READOUT: OCTOBER 1 NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL MEETING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 USNATO 000358 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/03/2018 TAGS: NATO PREL AF SUBJECT: READOUT: OCTOBER 1 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: -- EXCHANGE OF VIEWS WITH SERBIAN MINISTER OF DEFENSE SUTANOVAC: Reported septel. -- AFGHANISTAN: The Operations brief noted insurgent activities were high despite the Ramadan holidays. MG Li Gobbi, Assistant Director of the Ops Division, briefed on the status of Afghan National Police, noting shortfalls in Afghan Border Police and a still inadequate Counter-Narcotics Police capability. The Deputy Chief of the Military Committee reported on the preliminary assessment of additional resources that will be required to support the increase in the size of the ANA, including more Operational Mentoring and Liaisons Teams (OMLTs),equipment and training schools. Via VTC from Kabul, the Senior Civilian Representative urged the Allies to focus on election support, governance (in particular the Afghan Social Outreach Program),and a collective effort to build the ANA. -- BALKANS: The SYG announced the NAC trip to Kosovo has been scheduled for November 4, although Spain said the date did not work for them. -- AFRICA: Support to the AU: Following a briefing to the Council on military planning for the mid-October deployment of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG-2) that will travel near the coast of Somalia, Canada called on Allies to contribute naval assets to the task of escorting World Food Program (WFP) ships off Somalia, after their escort mission ends in October. -- IRAQ: Turkey drew Allies attention to the situation of minorities in Kirkuk following a change to the provincial electoral laws. -- RESPONSE TO TERRORISM: No discussion. -- STATEMENTS ON POLITICAL TOPICS: France briefed on EU events including this week,s EU-India summit, today,s deployment of the EU observer mission in Georgia and the upcoming EU ministerial on defense issues. Luxembourg and Spain announced recent contributions to various trust funds. In response to a concern raised from Spain, the Chairman clarified that today,s conference at SHAPE (which included the participation of a Kosovo delegate) had actually been postponed to deconflict it with that day,s appearance of the Serbian Defense Minister at the NAC.. --AOB: Albania and Croatia extended their gratitude to the US for ratifying the countries, accession to the Alliance and urged other Allies to be diligent in pushing through ratification. END SUMMARY. -------------- Afghanistan -------------- ¶2. (C/NF) Afghanistan: Pakistan: MG Li Gobbi, Assistant Director of the International Military Staff Operations Division, briefed on ongoing Pakistani military operations in the Bajaur and Swat districts. He stated that three tribes were supporting the Pakistani Government efforts in the tribal areas. Additionally, due to security threats all Pakistani airports are on &bomb alert.8 ¶3. (C/NF) ISAF Operations: MG Li Gobbi reported that despite the Ramadan holidays, opposing militant force (OMF) activity is still high, particularly in Regional Command-East. Additionally, OMF are targeting specific government officials, and food is becoming a matter of concern in the USNATO 00000358 002 OF 004 North and West as the colder months approach. In Regional Command-Capital, OMF may try to launch a spectacular attack, but to date high levels of security forces have prevented this type of event. In Regional Command-North, OMF and criminal activity is concentrated in the Konduz-Baghlan corridor. In Regional Command-West, the OMF has a strong presence along the Ring Road, with attacks expected on main supply routes and against convoys. In Regional Command-South, the threat level remains high with IEDs and harassing attacks expected. ISAF is conducting relief in place activities in Helmand and Kandahar provinces. In Regional Command-East, Kunar and Paktika provinces expect attacks on convoys and supply routes. ¶4. (C/NF) Presentation on Afghan National Police: MG Li Gobbi gave a brief overview of the status of the Afghan National Police (ANP). Currently the ANP has 78,599 of an authorized 82,000 police officers. In particular, the Afghan Border Police are manned at 66 percent, and the Counter-Narcotics Police still possess &inadequate capabilities8 although they are actually slightly over their authorized size. The Afghan National Civil Order Police is a good news story, in that they have proven effective and relatively free of corruption and have been fundamental in the Focused District Development program. Finally, MG Li Gobbi noted that there are some command and control issues between provincial and district governors and their Chiefs of Police, as well as the national headquarters. ¶5. (C/NF) DCMC Update on ANA Expansion: The Deputy Chief of the Military Committee (DCMC),Lt Gen Eikenberry, reported that a full assessment of the additional resources that will be required to support the increase in the size of the ANA to 134,000 is due in late October or early November, after CSTC-A provides inputs to SHAPE. DCMC briefed the interim assessment to include an increase in the number of Operational Mentoring and Liaison Teams (OMLTs) that NATO will be asked to provide of between 14 and 32, institutional training support in the form of branch schools, ANA Air Corps support, and increased sustainment cost of equipping the ANA of 40 percent. DCMC said the increase in size and capabilities of the ANA &is the decisive part of the campaign.8 He also stressed the importance of the development of the ANP, which he said is essential if the Afghans are to be