Identifier
Created
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Origin
08USNATO448
2008-12-03 16:43:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Mission USNATO
Cable title:  

COMMUNIQUE OF THE DECEMBER 2-3 NATO FOREIGN

Tags:  NATO MARR PARM PHSA PTER XG ZM XA XF 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 07 USNATO 000448 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/RPM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: NATO MARR PARM PHSA PTER XG ZM XA XF
SUBJECT: COMMUNIQUE OF THE DECEMBER 2-3 NATO FOREIGN
MINISTERS' MEETING, PART 1 OF 2

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 07 USNATO 000448

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/RPM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: NATO MARR PARM PHSA PTER XG ZM XA XF
SUBJECT: COMMUNIQUE OF THE DECEMBER 2-3 NATO FOREIGN
MINISTERS' MEETING, PART 1 OF 2


1. (U) The following communique was approved and released by
NATO Foreign Ministers following their December 2-3 meeting:

BEGIN TEXT:

MEETING OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL
AT THE LEVEL OF FOREIGN MINISTERS
HELD AT NATO HEADQUARTERS, BRUSSELS,
ON 2-3 DECEMBER 2008

FINAL COMMUNIQUE



1. Founded on the enduring principle of the indivisibility
of Allied security, NATO remains the essential forum for
security consultations among the Allies of Europe and North
America and the transatlantic framework for strong collective
defence of our populations, territory and forces, the core
purpose of our Alliance and its most important security task.
Today, we reaffirmed our cohesion, solidarity and commitment
to the common vision and shared democratic values of the
Washington Treaty, which reflects the purposes and principles
of the United Nations Charter. We agreed today on actions
that, while enhancing our ability to maintain our core
purpose, will also more effectively enable us to meet
emerging challenges, and add momentum to implementation of
the decisions taken at the NATO Summit in Bucharest in April
of this year. We also gave further direction on work to be
completed before the Alliance's 60th Anniversary Summit in
Strasbourg and Kehl in April 2009.


2. NATO's ongoing enlargement process has been a historic
success in advancing the vision of a Europe that is whole and
free, united in peace, democracy and common values. At our
Summit next year, we aim to welcome Albania and Croatia as
new members of the Alliance and we are pleased to be joined
today by our colleagues from these two countries, who
associate themselves with this Communique. In a manner
consistent with the principles of the United Nations Charter,
NATO's door remains open to all European democracies willing
and able to assume the responsibilities and obligations of
membership, in accordance with Article 10 of the Washington
Treaty.


3. Today we reaffirm our commitment to a common vision of

how to meet existing security challenges in ways which
contribute to lasting peace and security in the Euro Atlantic
area. We underscore that the existing structures - NATO, the
European Union (EU),the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe -
based on common values, continue to provide every opportunity
for countries to engage substantively on Euro Atlantic
security with a broad acquis, established over decades, that
includes respect for human rights, territorial integrity, the
sovereignty of all states, without dividing lines, and the
requirement to fulfill international commitments and
agreements. Within this framework, Allies are open to
dialogue within the OSCE on security perceptions and how to
respond to new threats, and seek the widest possible
cooperation among participating states to promote a common
Euro Atlantic space of security and stability. The common
aim should be to improve implementation of existing
commitments and to continue to improve existing institutions
and instruments so as to effectively promote our values and

USNATO 00000448 002 OF 007


Euro Atlantic security.


4. We pay tribute to the professionalism and bravery of
the many men and women from Allied and other nations who are
involved in NATO's operations and missions. We extend our
deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of those
who have died or been injured during the course of their
duties.


5. NATO reaffirms its long term commitment to supporting
the Government of Afghanistan in building a stable and
democratic Afghanistan, respectful of human rights, capable
of securing itself, and at peace with its neighbours.
Recognising that our security is closely bound to
Afghanistan's, we affirm that the UN mandated NATO led
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) remains our
key priority. We condemn the deliberate tactics and actions
by insurgents in complete disregard for human life. We
deplore all civilian casualties. ISAF continues to take all
possible measures to protect civilians and has reinforced its
efforts in this regard. Despite the actions of extremists
and terrorists which continue to threaten the Afghan people,
our forces, and stability in the region as a whole, we have,
with Afghanistan and our partners, made progress in realising
the strategic vision set out at the Bucharest Summit, through
implementing the four principles of our Comprehensive
Strategic Political Military Plan:


