READOUT: SEPTEMBER 24 NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 USNATO 000347 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/24/2018 TAGS: NATO PREL AF SUBJECT: READOUT: SEPTEMBER 24 NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL MEETING Classified By: Classified by Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Walter S. R eid for Reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C/NF) Summary from the NAC Meeting: -- AFGHANISTAN: The Chief of the Military Committee (CMC) updated the Council with details on the Autumn ISAF Periodic Mission Review including a &mixed evaluation8 on progress in Afghanistan and proposed recommendations. The SHAPE Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations discussed a recent change in Pakistani rhetoric in relation to insurgent and terrorist activities in the tribal areas, noting that the Pakistani government now felt this situation constituted a threat to security on both sides of the border. PermReps discussed the need for evaluation of ISAF,s performance prior to the Budapest Ministerial meeting. Additionally, interventions by Spain and Turkey noted the recent unanimous passage of the UN Security Council Resolution renewing ISAF,s mandate in Afghanistan, and specifically highlighted the perceived limitations that renewal,s reference to counternarcotics place on NATO as it acts to support counter-narcotics. -- BALKANS: Deputy Secretary General (DSYG) Bisogniero told Allies that the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) had begun new deployments to Kosovo, but that deployment numbers for this week were 50 percent of the planned figure. SHAPE Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Major General Wright said that the selection process for the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) began on 15 September and that KFOR sees signs that Belgrade is beginning to play a more positive role in Kosovo. -- AFRICA: Support to the AU: The DSYG noted that the Council,s tasking to the NATO Military Authorities concerning NATO,s possible role in addressing incidents of piracy off the Horn of Africa had cleared silence on 22 September. -- IRAQ: NTM-I: Ambassador Volker reminded Allies that the planned enhancements to the NATO Training Mission - Iraq (NTM-I) will require their contributions. He added that Allies should strive to fill out the enhanced NMT-I. -- RESPONSE TO TERRORISM: The Czech PermRep thanked his colleagues for their condolences following the death of the Czech Amb to Pakistan in the Islamabad Marriot terrorist attack. He said the tragedy underlined the importance of the Allies, fight against terrorism. -- STATEMENTS ON POLITICAL TOPICS: France briefed on EU activities noting that the 300-strong EU observer mission to Georgia would be deployed before the 1 October start date and reporting on the meeting of EU and Central Asian Foreign Ministers held in Paris on 18 September. --AOB: The DSYG sought and received the Council formal agreement that a NATO-Georgia Council meeting with the Georgian Defense Minister would take place on October 10 at the NATO Defense Ministers meeting in Budapest and, second, he urged Allies to participate in the upcoming Industry Days, event as a forum in which to enhance cooperation with industries in transforming NATO capabilities. Croatia and Albania expressed their thanks for Hungarian and Latvian approval of their accession to the Alliance and voiced their hope that all Allies would push through the approval process in order for Croatia and Albania to participate as full members at the 2009 NATO Strasbourg Summit. END SUMMARY. -------------- Afghanistan -------------- ¶2. (C/NF) Afghanistan: The D/SYG relayed to the Council that the SYG was in New York for the UN General Assembly and USNATO 00000347 002 OF 004 upon his return the SYG will outline a structure for the 3 October PermReps &Away Day8 discussion on Afghanistan. The D/SYG also announced that the United Arab Emirates has officially been recognized as an ISAF Troop Contributor, but that the UAE government has requested this decision be keep discreet. ¶3. (C/NF) Admiral Di Paloa, Chief of the Military Committee (CMC),updated the Council on the progress of the autumn ISAF Periodic Mission Review (PMR). The document passed silence through the Military Committee and will next go to ISAF contributors for review. CMC described the reports conclusions on progress in ISAF,s three military strategic campaign objectives: --The extension of the authority of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) across the country: No clear progress due mainly to revitalized and more effective Opposing Militant Force (OMF) efforts. --Development of the structures necessary to maintain security in Afghanistan without the assistance of international forces: Some improvement based on development of the Afghan National Army (ANA),but lower effectiveness of the Afghan National Police due to corruption, poor leadership, and lack of trainers. --Development and maintenance of a countrywide stable and secure environment by Afghan authorities, in which sustainable reconstruction and development efforts have taken hold: Slow progress despite substantial monetary investment and multi-lateral efforts, with the effects of the narcotics industry continuing to stunt the development of legitimate economic activities. ¶4. (C/NF) The CMC said the Autumn ISAF PMR main recommendations were: --Fully implement NATO,s Comprehensive Strategic Political-Military Plan (CSPMP) agreed at the Bucharest Summit. --Fill shortfalls of forces in the Combined Joint Statement of Requirements (CJSOR) and remove existing national caveats on national. --Increase regional dialogue with Pakistan and others regional players to improve relations between Afghanistan and its neighbors. --Enable ISAF to increase efforts to support Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). --Further enhance and fully resource Strategic Communications to reach key audiences. ¶5. (C/NF) Major General Wright, SHAPE Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations (DCOS),reported on an increase in significant events in both Regional Commands West and East, but a decrease of activity in Regional Command South. The DCOS noted that the decrease in the south was probably due to an operational pause by the OMF due to significant losses, but expected an increase of activity in Garmsir following the handover of security responsibility from the U.S. Marines to a smaller force of the ANA and Task Force Helmand. Wright reported on an increase of OMF attacks on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs),which the OMF see as &soft targets8 because they usually operate