able to hold ground cleared of insurgents. He reminded PermReps that NATO Chiefs of Defense at their last meeting had suggested NATO examine whether the Alliance should begin supporting the development of the ANP. ¶6. (C/NF) NATO Senior Civilian Representative Comments: The NATO Senior Civilian Representative (SCR) in Afghanistan, Ambassador Gentilini, briefed the Council via VTC, saying NATO should remain focused on areas where it can provide strong value-added, such as election support, governance (in particular the Afghan Social Outreach Program),and a collective effort to build the ANA. He also noted that food security assistance, civilian casualties, coherent efforts by all Provincial Reconstruction Teams, and the potential incorporation of tribes to assist with border security are all topics that will need continued NATO attention. ¶7. (C/NF) Discussion: The Canadian, Czech and German PermReps asked about the placement of future ANA Kandaks, stressing they would welcome additional ANA forces in their respective areas of operation. The DCMC answered by highlighting the need for flexibility and for dynamic and adaptive OMLTs. The German PermRep also noted that the Counter-Narcotics Police are actually over-complement and asked for a further assessment of their capabilities, implying that the Afghans should be capable of taking on more counter-narcotics tasks. The SCR answered questions about reconciliation, noting that he does not see a strong government-led effort. He also stated that the public support for ISAF among Afghans was not bad and that we &have not lost the people.8 Additionally, the SCR stated that he was impressed by the cooperation with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in dealing with the USNATO 00000358 003 OF 004 recent flow of refugees from Pakistan. -------------- Balkans -------------- ¶8. (C/NF) Balkans: The Spanish PermRep informed the Council that the proposed date of 4 November for a NAC visit to Kosovo was not workable for Spain. Deputy Secretary General (DSYG) Bisogniero stated that the Secretary General (SYG) will discuss this issue in more detail with Allies during SYG,s lunch with PermReps on 7 October. -------------- Africa -------------- ¶9. (C/NF) Africa: The International Military Staff briefed on planning for the forthcoming deployment of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG-2). The group will transit the Horn of Africa from 21-25 October, and return through the waters off Somalia from 27-30 November. The DSYG noted there might be a possible role for NATO in between the cessation of Canada's naval escort mission of World Food Program shipments to Somalia on 23 October (when their frigate will be reassigned to different duties in the region). The Acting SYG reminded Allies that the SYG had been pressed last week by a number of interlocutors in New York during the UNGA, starting with UNSYG Ban, to get Allies to contribute naval assets to WFP escort duties. ¶10. (C/NF) The Canadian PermRep stressed the importance of the issue, and said his country's frigate would cease escorting WFP shipments on 23 October. He called this an opportunity to see what NATO can contribute, and encouraged further work on the question of a NATO role for WFP escorts, adding that he hoped the issue would return to the NAC in the near future. -------------- Iraq -------------- ¶11. (C/NF) Iraq: The Turkish PermRep took note of the 24 September adoption of Iraq's provincial electoral law, which removed quotas for minority representation in Iraq's provincial councils. Noting that Kirkuk city had long been a locus for good relations among Kurds, Turkomans and Arabs, he urged that Kirkuk be given a special status under the national government in Iraq, rather than being governed by the Kirkuk provincial council, which he said will now have no guarantees of minority representation. ¶12. (C/NF) Response to Terrorism: No discussion. -------------- Statements on Political Subjects -------------- ¶13. (C/NF) Statements on Political Subjects: France briefed on EU activities, noting the 29 September an EU-India summit which was held in Marseille and discussed both regional and global issues including climate change, energy security and the issue of high food prices. EU observers began today their patrols in the regions adjacent to South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Lastly she noted that the upcoming EU ministerial on 3 October would discuss the topics of military capabilities, counter-piracy efforts and current military operations, particularly EUFOR Chad and EUFOR Althea. ¶14. (C/NF) On financial contributions, Luxembourg noted its government,s decision to contribute 500,000 to the KPC stand down trust fund and 500,000 to the establishment of the KSF. Spain announced its contributions of 3,000 to the NATO-Russia Council website; 25,000 to the NATO PfP Trust Fund for Georgia; 150,000 to the NATO Trust Fund for the USNATO 00000358 004 OF 004 ANA; and 850,000 to the NATO Trust Fund for Jordan. ¶15. (C/NF) Spain expressed concern about Serbian Defense Minister Sutanovac,s comment made earlier in another NAC meeting about the fact that his presences at NAC was scheduled for the same day as a conference at SHAPE on NATO,s new tasks which included Kosovar officials. The Spanish PermRep urged that in the future there be coordination between the military authorities and the NAC. The DSYG clarified that the conference at SHAPE had actually been postponed. -------------- Any Other Business -------------- ¶16. (C/NF) Any Other Business: Albania and Croatia extended their gratitude to the U.S. for ratifying the countries, accession to the Alliance and urged other Allies to be diligent in pushing through ratification. VOLKER