NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT - JANUARY 16, 2008

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 06 USNATO 000021 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2018 TAGS: NATO PREL AF SUBJECT: NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT - JANUARY 16, 2008 Classified By: CDA Richard G. Olson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C/NF) Please note a typo in the Afghanistan portion of last week's notes. The corrected sentence should read: "UNAMA assesses that the areas of Badghis province that were the site of recent fighting are now stable enough for relief agencies to operate." ¶2. (S/NF) Summary from the NAC Meeting: -- Membership Action Plan ) Croatia: PM Sanader's meeting with the NAC on Croatia's performance in the Membership Action Plan will be reported septel. -- Afghanistan: Secretary General (SYG) de Hoop Scheffer said he had spoken to UN SYG Ban Ki Moon about the Terms of Reference for the new UN senior civilian coordinator in Afghanistan and shared his impression that the UN SYG would nominate the individual very soon. Deputy Chairman of the Military Committee (D/CMC) Eikenberry anticipated continued terrorism in Pakistan throughout 2008 and the International Military Staff briefed that Opposing Militant Forces (OMF) are taking a "wait and see" approach in RC-South following the retaking of Musa Qala. Ambassador Nuland briefed on the U.S. troop plus-up, plus ANA expansion plans, and Turkey announced plans to deploy two Operational Mentor Liaison Teams (OMLTs). The Serena Hotel bombing led the NAC to focus on the security situation in Kabul, and Norway thanked the U.S., Turkey, Czech Republic, and others for assistance to Foreign Minister Stoere's delegation following the attack. -- Balkans: The SYG said new Kosovo Prime Minister Thaci had assured him that any future steps in Kosovo's status would be taken in coordination with Allies and the EU and that Pristina would do nothing to undermine the safe and secure environment during Kosovo's transition. The Italian Operational Reserve Force (ORF) Battalion will deploy to Kosovo February 4. -- Darfur: No discussion. -- Iraq: Italian PermRep Stefanini reported the first class had graduated from NTM-I Carabinieri training at Camp Dublin. -- Maritime Operations: The D/CMC described Russian naval deployments in the Mediterranean as "very interesting" and "something that hasn't been seen in a very long while." -- AOB: The SYG said that a letter to Russian President Putin inviting him to attend the NATO-Russia Council at the Bucharest Summit in April will be sent via departing Russian Ambassador Totskiy. Dutch PermRep Schaper raised the issue of noise pollution in the Netherlands caused by the take-off and landings of NATO AWACS in neighboring Germany and termed an interim NAPMO report on the problem "insufficient." He requested that the AWACS issue be discussed at the Vilnius Defense Ministerial in February. Although the final NAPMO report is not due until March, the Private Office will consider the Dutch request. USNATO 00000021 002 OF 006 END SUMMARY. -------------- Afghanistan -------------- ¶3. (C/NF) The SYG stated that he is sending Deputy Assistant Secretary General Maurits Jochems to Kabul January 25 through SIPDIS the end of February as the temporary Senior Civilian Representative (SCR),following the departure of SCR Ambassador Daan Everts. He told the NAC that he had spoken informally with UN SYG Ban Ki Moon about a new UN senior civilian coordinator for Afghanistan, stated he had communicated his views about that individuals terms of reference as they relate to interaction with ISAF (to which Ban expressed understanding, he said),and shared his impression that the individual would be nominated very soon. With this development, he asserted, the naming of a new NATO SCR was crucial, and encouraged nations to move quickly to put forward a formal candidate (comment: the SYG noted he has received informal queries from two Allies. End comment). De Hoop Scheffer announced that Mark Laity, who was SCR Spokesman in 2006, would be returning to the job for 2008. A new Icelandic voluntary national contribution would serve as Laity's media advisor, which the SYG welcomed. Later in the discussion, he expressed regret that, somehow, the dates of the NAC's February trip to Afghanistan had ended up in the Afghan press. In light of the Serena Hotel bombing NAC options may have to be revisited, he said. ¶4. (C/NF) D/CMC Eikenberry spoke on Pakistan and reminded the NAC of ISAF's unfilled Combined Joint Statement of Requirements (CJSOR). On Pakistan, he shared with the NAC the International Military Staff's assessment that following the Bhutto assassination, Pakistan's internal turmoil would continue, and that terrorists would continue seeking to disrupt the cohesion of political parties, and derail the electoral process. Internal political violence would likely remain steady or increase in 2008. ¶5. (C/NF) Deputy AD for Ops RADM Moreno gave the operational update. He stated that the January 14 attack on the Serena Hotel in Kabul illustrated the OMF goal to seek dramatic asymmetric attacks in