May 11 elections and what will happen with UNMIK
authority/capability and the transition to the EULEX mission
following the entry into force of the Kosovo constitution.
This uncertainty was contributing to decreased Kosovar
Albanian confidence in the Government of Kosovo and the
international community, according to UN and ICO officials,
he said. The CMC concluded that, if a worst case scenario
develops, KFOR could be in a situation where it will have to
assume some police functions, as well as be the first
responder to violence. The CMC also informed the NAC that
KFOR's operational capability has been stretched due to the
high op tempo and the loss of both the Azerbaijani and
Georgian contingents, and the impending transfer of at least
one multi-specialized company from KFOR to EULEX. He said
that, although the rotational deployment of the operational
reserve force has provided some flexibility, COMKFOR believed
that he may need at least three additional maneuver
battalions to support operations if KFOR finds itself in a
worst case scenario. Cautioning that a worst case scenario
had not yet occurred, CMC also raised the potential for
future near-term discussion of employment of the in-theater
tactical reserve, and possibly the Strategic Reserve Force
(SRF),should a worsening of the situation on the ground
materialize. The CMC informed the NAC that SACEUR is in the
process of formulating military advice on what might be
required in such a scenario.


11. (C/NF) Spain cautioned against drawing any conclusion
that might lead to compromising KFOR's neutrality in an
evolving situation and endorsed further discussions on the
future of Kosovo, particularly following the Serbian
elections. Turkey echoed the Spanish comments on the
evolving situation and the unknown, saying that we are facing
a reality that UNMIK's capability is diminishing and that the
UN SYG needs a strong signal from the UNSCR members about not
letting UNMIK weaken. The UK found CMC's brief "worrying"
and expressed hope that SACEUR's advice can reach the NAC in
order to have a discussion prior to the SYG's discussion with
UN SYG at the end of May. Ambassador Nuland reassured her
colleagues that the U.S., as a UN Security Council member,
was doing everything it could to keep engaging with the UN
SYG and urged all Allies to do the same. She also noted
(supported by Italy) that if SACEUR's advice on force
generation reflected what CMC briefed, then it would be
better to get it done sooner rather than later. The CMC
responded to Turkish, Slovenian, and Dutch questions on
KFOR's operations and possible future force generation saying
that KFOR is currently operating as a responder within its
mandate. The SYG concluded by saying that the discussion
about KFOR force levels was of extreme importance, but that
they needed to have SACEUR's advice before they could take it
further. He promised to have an in-depth informal discussion

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following the May 11 elections on the way forward in the
Balkans.

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Iraq
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12. (C) Italian Ambassador Stefanini mentioned that the third
class of carabinieri-trained national police graduated on
April 21. Italian General Siazzu, the head of the
carabinieri training, attended the graduation and then left
the country to visit a carabinieri training program in
Afghanistan.

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Response to Terrorism
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13. (C) Spain urged Allies to support the evolving UNSCR on
Somalia now being drafted by Permanent Security Council
nations U.S., France and UK. Spain also informed that a
Spanish vessel, formerly seized by Somali pirates, had been
liberated off Somalia.

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Statements on Political Subjects
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14. (C) Ambassador Nuland informed PermReps that U.S.
intelligence indicated that it was a Russian MiG-29 aircraft
which shot down a Georgian UAV in Georgian airspace on April

20. The Ambassador said the U.S. has provided the IMS
intelligence confirming that the plane was a Russian-origin
MiG-29 Fulcrum and that the attack was enabled by a Russian
origin radar.


15. (C) Ambassador Nuland also informed the NAC that some
websites of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty have been
cyber-attacked since April 28. The attack was mainly focused
on Radio Free Europe's Belarus service, but websites serving
Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Kosovo, Macedonia,
Bosnia and Croatia have also been affected.


16. (C) Ambassador Nuland also delivered points on Syria's
clandestine nuclear program (see reftel) and shared with the
NAC video evidence presented to the U.S. Congress last week
of U.S. assessments that North Korea assisted Syria to
construct the nuclear reactor which was destroyed by Israeli
aircraft in September 2007.

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AOB
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17. (C) The SYG reported that, pending formal confirmation

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from Georgian authorities, the NAC will visit Georgia on
September 4 and 5.

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Farewell to the PermRep of Slovakia
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18. (C) The SYG and other PermReps bade Ambassador Igor
Slobodnik a fond farewell as this was his last NAC before
leaving NATO. The SYG recalled Slobodnik's emotional day in
April 2004 when the Slovakian flag was raised at NATO HQ and
praised his many contributions since that time. Slobodnik
lobbied for a favorable decision in December 2008 on MAP for
Georgia and Ukraine (the Ukrainian Ambassador also had
thanked AMB Slobodnik for his support earlier in the day at
the NUC) and expressed optimism that a new spirit was in the
air on NATO-EU relations.
NULAND