- A Firm and Shared Commitment among Allies: We
remain determined to provide ISAF with the forces, resources,
and flexibility to ensure the mission's success. Since the
Summit, we have augmented ISAF's contribution to Afghanistan
with troops and equipment, and we welcome the strong and
growing support from ISAF partner nations. The Presidential
and Provincial elections scheduled for 2009 and the
Parliamentary and District elections scheduled to follow in
2010 will be important milestones for the democratic
development of Afghanistan. ISAF will support the Afghan
Government's efforts to secure the election process,
including through temporary deployment of additional forces.

- Support for Enhanced Afghan Leadership and
Responsibility: Significant progress has been made in the
development of the Afghan National Security Forces. They
have assumed lead security responsibility for Kabul City,
increasingly taken the lead on security operations, and begun
to extend their reach across the country. We are committed
to supporting expansion of the Afghan National Army (ANA) and
to providing necessary resources, including additional
Operational Mentoring and Liaison Teams. We are also
exploring how the ANA Trust Fund could facilitate this
expansion. We similarly support greater efforts by Allied
nations and partners, in coordination with United States and
European Union programmes and missions, to accelerate
development of the Afghan National Police.

- A Comprehensive, Civilian Military Approach by
the International Community: Recognising that there is no
purely military solution, NATO also stands ready to support
Afghan led efforts to achieve a political resolution to the
conflict. ISAF will support the Afghan Government in
extending its authority across the country and reaching out
to all its citizens to enable good governance and

USNATO 00000448 003 OF 007


development, building on the Afghan National Development
Strategy, and the commitments of the Afghanistan Compact and
the Paris Conference. In this respect, we encourage the
Afghan Government to continue investing in good governance.
We underscore our strong support for the leading role of the
United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. Provincial
Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) continue to play a significant
role in promoting good governance, capacity building,
reconstruction and development. We will work to further
enhance PRTs' unity of effort and will continue to strengthen
linkages between PRT activities and the
Afghan Government's good governance and community engagement
goals.

- Increased Cooperation with Afghanistan's
Neighbours, especially Pakistan: As a contribution to
promoting regional peace and stability, we welcome the
improving relationship between Kabul and Islamabad, and
recent military action Pakistan has taken against extremists
along its frontier with Afghanistan. We welcome closer NATO
ISAF/Afghan/Pakistani coordination through the Tri Partite
Commission and other fora, and will take steps to improve
border security, including exploring the establishment of
more Border Coordination Centres and other possible joint
initiatives. NATO is open to closer military to military
cooperation and an enhanced high level political dialogue
with Pakistan. We will continue our enhanced dialogue with
Central Asian Partners and Afghanistan in support of regional
cooperation and a stable Afghanistan, while encouraging their
active contribution, including through finalising transit
arrangements of Central Asian countries with the Alliance.


6. The robust, UN mandated NATO led KFOR presence will
remain in Kosovo on the basis of United Nations Security
Council Resolution 1244. Throughout Kosovo, NATO and KFOR
will continue to work with the authorities and, bearing in
mind its operational mandate, KFOR will cooperate with and
assist the UN, the EU and other international actors, as
appropriate, to support the development of a stable,
democratic, multi ethnic and peaceful Kosovo. The prompt
deployment of the European Union's Rule of Law Mission
(EULEX) throughout all of Kosovo is an urgent priority, and
in this context we note the adoption by the United Nations
Security Council of a statement by its Presidency in support
of the reconfiguration of the United Nations Mission in
Kosovo (UNMIK). We strongly encourage the Kosovo authorities
and Serbia to cooperate fully with all relevant actors during
and after the period of transfer of authority. We expect all
parties concerned in Kosovo to help prevent violence. We
attach importance to close coordination among all relevant
international actors, as well as with the Kosovo authorities.
We welcome the continuing efforts of these authorities and
expect them to implement fully their commitment to standards,
especially those related to the rule of law and regarding the
protection of ethnic minorities and communities, as well as
the protection of historical and religious sites, and to
combating crime and corruption. NATO stands ready to play
its part in the implementation of future security
arrangements and, in the framework of NATO's new tasks,
continues to work towards the standing down of the Kosovo
Protection Corps and the establishment of the Kosovo Security
Force on the basis of our voluntary trust funds.


