AFGHANISTAN: GENERAL PETRAEUS HITS RE-SET BUTTON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 BRUSSELS 000247 NOFORN SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, INL, INL/AP, EUR/FO, EUR/ERA, EUR/RPM, DOD FOR USD (P),DOD FOR ASD/ISA, USAID, CENTCOM FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER SNAR NATO MARR AF AID BE EAID EUN, IO SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: GENERAL PETRAEUS HITS RE-SET BUTTON WITH EU REF: A. 2009 BRUSSELS 132 ¶B. KABUL 133 Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES CHRISTOPHER W. MURRAY FOR REASONS 1.4 (b) and (d). SUBJ: Afghanistan: General Petraeus Hits the Reset Button with the EU ¶1. (C) Summary. General David Petraeus, Commander of U.S. Central Command, discussed Afghanistan with representatives from all 27 EU member states and other high-ranking EU officials in Brussels February 11 and 12. General Petraeus emphasized that his objective in meeting the EU was to consult and listen. He reiterated the messages he had delivered at the recent Munich Security Conference. EU Ambassadors described the EU's "value added" in Afghanistan. They applauded General Petraeus' visit as a clear illustration of the "new tone" referred to by Vice President Biden in his remarks at the Munich Security Conference - showing that the United States was serious in its intention to engage and consult partners. For their part, the Europeans expressed eagerness to continue consulting with the United States as the EU begins its own internal review of Afghanistan policy. Upcoming EU discussions on Afghanistan and Pakistan in February and March provide an opportunity for the United States to influence the EU's thinking by providing specific, early input on where we see the EU's value-added. End Summary. CENTCOM Commander addresses the EU -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The European Union's Political and Security Committee (PSC),composed of Ambassadors from all 27 EU member states, convened in extraordinary session on February 12 to receive CENTCOM Commander General Petraeus. The day before, he met with a smaller group of leaders from the EU Council Secretariat and Commission. General Petraeus discussed with the Ambassadors prospects for U.S. - EU cooperation across the board, with a particular focus on Afghanistan. He said that the main purpose of his meeting with the EU was to consult and listen. He reiterated the messages he had delivered at the recent Munich Security Conference, stressing that the problems in Afghanistan required more than just military solutions. He assessed that military action was necessary because security provides a foundation for progress in other areas, but military action alone is not sufficient. While the overarching objective remained the prevention of Afghanistan again becoming a sanctuary for trans-national terrorists, the U.S. Administration recognized that accomplishing this objective required more than military tasks, including strengthening governance and the rule of law, and improving economic development. General Petraeus also discussed the importance of regional security to the situation in Afghanistan. ¶3. (SBU) General Petraeus stressed the importance of coordination among the United States, the EU, and other international partners, saying that we must be prepared for the long haul in Afghanistan and must work toward a complementary approach. General Petraeus said that this would require many different types of contributions, and that it would be the responsibility of commanders on the ground to cobble those contributions together. General Petraeus noted the U.S. strategy toward Afghanistan contained elements of both continuity and change -- continuity with the values on BRUSSELS 00000247 002 OF 005 which our individual countries as well as NATO and the EU are founded, but with a change in tone and a hitting of the re-set button in our bilateral relations with some countries. He said he thought it important that partners be provided an opportunity to give their perspective to the Afghanistan strategic review that the United States would be conducting. General Petraeus echoed Vice President Biden's comments that we will work in partnership when we can, and alone only when we must - that we will engage, listen, and consult, and that America needs the world, as the world needs America. EU Adds Value in Afghanistan -------------- ¶4. (SBU) An Important Role: EU Ambassadors described to General Petraeus the EU's current efforts in Afghanistan and its potential to do more (REF A). Ambassadors acknowledged the EU was a "junior partner" in Afghanistan, but stressed that they wanted the collective efforts of the Commission and EU member states to complement the efforts of the United States, UN, NATO, and other important actors in Afghanistan. The Czech PSC Ambassador Ivo Sramek, who chaired the PSC meeting with the General, noted that like the United States, the EU was also conducting an internal review of its engagement in Afghanistan. He said that he wanted General Petraeus to leave his meeting with the EU with a clear idea of the EU's value added in Afghanistan, which was reflected