Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08USNATO37
2008-01-30 13:29:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Mission USNATO
Cable title:
ITALIAN PROPOSAL FOR RC-WEST MEETINGS IN
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHNO #0037 0301329 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 301329Z JAN 08 FM USMISSION USNATO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1600 INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0823 RUEHNO/USDELMC BRUSSELS BE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMFISS/USNMR SHAPE BE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF USDP-ISA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JCS WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 000037
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/RPM, EUR/WE, SCA/A
DEFENSE FOR OSD NATO -- VOGL, MCINNIS; JS NATO -- HIRST,
PARENT
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2018
TAGS: PREL NATO MOPS MARR AF IT
SUBJECT: ITALIAN PROPOSAL FOR RC-WEST MEETINGS IN
AFGHANISTAN AND ROME
Classified By: Ambassador Victoria Nuland, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 000037
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/RPM, EUR/WE, SCA/A
DEFENSE FOR OSD NATO -- VOGL, MCINNIS; JS NATO -- HIRST,
PARENT
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2018
TAGS: PREL NATO MOPS MARR AF IT
SUBJECT: ITALIAN PROPOSAL FOR RC-WEST MEETINGS IN
AFGHANISTAN AND ROME
Classified By: Ambassador Victoria Nuland, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (SBU) The Italian Mission to NATO passed USNATO a
non-paper on January 25 proposing meetings among ISAF RC-West
contributing nations, modeled after ". . . the one currently
adopted by Australia, Canada, Estonia, Netherlands, Romania,
United States, (and) United Kingdom for their
political-military meetings on Region South." The non-paper
(emailed to EUR/RPM) cites several areas of RC-West as
increasingly prone to Taliban infiltration, and describes the
problem as ". . . a complex (not only military) challenge
which requires a comprehensive analysis of its
political-ethnic-social implications." The "West4"
consultations, as the paper titles the proposed meetings,
would ". . . aim to better assess the situation and outline
targets and concerted measures for the region West that could
be recommended to GOA and other involved actors."
2. (SBU) The paper makes clear that Italy does not seek to
promote new military-led fora on Afghanistan, or overlap with
NATO, and suggests a more civilian focus to the meetings.
Nevertheless, both Foreign Affairs and Defense
representatives are invited to meetings proposed along the
following timeline:
-- February 2008: preliminary meetings in Kabul and Herat;
-- End of February 2008: draft paper from those meetings
circulated;
-- March 4 or March 5: Rome meeting, at the Afghanistan
Political Director or Deputy levels from Ministries of
Foreign Affairs and Defense
3. (C) Mission defers to Washington to respond directly to
the Italian proposal. Meantime, Secretary General de Hoop
Scheffer continues to express concern about the proliferation
of RC-based fora, on the grounds that they risk balkanizing
the Alliance and threatening overall NATO cohesion. His
strong preference is that RC-based consultation be done in
Kabul or at the RC HQs.
NULAND
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/RPM, EUR/WE, SCA/A
DEFENSE FOR OSD NATO -- VOGL, MCINNIS; JS NATO -- HIRST,
PARENT
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2018
TAGS: PREL NATO MOPS MARR AF IT
SUBJECT: ITALIAN PROPOSAL FOR RC-WEST MEETINGS IN
AFGHANISTAN AND ROME
Classified By: Ambassador Victoria Nuland, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (SBU) The Italian Mission to NATO passed USNATO a
non-paper on January 25 proposing meetings among ISAF RC-West
contributing nations, modeled after ". . . the one currently
adopted by Australia, Canada, Estonia, Netherlands, Romania,
United States, (and) United Kingdom for their
political-military meetings on Region South." The non-paper
(emailed to EUR/RPM) cites several areas of RC-West as
increasingly prone to Taliban infiltration, and describes the
problem as ". . . a complex (not only military) challenge
which requires a comprehensive analysis of its
political-ethnic-social implications." The "West4"
consultations, as the paper titles the proposed meetings,
would ". . . aim to better assess the situation and outline
targets and concerted measures for the region West that could
be recommended to GOA and other involved actors."
2. (SBU) The paper makes clear that Italy does not seek to
promote new military-led fora on Afghanistan, or overlap with
NATO, and suggests a more civilian focus to the meetings.
Nevertheless, both Foreign Affairs and Defense
representatives are invited to meetings proposed along the
following timeline:
-- February 2008: preliminary meetings in Kabul and Herat;
-- End of February 2008: draft paper from those meetings
circulated;
-- March 4 or March 5: Rome meeting, at the Afghanistan
Political Director or Deputy levels from Ministries of
Foreign Affairs and Defense
3. (C) Mission defers to Washington to respond directly to
the Italian proposal. Meantime, Secretary General de Hoop
Scheffer continues to express concern about the proliferation
of RC-based fora, on the grounds that they risk balkanizing
the Alliance and threatening overall NATO cohesion. His
strong preference is that RC-based consultation be done in
Kabul or at the RC HQs.
NULAND