7. We reiterate the Alliance's commitment to support the

USNATO 00000448 004 OF 007


Government and people of Iraq and to assist with the
development of Iraqi Security Forces. We have responded
positively to a request by Prime Minister Al Maliki to
continue the NATO Training Mission Iraq (NTM I) and expand
the mission in several areas, including navy and air force
leadership training, police training, border security,
defence reform, defence institution building, and small arms
and light weapons accountability. NATO is also working with
the Government of Iraq on a structured cooperation framework
to develop the Alliance's long term relationship with Iraq.



8. Our experience in Afghanistan and Kosovo shows that
today's security challenges require a comprehensive approach
by the international community, combining civil and military
measures and coordination. Effective implementation of a
comprehensive approach requires the cooperation and
contribution of all major actors in a shared sense of
openness and determination. It is essential for all
international actors to act in a concerted effort that takes
into account their respective strengths and mandates. In
line with the Action Plan agreed at Bucharest, work is
underway to improve NATO's own contribution to such a
comprehensive approach, including through a more coherent
application of its crisis management instruments and efforts
to associate its military capabilities with civilian means.
As part of the Action Plan, we are developing ways to improve
the planning and conduct of ongoing and future operations,
wherever appropriate, as well as ensuring adequate use of
lessons learned, including in training, education and
exercises. We are also strengthening our ability to work
effectively with partner countries, international
organisations, non governmental organisations and local
authorities, enhancing synergy at all levels. We have taken
note of a progress report and look forward to further
concrete results by the time of the next Summit. We have
shared the main thrust of our work with major international
actors in order to benefit from their views and input.


9. More than a decade of cooperation between NATO and the
United Nations, especially in the Balkans and Afghanistan,
has demonstrated the value of effective and efficient
coordination between the two organisations. We are
determined to further develop our cooperation in a structured
manner, in order to be better able to address the threats and
challenges to which the international community is called
upon to respond. The Joint UN NATO Declaration, which the
two Secretaries General signed in September 2008, is a major
step forward in this direction. It also reaffirms our
willingness to provide, within our respective mandates and
capabilities, assistance to regional and sub-regional
organisations, as requested and as appropriate.


10. As demonstrated by NATO's rapid deployment of Operation
Allied Provider, we are greatly preoccupied by the rising
incidence of piracy off the Horn of Africa and are committed
to assist in fighting this scourge, in full respect of
relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Accordingly, in response to requests by the Secretary General
of the United Nations, NATO and individual Allied nations'
naval forces are providing a deterrent presence and are
escorting World Food Programme chartered vessels carrying
humanitarian aid to Somalia. NATO naval forces have also
provided a maritime security presence and escorted African

USNATO 00000448 005 OF 007


Union chartered vessels carrying logistical supplies for the
African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). We welcome the
EU's upcoming ATALANTA operation. As more actors engage in
these important efforts, it is essential to ensure
complementarity among them. NATO stands ready to consider
further requests for the use of Alliance naval assets to
combat piracy in this region.


11. In addition to counter piracy related assistance, NATO
is committed to assist the African Union (AU) and its
peacekeeping and stability operations in other ways as well.
We continue to coordinate airlift support to AMISOM. We are
also providing capacity building support to the AU's long
term peacekeeping capabilities, in particular the African
Standby Force, at the request of the AU. We are prepared to
consider further requests to support the AU, including for
regional maritime capacity building.


12. As noted at Bucharest, NATO EU relations cover a wide
range of issues of common interest relating to security,
defence and crisis management, including the fight against
terrorism, the development of coherent and mutually
reinforcing military capabilities, and civil emergency
planning. NATO and the EU also share common values and
strategic interests, and will continue to work side by side
in key crisis management operations, and will avoid
unnecessary duplication in a mutual spirit of transparency
while respecting the autonomy of each organisation. Since
Bucharest, various initiatives have been taken as part of the
continuing effort to improve the NATO EU strategic
partnership, as agreed by our two organisations. NATO
recognises the importance of a stronger and more capable
European defence, and welcomes the EU's efforts to strengthen
its capabilities and its capacity to address common security
challenges that both NATO and the EU face today. These
developments have significant implications and relevance for
the Alliance as a whole, which is why NATO stands ready to
support and work with the EU in such mutually reinforcing
efforts, recognising the ongoing concerns of Allies. Non EU
Allies have made, and continue to make, significant
contributions to these efforts. In this context, we continue
to believe it important that all possible efforts should be
made by all those involved in these endeavours, and also to
render possible the fullest involvement of non EU Allies.