Kabul as part of their information operations strategy and create an impression of insecurity. He said they will continue to try to infiltrate Kabul to conduct similar operations. In RC-South, he stated that OMF had taken a "wait and see" approach, and were monitoring locals, Afghan forces, and ISAF, watching for a change in the balance of the security presence. Musa Qala was presently secured by ISAF Forward Operating Base Edinburgh and three ANP checkpoints; two ANA kandaks and the ISAF theater task force remained in the district center, with ANSF and other ISAF units providing an outer ring of security. The goal, he stated, is to establish an enduring security presence that eventually will enable ISAF to hand over responsibility for Musa Qala district center to the Afghan police. USNATO 00000021 003 OF 006 ¶6. (C/NF) Ambassador Nuland highlighted to Allies President Bush's January 15 approval of a one-time deployment of approximately 3,200 troops to Afghanistan. She noted the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU),consisting of approximately 2,200 soldiers, would be placed under General McNeill command for use at his discretion in RC-South, and 1,000 would chop to MG Cone at CSTC-A to assist in training Afghan National Security Forces, most probably as force protection to allow robust police training efforts in RC-West and RC-South. Underlining that this deployment was short-term, temporary, and that the U.S. had dug deep under tremendous resource strains to come up with forces that COMISAF needed to succeed this coming spring, she challenged Allies to do the same. She told PermReps to expect a strong push diplomatic push from the White House for Allies to come to Bucharest with offers to backfill the MEU in Fall 2008 when its deployment ends, and to fill the ISAF CJSOR on a long-term basis. ¶7. (C/NF) D/CMC Eikenberry stressed to PermReps in response that the U.S. offer was significant and would have great impact while deployed, but that it did not cover all CJSOR shortfalls, and regardless, was a short-term deployment. For planning purposes, he underscored, Allied nations should presume no change to the ISAF CJSOR based on this temporary U.S. deployment. ¶8. (C/NF) Ambassador Nuland also told the NAC that the United States expected the Afghans at the February 5 - 6 Tokyo Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board meeting to ask for a 10,000-troop increase in the force structure of the Afghan National Army, which the U.S. supports. She urged Allies to support this proposal at the JCMB, while noting that the future force structure of the ANA is under evaluation, and that she would stay in touch with Allies on any further developments. ¶9. (C/NF) The Turkish PermRep announced that Turkey had approved the deployment of two Operational Mentor Liaison Teams (OMLTs),which would work with the headquarters of the ANA Second Brigade, 201 Corps. He stated that Turkey will work the details of the deployment through SHAPE, and offered no timelines. ¶10. (S/NF) Interventions by the Greek, Portuguese, Spanish, and Norwegian PermReps represented the concern in the NAC over the January 14 Serena Hotel attack. Greece asked if an impact assessment were underway as to the effect of the attack on civilian operations in Kabul. Portugal noted a January 14 SHAPE intelligence assessment stating OMF were planning high-profile attacks in Kabul. Spain, supported by Ambassador Nuland, asked for more information on the status of OMF intentions and abilities to operate in Kabul. Spanish PermRep Benavides did note the quick reaction of Afghan security forces was encouraging. The Norwegian PermRep stated that they did not believe the attack specifically targeted FM Stoere and expressed official appreciation from Oslo for Allied help in the attack's aftermath, praising U.S. and Turkish forces, as well as the Czech field hospital whose USNATO 00000021 004.2 OF 006 doctors and nurses treated the wounded. ¶11. (C/NF) Canadian PermRep McRae thanked the SYG for his update on efforts underway to name a UN senior civilian coordinator for Afghanistan. He stated that if the UNAMA mandate is expanded, NATO will need to look at the recently agreed terms of reference for the NATO SCR, to ensure maximum cooperation. He expressed hope that the new UN coordinator could attend the February 6 - 7 Defense Ministers meeting in Vilnius. The SYG said he would be in touch with the new coordinator immediately after the announcement of his appointment and would look for early opportunities for him to be in contact with NATO and the NAC. -------------- Balkans -------------- ¶12. (C/NF) The SYG reported the UN Security Council would meet January 16 to discuss Kosovo and UNMIK's quarterly report. In the report, UN SYG Ban Ki Moon will announce the readiness of the EU to undertake the ESDP mission and reconfirm NATO's commitment to maintain KFOR at its present level as reaffirmed by NATO Foreign Ministers in December. The SYG mentioned his phone call with Kosovo's new Prime Minister, Hacim Thaci, in which the PM assured the SYG that any future steps in Kosovo,s status would only be done in coordination with Allies and the