READOUT NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL MEETING NOVEMBER 5,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 USNATO 000416 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2018 TAGS: AF NATO PREL SUBJECT: READOUT NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL MEETING NOVEMBER 5, ¶2008. Classified By: Classified by Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Walter Scot t Reid for Reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C/NF) Summary from the NAC Meeting: -- AFGHANISTAN: The Secretary General (SYG) continued last week,s message of guarded optimism about the voter registration process and recent improvement in the Pakistan-Afghanistan political dialogue. He supports an &instructed8 NAC Away Day focused on Afghanistan prior to the December 2-3 NATO Ministerial. Overall insurgent activity this season matches historical expectations and has declined since the summer. Concern about the latest version of the Combined Joint Statement of Requirements and force generation for elections dominated the discussion. Drawing on SECSTATE 117445, AMB Volker clarified the U.S. position on reconciliation. He also urged Allies to take quick action on expansion of the ANA Trust Fund. (Note: Many Allies privately thanked the U.S. for clarifying its position on reconciliation. End Note.) -- BALKANS: The Secretary General said the NAC visit to Kosovo on 4 November had highlighted the need to avoid any policing gap in the north during the transition from the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) to the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX). He said there may be a need to delay the transfer of the French and Italian Multinational Specialized Units (MSU) from KFOR to EULEX command if EULEX has not reached initial operating capability by 2 December. Ambassador Volker stressed the need to press Belgrade to allow EULEX into the north. -- AFRICA: The Council heard a briefing on the counter-piracy and World Food Program (WFP) escort missions of Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG) 2 off the Horn of Africa. -- IRAQ: no discussion -- RESPONSE TO TERRORISM: no discussion -- 2008 ANNUAL REPORT BY THE SENIOR RESOURCE BOARD: The NAC discussed the 2008 Senior Resource Board (SRB) Annual Report and Ambassadors agreed that funding for ongoing operations remains the highest priority for military common funding; however, no consensus emerged on how to fund the increasing cost of Alliance operations and missions. -- STATEMENTS ON POLITICAL TOPICS: France briefed on two recent EU foreign ministerial meetings and on EU diplomatic efforts amid the current crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Italy briefed on UN activity, touching on the upcoming UN Security Council (UNSC) visit to Afghanistan, efforts in the DRC, Georgia and Kosovo and a NATO briefing to the UN on counter-terrorism cooperation. -- AOB: The Czech PermRep prompted a discussion on both the issue of interim reports on options for missile defense (MD) and the issue of regular discussion in the NAC on NATO transformation, suggesting that re-opening of discussion on the Comprehensive Political Guidance (CPG) be avoided. Hungary and Germany argued that no decision has been made to issue interim reports on MD and the British PermRep reiterated that there is no intention of re-opening discussion on the CPG. END SUMMARY. -------------- Afghanistan -------------- ¶2. (C/NF) Afghanistan: The SYG said initial reports from Phase I of voter registration are encouraging, and political dialogue between Pakistan and Afghanistan continues to USNATO 00000416 002 OF 005 ¶2008. improve. The SYG said he plans to visit Pakistan before the winter holidays. (Note: Pakistani CHoD Kayani also addresses NATO CHoDs and visits with the SYG on or about Nov. 19, too. End Note.) Drawing on SECSTATE 117445, AMB Volker clarified the U.S. position on reconciliation and urged Allies to take quick action on expansion of the ANA Trust Fund. ¶3. (C/NF) Note: Many Allies privately thanked the U.S. for clarifying its position on reconciliation. End Note. ¶4. (C/REL ISAF) Pakistan: Deputy Assistant Director of the International Military Staff Operations Division, RADM Marino, gave the operations and intelligence update. He reported that Pakistani security forces, with the assistance of tribal &lashkars8 (ad hoc militias),continued to clash with fighters in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Some militants have shown signs of willingness to relinquish arms. As a result of the mini-jirga held between Afghan and Pakistani tribesmen in late October, tribes in the Northwest Frontier Province and FATA agreed that local militants could remain in the area if they laid down weapons, ceased attacks inside Pakistan, and cooperated with the pro-government lashkars. ¶5. (C/REL ISAF) ISAF Security Situation: ADM Marino said the kidnapping of a French NGO worker this week and the suicide attack at the Ministry of Information and Culture in Kabul had negative media impact. Local press portrayed the incidents as indicators of deterioration in the capital city,s security situation. ADM Marino reported that a recent lull in insurgent activities in RC-West may indicate that fighters are planning for a large-scale attack prior to the onset of winter. There is an overall expectation from the field that insurgents may