in its work on governance, rule of law, institutional security, and police. EU High Representative Solana's Policy Director Helga Schmid added that Afghanistan has become an important part of the transatlantic relationship and that there was unfortunately a perception that the EU had not done enough. Schmid sought to dispel that misperception, noting that the EU (Commission and member states combined) will have spent 8 billion EURO in non-military aid to Afghanistan between the years 2007 and 2010. ¶5. (SBU) LOTFA and Justice Sector Reform: Richard Wright, the European Commission's representative to the PSC, highlighted for General Petraeus the Commission's commitment to Afghanistan since the beginning of U.S. operations there. He explained that the Commission alone has spent approximately 1.6 billion EURO since 2002, and that Commission funding is currently committed through 2013. The Commission has been a major donor to the Law an Order Trust Fund (LOTFA) for Afghan NationalPolice salaries - having provided 200 million EURO since 2002 -- and has worked to combat corruption in the judicial system by promoting a proper pay structure and personnel reform. General Petraeus thanked the Commission for its sizable contributions to Afghanistan. He noted that economic development and rule of law were areas with much room for improvement in Afghanistan. ¶6. (SBU) Elections: Wright noted that the Commission had helped finance the elections in Afghanistan in 2005 and would also provide funding for the 2009 elections, focused on voter and civic education. (Note: a Commission official told General Petraeus in the smaller meeting February 11 that the Commission would fund "up to 20 million EURO" for the 2009 elections. End Note.) Wright added that the Commission would like to deploy a civilian election monitoring mission in Afghanistan but that security concerns were the biggest obstacle that would prevent an EU observer mission from deploying. General Petraeus strongly encouraged the EU to proceed with plans for the election observation mission, noting that the key reason that the United States was BRUSSELS 00000247 003 OF 005 deploying additional troops to Afghanistan to provide security and give the elections greater legitimacy in the eyes of the Afghan people. He stressed that the elections must be seen as legitimate, and so they must be conducted in as much of the country as possible. General Petraeus suggested that the Commission's assessment team, which is planning a trip to Kabul in April, coordinate closely with ISAF. He added that he was confident that NATO would provide support and assistance - whatever was needed - to EU election observers. ¶7. (SBU) EUPOL: Head of EU Civilian Operations Kees Klopenhouwer told General Petraeus and the assembly that although the U.S. and the EU police reform programs have different strategic focuses, they can complement each other, and they are united in support for the Afghan Minister of Interior Atmar. Klompenhouwer explained that EUPOL's focus is top-down, working to build a professional police force that can carry out basic civil policing tasks and fight crime. He said that EUPOL was also focusing on working with the Kabul City police and border police at the airport, in line with the recommendations of Atmar. He added that the EUPOL effort was coordinated with the United States efforts, with CSTC-A providing basic training at the district level and EUPOL complementing that work in specific niches. He noted that if EUPOL were able to obtain the contributions it had requested from member states, it could also support the Focused District Development (FDD) effort. However, he stressed that EUPOL could not "do it all." General Petraeus responded that the best solution was likely to keep all of the various contributions to police training but find better mechanisms to coordinate them. ¶8. (SBU) Klompenhouwer said that EUPOL should reach its intended 400 personnel by June, 2009. General Petraeus said he looked forward to seeing what EUPOL could do as it reached its full-manned capacity and reiterated the USG's respect for EUPOL Head of Mission Kai Vittrup. In the larger meeting with EU Ambassadors February 12, General Petraeus noted that he had spoken to the Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan (CSTC-A) Commander Major General Formica the previous day. General Petraeus said that MG Formica and EU Police (EUPOL) Head of Mission Kai Vittrup had agreed to work together, with each providing those contributions that it could. General Petraeus said he thought this was the correct approach. In response to a question by the German Ambassador about the possibility of EUPOL deploying in U.S.