EU. He also assured the SYG that Pristina would eschew provocations to undermine the safe and secure environment during Kosovo's transition. The D/CMC updated the Council on the deployment of the Italian ORF battalion to Kosovo saying that the deployment, originally scheduled to begin on January 21, has been delayed until February 4 in order to take into account the end of the Serbian presidential election period. The deployment will last for one month. ¶13. (C/NF) Slovenia gave a readout of its foreign minister's meeting in Belgrade with Serbian FM Jeremic in which he stressed the importance of continuing efforts to finalize a stabilization and accession agreement (SAA) with the EU, further ICTY cooperation, and ensuring that the upcoming presidential elections strengthen Serbia's credentials as a European democracy. He said the complex issue of Kosovo should not be linked to Belgrade's move toward Europe. The Serbian FM responded by acknowledging that Serbia is at a crossroads, pressing for early signing of the SAA, arguing for no linkage between Serbia's EU aspirations and Kosovo (although he called for further negotiations on status),and placing President Tadic's chances of re-election at "fifty-fifty." Jeremic said that Tadic's Radical opponent was a real competitor. Ambassador Nuland briefed that the U.S. has entered into an intense bilateral engagement with the new Kosovo government on ensuring that, in the event of a declaration of independence, Pristina would commit to doing all in its power to prevent violence and adhere to the principles inherent in the Ahtisaari plan. The engagement is focusing on getting the Kosovo parliament to formally adopt and legalize the elements of the plan and thus ensure a USNATO 00000021 005 OF 006 multi-ethnic Kosovo. The UK PermRep followed by stressing the importance of NATO having a public diplomacy strategy on Kosovo. The German PermRep requested that NATO and KFOR provide any additional information regarding reported Serbian plans following the adoption of their "secret plan of action." The SYG concluded by supporting the UK's point on the importance of public diplomacy and the need to monitor Serb reaction. -------------- Iraq -------------- ¶14. (C/NF) Italian PermRep Stefanini reported on the December 18th graduation of the first class from NTM-I gendarmerie-type training conducted by the Italian Carabinieri at Camp Dublin. The graduation ceremony was well attended by Iraqi government officials, including Interior Minister Bolani, and received excellent media coverage. The second class of 450 Iraqi national police (1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade) started training at Camp Dublin last week. Stefanini said that the aim of the Carabinieri training is to establish basic police procedures -- such as investigation technique, combating terrorism, anti-corruption, and crowd control. -------------- Maritime Operations -------------- ¶15. (C/NF) The D/CMC, for the sake of brevity, decided to forgo his formal presentation on Russian naval deployments in the Mediterranean, instead, referring PermReps to his weekly operational report to obtain the information. He described the deployments as "very interesting" and "something that hasn't been seen in a very long while." --- AOB --- ¶16. (C/NF) D/SYG Bisogniero asked PermReps if the SYG could send a letter to Russian President Putin inviting him to attend the NATO-Russia Council at the Bucharest Summit in April. The PermReps concurred and the letter will be sent via departing Russian Ambassador Totskiy. ¶17. (C/NF) Dutch PermRep Schaper raised the issue of noise pollution in the Netherlands caused by the take-off and landings of NATO AWACS at NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen, Germany. Reiterating the issues raised in his January 8 letter to the SYG, Schaper underscored that the negative environmental impact caused by the aircraft is becoming a significant political issue in the Netherlands. The Netherlands Council of State has revoked the Dutch government's plan to cut down trees in the vicinity of the airport runway, as was requested by NATO. In addition, the Dutch Parliament had extensive debate in its early December session asking its government to resolve the issue before USNATO 00000021 006 OF 006 March 2008. Without a resolution, Schaper said, "Parliament could impose flight restrictions on the AWACS when flying in Dutch airspace." He termed an interim NAPMO report on the problem "insufficient" as it did not thoroughly examine the business case for switching the AWACS engines, as stipulated in his letter to the SYG. He reported that a Dutch delegation will visit the three American engine manufacturers to gather relevant information needed for the business case model. He also requested that the AWACS issue be discussed at the Vilnius Defense Ministerial in February. ¶18. (C/NF) D/SYG Bisogniero responded that NAPMO will continue to work with the Dutch on this issue, but noted that NAPMO's final report is not due until March 2008. He also said that the Private Office will consider the Dutch request to discuss the issue at the Defense Ministerial in Vilnius. OLSON