13. Today's information environment underlines the need for
appropriate, timely, accurate and responsive communication
with local and international audiences in relation to NATO's
policies and engagement in international operations. We
welcome the progress made in enhancing NATO's strategic
communications capability, as demonstrated by the rapid
response Media Operations Centre as well as NATO's television
channel on the internet. We underscore our commitment to
support further improvement of our strategic communications
by the time of our 2009 Summit.


14. We condemn in the strongest terms the attacks in Mumbai
last week and express our sincerest sympathy to the victims
and their families.


15. We reiterate our condemnation of all acts of terrorism,
irrespective of its motivations or manifestations. We are
determined to fight against terrorism individually and
collectively as long as necessary in accordance with

USNATO 00000448 006 OF 007


international law and principles of the United Nations
Charter. The Alliance continues to provide an essential
transatlantic dimension to the response against terrorism and
we remain committed to the full implementation of United
Nations Security Council resolutions related to terrorism.
We unequivocally condemn all terrorist acts as unjustifiable
and criminal and deplore tactics such as suicide bombing and
hostage taking, as well as the recruitment of the young and
disadvantaged towards these ends. We also condemn terrorist
abuse of freedoms inherent to democratic societies to spread
hatred and incite violence. With the resolve to protect our
populations, territories, infrastructure and forces against
terrorist attacks, Allies will continue to develop their
national capabilities in
this important area, and to strengthen the Alliance's
ability to share information and intelligence on terrorism.
Operation Active Endeavour, our maritime operation in the
Mediterranean, continues to make a valuable contribution to
the fight against terrorism. We remain committed to further
enhancing our dialogue and cooperation with our partners in
this important area, including in the framework of the
Partnership Action Plan against Terrorism.


16. We look forward to welcoming Albania and Croatia as new
members of the Alliance, which will strengthen security for
all in the Euro Atlantic area. Albania and Croatia have
already accomplished important reforms and are making
significant contributions to our security. As they soon join
us in the Alliance's continuous transformation and reform
process, we encourage Albania and Croatia to continue making
progress on reform before completion of their ongoing
Membership Action Plan (MAP) work and after accession in
order to enhance their contribution to the Alliance. We
commend the July 2008 signature of the Accession Protocols
and look forward to the completion of the ratification
process. Our aim is to welcome the two new members into our
Alliance at our next Summit.


17. We reiterate the agreement of Heads of State and
Government at the Bucharest Summit to extend an invitation to
the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as soon as a
mutually acceptable solution to the name issue has been
reached within the framework of the UN and urge intensified
efforts towards that goal. At the same time, we will
continue to support and assist the reform efforts of the
Government of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.


18. We reaffirm all elements of the decisions regarding
Ukraine and Georgia taken by our Heads of State and
Government in Bucharest. Both countries have made progress,
yet both have significant work left to do. Therefore, we
have decided to provide further assistance to both countries
in implementing needed reforms as they progress towards NATO
membership.


19. Through a performance based process NATO will maximise
its advice, assistance, and support for their reform efforts
in the framework of the NATO Ukraine Commission and NATO
Georgia Commission, which have a central role to play in
supervising the process set in hand at the Bucharest Summit.
In this context, we have decided to amend the NATO Ukraine
Charter on a Distinctive Partnership together with our
Ukrainian partners to reflect this central role of the NATO
Ukraine Commission, as is already the case in the NATO

USNATO 00000448 007 OF 007


Georgia Commission. We have also decided to reinforce the
NATO information and liaison offices in Kyiv and Tbilisi.
Finally, without prejudice to further decisions which must be
taken about MAP, we have agreed that under the NATO Georgia
Commission and NATO Ukraine Commission, Annual National
Programmes will be developed to help Georgia and Ukraine
advance their reforms, which will be annually reviewed by the
Allies.

End Part 1 of the Text. Part 2 sent septel.
VOLKER