-led RC-East (REF B),General Petraeus said he thought the emerging relationship between RC-East and EUPOL was positive, and that we would see what was possible as EUPOL moved forward with increasing its size. ¶9. (C/NF) Public Opinion Problem: In the smaller February 11 meeting, EU Council Director General for External and Political-Military Affairs Robert Cooper told General Petraeus that Afghanistan was not a popular campaign in Europe, noting that even those countries which had traditionally been most committed to Afghanistan, such as the Netherlands, were now looking at how to pull out. He also noted that all of Europe was expecting the United States to "make demands" for Afghanistan and that the USG should decide whether it wanted more European forces or would accept increased European efforts in other areas, such as police and civilian government. General Petraeus explained that he would not be making specific requests of the EU in the February 12 meeting, but that the effort in Afghanistan would require more resources in all areas, with commanders on the BRUSSELS 00000247 004 OF 005 ground cobbling all contributions together. The Powerful Petraeus effect -------------- ¶10. (C/NF) The political importance to the EU of having a senior U.S. military leader address the PSC -- this was the first time the EU has received a U.S. flag officer -- cannot be overstated. There was standing room only in the EU Council's main conference room, with well over 150 people in attendance, including Council Secretariat and Commission representatives. It provided validation to EU member states of the EU's strategic political role. EU Ambassadors and other officials welcomed the visit as an important signal of renewed transatlantic cooperation. The Hungarian PSC Ambassador applauded General Petraeus' appearance before the PSC as a clear illustration of the new tone referred to by Vice President Biden in his remarks at the Munich Security Conference - showing that the United States was serious in its intention to engage and consult partners. The Swedish Ambassador also applauded General Petraeus' visit, describing it as a good example of the kind of transatlantic coordination that can take place. The Estonian Ambassador said he would like to make a "plea" to the United States to include the EU's efforts in the USG strategic review of Afghanistan policy and noted the urgency of "finally addressing the coordination problem in Afghanistan." Both the Estonian and Danish Ambassadors said they hoped to see a strengthened role for the UN and UN Special Representative Kai Eide in Afghanistan. The German Ambassador said he was glad to see that U.S. views were so convergent with EU views about Afghanistan. ¶11. (C/NF) Subsequent to the meeting with General Petraeus, a number of contacts noted a new energy in the EU as a result of the meeting. Many member states also recognized an ensuing need for the EU to "deliver something concrete" on Afghanistan, although some cautioned that the EU should not take on "new tasks," but rather should focus on implementing and "doing better" those tasks it is already doing. According to one advisor to EU High Representative Solana, General Petraeus' visit prompted a common realization that the EU needs to revisit its strategy on Afghanistan. The advisor hoped it would force the EU to reflect on what it is doing in Afghanistan and whether or not those activities will have the desired effects. The German Ambassador told USEU Charge d'Affaires that General Petraeus' message that there could be no purely military, or counter-terrorism solution in Afghanistan (in contrast to impressions in the press) helped assuage his concerns and those of other EU Ambassadors. Contacts told USEU separately that the visit helped clarify for the EU that the U.S. understands that its primary objective in Afghanistan -- to prevent Afghanistan from once again serving as a base for terrorism -- also requires a strong focus on non-military tasks such as governance and rule of law. "The EU is not as interested in following the U.S.' lead in Afghanistan if the objective is counter-terrorism alone," noted one advisor to Solana. Comment -------------- ¶12. (C) General Petraeus closed his remarks to EU Ambassadors by saying that the world currently has an opportunity in Afghanistan. He said he hoped we can seize this opportunity with our determination, resources, skill, and willingness to consult and to put our collective shoulders to the wheel in BRUSSELS 00000247 005 OF 005 Afghanistan and the region. The EU's enthusiastic reception in such a setting of General Petraeus, and EU Ambassadors' effusive comments to USEU officials following the meeting underline the EU's eagerness to be seen by the United States as a partner - albeit a junior partner - in Afghanistan and the region. ¶13. (C) Several EU Ambassadors told USEU Charge d'Affaires that General Petraeus' comments would help shape upcoming EU internal discussions about Afghanistan and the region. The German Ambassador told him that there would be 27 "glowing reporting cables" in all of the European capitals on the day following Petraeus' visit. EU leaders are now beginning their own internal review of the EU's role in Afghanistan and the region, to include thinking about how the EU might increase its engagement. That internal discussion will begin in earnest at the February 23 EU Foreign Ministers GAERC meeting. The March GAERC will issue conclusions on Afghanistan, and an EU Foreign Ministers' troika will meet with the Foreign Minister of Pakistan in early March. End Comment. ¶14. (U) This message was cleared by General Petraeus. MURRAY