Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08USNATO50
2008-02-08 15:30:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Mission USNATO
Cable title:
SINGAPORE,S EVOLVING COOPERATION WITH NATO, THEIR
how-toVZCZCXYZ0019 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHNO #0050 0391530 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 081530Z FEB 08 FM USMISSION USNATO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1626 INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE 0836 RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE PRIORITY 0066 RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEHNO/USDELMC BRUSSELS BE PRIORITY RHMFISS/USNMR SHAPE BE PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 000050
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2017
TAGS: NATO PGOV MARR PREL SN AF
SUBJECT: SINGAPORE,S EVOLVING COOPERATION WITH NATO, THEIR
EMBASSY,S VIEW
Classified By: CDA Richard Olson,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 000050
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2017
TAGS: NATO PGOV MARR PREL SN AF
SUBJECT: SINGAPORE,S EVOLVING COOPERATION WITH NATO, THEIR
EMBASSY,S VIEW
Classified By: CDA Richard Olson,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C/NF) Summary: Singapore,s DCM in Brussels confirmed
Singapore is considering an increased yet modest contribution
to ISAF in the summer months of 2008. He has also been
asking cautious questions about what opportunities could
derive from deeper Singapore-NATO cooperation. He implied
information sharing might influence the outcome. End
summary.
2. (C/NF) In the wake of Singapore,s formal recognition by
NATO as an ISAF Non-NATO Contributing nation, CDA met
February 08 with Singaporean DCM Joseph Teo to encourage
greater contributions to Afghanistan and to gauge Singaporean
interest in further deepening its relationship with NATO.
3. (C/NF) Teo explained that Singapore,s decision to sign
participation, financial, and security assurance agreements
with NATO had been aimed at facilitating its 2007
contribution. However, bureaucratic delays had meant the
agreement was actually concluded too late, well after
Singapore,s contribution of a 5-person dental team and
5-person engineering team had returned to Singapore. Now,
armed with the necessary legal documentation, Singapore is
considering increasing the size of a summer 2008
contribution, possibly consisting of engineers for Bamiyan
and Uruzgan.
4. (C/NF) Teo said Singapore is focused on three information
needs when considering its next steps on NATO/Afghanistan:
-- The Singaporean Ministry of Defense, particularly the
military, is interested in detailed information on NATO,s
strategic direction and plans for Afghanistan, information
which could help them with their own analysis on if or how
they might contribute.
-- The military is interested in intelligence sharing that
could assist with force-protection planning.
-- The Foreign Office is pondering what to do with
Singapore,s invitation to attend the Afghanistan
Contributors, meeting at the April 2-4 NATO Summit in
Bucharest. They are unsure of the level at which Singapore
should be represented, and are interested in detailed
information about the agenda and the issues that will be
discussed there.
5. (C/NF) Teo asked several questions about NATO,s approach
to its Global Partners, queries that indicated he has been
following the topic and that he is looking for positive
information on NATO partnerships that he can feed to his
superiors at home. He also solicited information on NATO,s
structures and programs for cooperation for partners. CDA
hinted that Bucharest would be a good venue for Singapore to
become a Global Partner if interested. While he made no
commitments, Teo did seem interested in the possibility of
Singapore assuming a relationship with NATO similar to that
of Australia, Japan, ROK and New Zealand. Teo asked to keep
in close working contact with USNATO.
6. (C/NF) Comment: USNATO will continue to encourage greater
contributions to Afghanistan from Singapore, as well as a
deepening of its relationship with NATO. End comment.
OLSON
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2017
TAGS: NATO PGOV MARR PREL SN AF
SUBJECT: SINGAPORE,S EVOLVING COOPERATION WITH NATO, THEIR
EMBASSY,S VIEW
Classified By: CDA Richard Olson,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C/NF) Summary: Singapore,s DCM in Brussels confirmed
Singapore is considering an increased yet modest contribution
to ISAF in the summer months of 2008. He has also been
asking cautious questions about what opportunities could
derive from deeper Singapore-NATO cooperation. He implied
information sharing might influence the outcome. End
summary.
2. (C/NF) In the wake of Singapore,s formal recognition by
NATO as an ISAF Non-NATO Contributing nation, CDA met
February 08 with Singaporean DCM Joseph Teo to encourage
greater contributions to Afghanistan and to gauge Singaporean
interest in further deepening its relationship with NATO.
3. (C/NF) Teo explained that Singapore,s decision to sign
participation, financial, and security assurance agreements
with NATO had been aimed at facilitating its 2007
contribution. However, bureaucratic delays had meant the
agreement was actually concluded too late, well after
Singapore,s contribution of a 5-person dental team and
5-person engineering team had returned to Singapore. Now,
armed with the necessary legal documentation, Singapore is
considering increasing the size of a summer 2008
contribution, possibly consisting of engineers for Bamiyan
and Uruzgan.
4. (C/NF) Teo said Singapore is focused on three information
needs when considering its next steps on NATO/Afghanistan:
-- The Singaporean Ministry of Defense, particularly the
military, is interested in detailed information on NATO,s
strategic direction and plans for Afghanistan, information
which could help them with their own analysis on if or how
they might contribute.
-- The military is interested in intelligence sharing that
could assist with force-protection planning.
-- The Foreign Office is pondering what to do with
Singapore,s invitation to attend the Afghanistan
Contributors, meeting at the April 2-4 NATO Summit in
Bucharest. They are unsure of the level at which Singapore
should be represented, and are interested in detailed
information about the agenda and the issues that will be
discussed there.
5. (C/NF) Teo asked several questions about NATO,s approach
to its Global Partners, queries that indicated he has been
following the topic and that he is looking for positive
information on NATO partnerships that he can feed to his
superiors at home. He also solicited information on NATO,s
structures and programs for cooperation for partners. CDA
hinted that Bucharest would be a good venue for Singapore to
become a Global Partner if interested. While he made no
commitments, Teo did seem interested in the possibility of
Singapore assuming a relationship with NATO similar to that
of Australia, Japan, ROK and New Zealand. Teo asked to keep
in close working contact with USNATO.
6. (C/NF) Comment: USNATO will continue to encourage greater
contributions to Afghanistan from Singapore, as well as a
deepening of its relationship with NATO. End comment.
OLSON