with limited security. He did note that a standard operating procedure has been developed for in-extremis assistance to NGOs, and described a recent World Food Program operation involving ANSF convoy protection support and support from ISAF with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets. ¶6. (C/NF) Referring to a recent public statement by the Pakistani Interior Minister, MG Wright reported that Pakistani rhetoric toward insurgent and terrorist activities in the tribal areas had shifted noticeably. He said that the Pakistani government was increasingly perceiving these groups as threats to security in Pakistan as well as Afghanistan. He outlined the plan to have six Border Coordination Centers USNATO 00000347 003 OF 004 (BCCs) manned by ISAF, ANSF and Pakistani military forces; with three centers planned on each side of the border. He added that the second BCC should become operational in January 09. He also noted the Tripartite Commission will have another meeting (at the 4-star General level) on 15 October. ¶7. (C/NF) PermReps asked a variety of questions and provided comments on Pakistan border issues, the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR 1833) renewing the ISAF mandate, and the upcoming Defense Minister,s meeting. The Canadian PermRep asked if a BCC near Kandahar was planned in the future. Ambassador Volker stressed the importance of finalizing an assessment of implementation of the Comprehensive Strategic Political-Military Plan (CSPMP) and counter-narcotics recommendations through the various committees prior to the Defense Ministers meeting October 9-10 in Budapest. The Spanish PermRep asked for an update on coordination to avoid civilian casualties, and also read a quote from UNSCR1833 &Encouraging ISAF to further, effectively support, within its designated responsibilities, Afghan-led sustained efforts to address, in cooperation with relevant international and regional actors, the threat posed by the illicit production and trafficking in drugs.8 The Turkish PermRep also noted the recent renewal of ISAF,s mandate and the references to counter-narcotics. -------------- Balkans -------------- ¶8. (C) Balkans: Deputy Secretary General (DSYG) Bisogniero informed Allies that the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) had deployed to Kosovo this week only 44 of 92 personnel originally envisaged and would probably complete its deployments in mid-December. Admiral Di Paloa, Chairman of the Military Committee (CMC),warned that KFOR would have to expect to be the de facto first responder to security incidents in northern Kosovo until the UNMIK-EULEX transition is complete. ¶9. (C) SHAPE Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations MG Wright noted that KFOR began the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) selection process on 15 September with a goal of screening 60 to 70 recruits per day in order to begin initial KSF training on 5 January 2009. In response to a question from Norway, MG Wright stated that the UN delay in approving the transfer of Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC) oversight from the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) to KFOR was not creating problems due to excellent on-the-ground KFOR-UNMIK coordination and that KFOR is considering fully demobilizing the KPC by the end of 2008 instead of by September 2009 as currently planned. Norway stated that it would soon make its pledge of 1.5 million euros to the KPC demobilization trust fund and Belgium said it planned to donate 500,000 euros to the same fund. ¶10. (C/NF) MG Wright briefed that the situation in Kosovo remains relatively calm and assessed that Belgrade,s new approach to improving local economic conditions for Kosovar Serbs would help alleviate problems. He stated that KFOR assesses Belgrade,s movement of its Coordination Center from Mitrovica to Gracanica as a positive step that may decrease the influence of the more radical northern Kosovar Serbs. The Norwegian PermRep told Allies that Russia apparently has decided to aid in clearing cluster munitions in Nis in southern Serbia and predicted that Serbian media would use this to complain about the quality of information provided to Serbian authorities by NATO after the air campaign in 1999. -------------- Africa -------------- ¶11. (C/NF) Africa: Apart from a mention by the Acting SYG USNATO 00000347 004 OF 004 that SG (2008)0693 (INV),the tasker to NATO Military Authorities to examine NATO,s role concerning responses to incidents of piracy off the Horn of Africa, had cleared silence on 22 September, there was no discussion. -------------- Iraq -------------- ¶12. (C/NF) Ambassador Volker reminded Allies that the agreed enhancements to the NATO Training Mission - Iraq (NTM-I) will require additional contributions. He added that "we should strive to fill out" the enhanced NMT-I as soon as possible. -------------- Response to Terrorism -------------- ¶13. (SBU) Czech PermRep thanked his colleagues for their condolences following the death of the Czech Amb to Pakistan in the Islamabad Marriot Hotel terrorist attack. He said the tragedy underlines the importance of the Allies, fight against terrorism. -------------- Statements on Political Subjects -------------- ¶14. (C/NF) France briefed on EU activities, highlighting that the 300-strong EU observer mission to Georgia would be deployed before the 1 October start . The French PermRep also there was a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Paris on 18 September with their Central Asian counterparts in addition to High Rep. Solana, Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner, and Robert Simmons on behalf of NATO. -------------- Any Other Business -------------- ¶15. (C/NF) The DSYG received formal NAC agreement that there would be a meeting of the NATO Georgia Council on October 10 with the Georgian Defense Minister at the NATO Defense Ministers meeting in Budapest. Secondly the DSYG encouraged the attendance of the Allies at Industry Day, in Brussels as an opportunity to enhance cooperation with industries in transforming NATO capabilities. ¶16. (SBU) Croatia and Albania made brief statements voicing their appreciation for Hungarian and Latvian approval of their accession to NATO. They stressed their commitment to completing remaining reforms and urged the remaining Allies to push forward the approval process in their nations in order that they could participate as full members at the 2009 NATO Strasbourg Summit. The Czech PermRep made a call for Albania and Croatia to be allowed to participate in the NATO Georgia Council meeting in Budapest, to which the Chairman responded that preparations are already under way REID