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