NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT - AUGUST 6, 2008

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 USNATO 000270

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/06/2018
TAGS: NATO PREL AF
SUBJECT: NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL READOUT - AUGUST 6, 2008

Classified By: CDA W. Bruce Weinrod for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


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

-- Afghanistan: The International Military Staff (IMS)
reported that that Significant Activities (SIGACTS) were at
the highest levels since ISAF began operations, which they
attributed to seasonal increases, ISAF operations in RC-South
and RC-East, and opposing militant forces' increased freedom
of movement in the Pakistani border areas. The IMS stressed
that violence is concentrated in a small number of contested
areas, and added that highway security of civilian convoys
was an increasing ISAF priority. The Deputy Chairman of the
Military Committee (D/CMC) described ISAF efforts to "deepen
and broaden" ties with Pakistan's military, including a July
28 meeting between COMISAF and General Kayani, in which
Kayani pledged to increase cooperation. In response to
question about planning for elections security, D/CMC said
the Afghans were still deciding what role they wanted their
own security forces to play and where they needed ISAF
support.

-- Balkans: The Deputy Secretary General (D/SYG) announced
that NATO video footage of the March 17 incidents in
Mitrovica had been cleared for use by NATO nations at that
day's UN Security Council meeting, which would discuss a UN
report on the riots.

-- Africa - Support to the AU: The D/SYG drew attention to an
AU request to extend NATO airlift support to AMISOM for an
additional six months and hoped Allies would approve the
extension

-- Iraq: No discussion.

-- Response to Terrorism: The Turkish representative
announced that Turkey arrested eight people in connection
with the July 27 terrorist bombings in Istanbul and said
there is strong evidence linking the PKK to the attacks.

-- Statements on Political Subjects: The French
representative announced that the EU issued a statement
expressing sympathy for Turkey in response to the August 1
collapse of a student dormitory that killed eighteen people.

-- AOB: No discussion.

END SUMMARY.

--------------
Afghanistan
--------------


2. (C/NF) PAKISTAN ) Major General Li Gobbi, Assistant
Director of the International Military Staff's Operations
Division, said the Pakistani military was continuing
operations in the Swat district and is planning to support
the Frontier Corps in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas
(FATA) in ridding the area of training camps over the next 30
days.


3. (C/NF) AFGHAN-PAK MIL-TO-MIL RELATIONS ) The D/CMC said
that despite the deterioration in Afghanistan-Pakistan
relations, ISAF continues to "deepen and broaden" ties with
Pakistan's military, to include COMISAF's second meeting with
General Kayani (Chief of PAK Army) on July 28. At that
meeting, COMISAF presented detailed evidence of cross-border
attacks into Afghanistan and stressed the need for improved
coordination to stop them. Kayani confirmed his intent to
expand cooperation and confirmed his plans to attend the
August 19 meeting of the Tripartite Commission (TPC).


4. (C/NF) ISAF SECURITY SITUATION ) MG Li Gobbi noted that
Significant Activities (SIGACTS) were at the highest levels
since ISAF began operations. The main factors in this
situation were the seasonal increase of OMF activities,
increased ISAF/ANSF/CF operations tempo in RC-South and

USNATO 00000270 002 OF 003


RC-East, and OMF actions to maintain Freedom of Movement
(FoM) in the FATA and NWFP. MG Li Gobbi noted that despite
the perception that the entire country was experiencing less
security; in actuality OMF attacks are concentrated in
relatively few areas. Additionally, he briefed that highway
security of civilian convoys is an ISAF priority, and that
deliberate operations were planned in RCs East, South and
West to secure supply routes.


5. (C/NF) ISAF OPERATIONS ) In RC-Capital, the French
assumed command from the Italian contingent. In RC-North,
the German quick reaction force is operating with ANSF, and
increasing support to ANP in Samangan Province. In RC-West,
attacks on main supply routes (MSRs) in Herat and Farah
provinces continue to complicate ISAF FoM. In RC-South,
civilian convoys remain the OMF's preferred targets, which
they attack with direct fire and IEDs. Highway security is
therefore a focus for the near term. In RC-East,
cross-border indirect fire attacks continue. Additionally,
OMF recently increased attacks on bridges along Highway 1,
particularly in Ghazni Province.