attempt to sustain a higher tempo of attacks through the winter than in past years, including abductions in the capital, improvised explosive devices and attacks on major lines of communication, intimidation of the populace, and indirect fire on Coalition bases. ¶6. (C/REL ISAF) ISAF Operations: ADM Marino reported that Operation TOLO began November 1 and will continue until March 31, 2009. The operation will offer support to Afghan voter registration and the transfer of lead security responsibility for Kabul to Afghan authorities. Phase II of the transfer of lead security responsibility of Kabul continued in October, but the next phase, scheduled for December, is delayed due to deployment of forces to Lashkar Gah responding to recent attacks. The Regional Operational Coordination Center for RC-Capital is open and has responsibility for voter registration in the greater Kabul area. Afghan National Security Forces and the Independent Electoral Commission are planning for the remaining three voter registration phases and next year,s elections. The new Afghan Presidential Airlift Squadron successfully completed its first mission, transporting President Karzai by MI-17 helicopter from Kabul International Airport to a meeting west of Kabul. Afghan National Army forces from 205th Corps ensured freedom of movement for two World Food Program convoys in RC-South without incident. ¶7. (C/REL ISAF) Handovers of Authority: ADM Marino reported that the Dutch took command from Canada in RC-South on November 1. American forces handed Ghazni province to Polish troops. Two hundred of the original 1,000 U.S. soldiers will remain in Ghazni, and the Poles will add 1600 more, nearly doubling troop presence in that province. ¶8. (C/NF) Discussion: The Chairman of the Military Committee (CMC) ADM Di Paola discussed this week,s Force Generation Conference at SHAPE and the proposal to hold a dedicated Force Generation Conference for the Election Support Force. PermReps were concerned about the methodology which underpinned the most recent version of the Combined Joint Statement of Requirements (CJSOR) and its relation to USNATO 00000416 003 OF 005 ¶2008. appropriate levels of eventual Afghan security forces to produce a total security force requirement in Afghanistan. They also wanted more insight into how SHAPE would develop requirements for additional troops for elections, support. Ambassadors agreed in theory to an increased military presence in Afghanistan, but called for additional troop requirements to be outlined in terms of an overall strategy. After the French PermRep suggested that the absence of the AWACS in the CJSOR raised questions as to its relative importance, CMC pointed out that SACEUR had already confirmed AWACS as a requirement and agreed it should make its way into the CJSOR. (Note: CJSOR does not explicitly list specific platforms, but rather capabilities needed to perform required missions. End Note.) Responding to PermRep questions, ADM Di Paola said it was unrealistic to expect that increases in Afghan National Security Forces would immediately stimulate decreases in the CJSOR. The NAC will visit SHAPE on November 17 to hear results of the Force Generation Conference. The SYG and several Ambassadors reiterated the need for a consistent, unified message that 2009 elections will occur, following an international press article that quoted a &senior NATO official8 as recommending a Loya Jirga as a substitute for elections. ¶9. (C/REL ISAF) Several PermReps supported the idea of a NAC &Away Day.8 SYG said the day should be on an instructed basis, should occur prior to the December 2-3 ministerial, and should pull together strands from the many ongoing strategic reviews including the Comprehensive Strategic Political-Military Plan assessment. He specifically asked to hear outcomes of the U.S. Pakistan-Afghanistan Strategic Review, led by Lt Gen Lute. -------------- Balkans -------------- ¶10. (C/NF) Balkans: The SYG said the NAC visit to Kosovo on 4 November had highlighted the need to avoid any policing gap in the north during the transition from the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) to the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX). He reported JFC Naples Commander Admiral Fitzgerald,s concern that NATO may need to delay the transfer of the French and Italian Multinational Specialized Units (MSU) from KFOR to EULEX command if EULEX has not reached initial operating capability by 2 December. The French PermRep responded that the MSU transfers had nothing to do with a lack of security on the ground. Ambassador Volker observed that it would be reassuring to the population in the north that these two MSUs would remain in the north. The Turkish PermRep expressed concern that an additional gap could arise from the fact that EULEX has a different mandate than UNMIK and said that NATO needs more clarity on what tasks EULEX intends to perform. ¶11. (C) Ambassador Volker expressed disappointment that Belgrade continues to link EULEX deployment to negotiations with the UN on the six points (police, court, customs, boundaries, transportation and infrastructure, and Serbian patrimony) and stressed the need to press Belgrade to allow EULEX into the north. He said Kosovar authorities with whom the NAC had met welcomed EULEX,s deployment. Serb leaders and the French Multinational Task Force-North (MNTF-N) commander had noted the strong need for a security presence in the north, but the MNTF-N commander had expressed concern about the rapid and chaotic drawdown of UNMIK there. ¶12. (C) The Dutch PermRep said he needed more specificity with regard to the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) standup trust fund before he could ask the Hague to contribute and also recommended NATO develop a standard operating procedure on trust funds given their proliferation. Norway seconded these comments and also asked for procedures on tapping into Official Development Assistance (ODA)-accepted funding. SYG noted that it was an OECD responsibility to determine what USNATO 00000416 004 OF 005 ¶2008. qualified as ODA. He said the proliferation of trust funds reflected a fundamental disagreement on how to finance the Alliance but said there was definitely room for streamlining the trust fund process. -------------- Africa -------------- ¶13. (C/NF) Africa: The Council received an operational briefing on the counter-piracy and WFP escort missions of elements of SNMG-2. Task Group Allied Provider (TG 432.01), consisting of ITS Durand de la Penne, HS Themistokles and HMS Cumberland, continues its duties: Durand de la Penne escorted a vessel carrying AMISOM equipment on 1 November and picked up a WFP food ship for escort to Mogadishu on 2 November, which it handed off to Themistokles on 3 November; Cumberland, meanwhile, continues counter-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden. ¶14. (C) The French PermRep reported to the Council that a French frigate had undertaken escort of two EU-flagged ships through the Gulf of Aden over the past week. ¶15. (C/NF) Iraq: no discussion ¶16. (C/NF) Response to Terrorism: no discussion -------------- -- 2008 Annual Report by the Senior Resource Board -------------- -- ¶17. (C/NF) 2008 Annual Report by the Senior Resource Board: Following a briefing by Senior Resource Board Chair Pino de Salas on the Board,s 2008 report to the Council, Ambassador Volker advocated a need to increase common funding to support both the ongoing operations and other key requirements of the Alliance. He also raised concern about the ongoing delays in approval of critical capability packages for air transport and bulk fuel. Turkey, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Bulgaria also backed balancing the funding requirements of ongoing operations with the long term capabilities and transformation of the Alliance. Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Belgium, and Greece noted that the dramatic increases in costs for operations would likely have to be accommodated through better prioritization of requirements and cost saving efficiencies. Many nations suggested that outsourcing only be used as a last resort and that the NMA prioritization needs improvements. The Netherlands, Canada, Hungary, and the Czech Republic called for a review of NATO funding practices to provide financial incentives for nations to provide capabilities and forces for operations. -------------- Statements on Political Subjects -------------- ¶18. (C/NF) Statements on Political Subjects: France briefed on recent EU diplomatic activity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC),noting French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and British Foreign Minister David Miliband,s recent trip to the region and their success in urging DRC and Rwandan leaders to assemble at a meeting of regional leaders. The French PermRep also said EU foreign ministers met informally this week to discuss how the EU could strengthen political dialogue and cooperation with the U.S. in light of a new administration. A second meeting of EU foreign ministers from those member states of the &Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean8 met to review efforts underway on the project. ¶19. (SBU) Italy briefed on recent activity of the UN, first noting the completion of preparations for a UN Security Council (UNSC) visit to Afghanistan at the end of the month which will assess coordination between the UN Assistance USNATO 00000416 005 OF 005 ¶2008. Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and ISAF. On Kosovo, discussion in the UNSC on the reconfiguration of the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) has been postponed. -------------- Any Other Business -------------- ¶20. (C/NF) Any Other Business: The Czech representative asked that the decision sheet for last week,s NAC reflect the Czech request that interim progress reports be prepared for the December Foreign Ministerial and the March Defense Ministerial on the options for missile defense that were tasked to be presented at the 2009 NATO Summit. He also expressed support for creating a separate item for discussion on NATO transformation on the NAC agenda, but he warned against a &bureaucratic exercise8 of re-opening discussion on the Comprehensive Political Guidance (CPG). Instead he supported discussion of specific proposals (i.e. helicopters, innovative funding ideas, future of the NRF, etc.). Hungary and Germany expressed their &puzzlement8 on the request for MD interim reports, reiterating that no decision has been made yet on the issue. The Chairman acknowledged that discussion will begin shortly in the NAC on transformation and the UK assured that there was no intention of re-opening discussion on the CPG. VOLKER