6. (C/NF) The UK representative stated that there seemed to
be a difference of style of OMF attacks in RC-S and RC-E
attacks, with asymmetrical attacks in RC-South and
conventional attacks with larger units in RC-East. The
Canadian representative asked if there was any more
information on the role ISAF will provide in the election
process. The D/CMC answered that the difference between
RC-East and -South OMF tactics are based on different local
commanders, with different local objectives, and different
terrain offering varying advantages. The mountainous terrain
in RC-E and proximity to safe havens in Pakistan allow OMF to
amass troops and launch cross-border attacks, whereas the
desert terrain on the border in RC-S makes large formations
vulnerable to air attack. He also characterized planning for
election security as very "early in the game" and said that,
while it was agreed that the ANP would provide the first ring
of security, ANA the second, and ISAF the third, decisions
beyond that were limited.

--------------
Balkans
--------------


7. (C/NF) The D/SYG informed the NAC that the UN Security
Council will on Wednesday debate a UN report on the March 17
incidents around the Court House building in Mitrovica. He
said NATO will need to closely monitor any follow-up to the
debate which could impact the Alliance, since it was expected
that the Russians may use the meeting to criticize UNMIK and
KFOR. The D/SYG also mentioned that SHAPE has authorized the
showing and use of the KFOR video of the March 17 events by
Allied nations at the Security Council as long as it would
not be shown to the public or press and not given to non-NATO
members. He said that the video is a testament to the level
of violence faced by the international community and the
restraint and good conduct shown by UNMIK and KFOR. The
D/CMC informed the NAC that SHAPE is currently assessing its
requirements for fulfilling the new tasks as well as
assessing the risks KFOR would assume if transfer of
authority from UNMIK to EULEX takes place in November and
there is still no new political guidance in the form of
revision 3 of the OPLAN. He said SACEUR would brief the NAC
on the results of the assessment in September.


8. (C/NF) MG Li Gobbi, International Military Staff, briefed
the Council on the operational and situational update in
Kosovo, saying that KFOR continues to enforce a safe and
secure environment. MG Li Gobbi also informed the NAC that,
with the departure of a formerly dedicated Hungarian security
unit, COMKFOR now has to rely on unit rotations from other
multi-national task forces in order to provide force
protection to Camps Vrelo and KFOR HQ in Pristina. SHAPE is
currently reviewing the resourcing requirement and will seek
contributions from Allies at the November force generation
conference. MG Li Gobbi concluded by briefing on current

USNATO 00000270 003 OF 003


UNMIK and EULEX numbers, saying that there had been a slight
decrease in UNMIK personnel since last week, but overall
UNMIK continues to maintain a robust force posture, while
EULEX currently has 347 personnel, including 80 local hires
deployed in Kosovo, out of a totally planned deployment of
1,857. Germany announced that it will contribute 1.5 million
euros to the Trust Fund responsible for the stand-down of the
Kosovo Protection Corps.

--------------
Africa - Support to the AU
--------------


9. (S/NF) The D/SYG noted a document has been placed under
silence (DSG(2008)0628) that would extend NATO's ongoing
airlift support to AMISOM for an additional six months (until
February 21, 2009) as requested by the AU in a July 25
letter. The D/SYG said extending the airlift support would
send a positive message to the AU, and hoped Allies will
support it.

--------------
Response to Terrorism
--------------


10. (C/NF) The Turkish representative announced that Turkey
had arrested eight people in connection with the July 27
terrorist bombings in Istanbul that killed seventeen people.
He said that there was strong evidence that the Kurdistan
Workers Party (PKK) was behind the attacks, even though PKK
leaders have not claimed responsibility and have made
statements condemning such attacks in the past. Turkey
believes that the PKK is remaining silent because it fears
that openly admitting an attack on innocent civilians of such
scope and involving baiting tactics would undermine its
public image. He also thanked NATO allies for their
expressions of solidarity and support.

--------------
Statements on Political Subjects
--------------


11. (C/NF) The French representative announced that no EU
political meetings were scheduled for August. She also said
that the EU issued a statement expressing sympathy for Turkey
in response to the August 1 collapse of a student dormitory
in Balcilar that killed eighteen people.
WEINROD