CONTRIBUTING TO NATO,S LONG-TERM COUNTER-PIRACY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 058992 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MARR NATO PGOV PREL SUBJECT: CONTRIBUTING TO NATO,S LONG-TERM COUNTER-PIRACY OPERATIONS IN THE HORN OF AFRICA. REF: USNATO 227 ¶1. (U) Summary: At the strong urging of the United States, NATO is moving forward with a long-term counter-piracy mission (Operation Ocean Shield). On June 5, Allies agreed to a concept of operations (CONOPS) for a year-long counter piracy mission and are expected to pledge forces at a conference on June 10 at SHAPE. Defense Ministers are expected to address force generation shortfalls on June 11 and 12. The U.S. will contribute additional assets to NATO's efforts that may include naval vessels, logistics, communications and intelligence, and contributions to a NATO capacity building effort for regional states. The U.S. already has seven assets, including ships, helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft working on counter-piracy on both CMF and NATO Operations. ¶2. (U) Some Allies notably Germany, France, The Netherlands and Belgium have said at a May 22 meeting at SHAPE that they are doing enough through the EU ATALANTA mission. This is not a zero-sum game between the EU and NATO. Each of these nations has the responsibility to do more. The EU's 13 vessels engaged in counter-piracy operations are not sufficient for the area's 2.4 million square nautical miles of waters. Some EU nations also have said a long- term NATO operation would require a solid legal framework for transferring pirates to third parties before more Allies would be willing to contribute assets. NATO legal advisors are traveling to African regional states to negotiate NATO's position regarding its legal framework and transfer of detained pirates. The lack of a third party agreement, though, has not stopped NATO's current counter-piracy mission, which has proven to be successful in spite of not yet having concluded an agreement with Kenya or another state on prosecution of detained pirates. ¶3. (U) NATO naval inventories, cataloged in the regular NATO Defense Planning Questionnaire (DPQ), demonstrate that Allies clearly have more ships than the 13 or so participating in EU's ATALANTA mission. Some Allies favor engaging the Standing NATO Maritime Group component in the NATO counter-piracy operation. NATO nations may also bring assets such as maritime patrol aircraft to this mission. ¶4. (U) ACTION Request: Posts are requested to deliver the following demarche to capitals on June 9 in preparation for the June 10 force generation conference at SHAPE: -- The U.S. is planning to make a contribution at the June 10 counter-piracy force generation conference in support of NATO's Operation Ocean Shield. -- It is paramount that Allies provide resources to NATO's force generation effort. -- Contributions to NATO's or the EU's counter-piracy operations are not a zero-sum game. STATE 00058992 002 OF 002 NATO, the EU, CTF 151, working with the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) can help protect 2.4 million square miles in the Indian Ocean from Somalia's pirates. Allies, even those contributing to ATALANTA should contribute to NATO counter-piracy operations. -- A look at NATO naval inventories as catalogued in the NATO Defense Planning Questionnaire demonstrate that Allies have more ships and assets than the 13 or so now participating in ATALANTA. -- It would be appropriate to use NATO's Standing Naval Maritime Group (SNMG) to support NATO's counter-piracy mission, Operation Ocean Shield. -- NATO contributions have a qualitatively unique capability for command and control, coordination and intelligence. ¶5. (U) Posts are requested to report host government reactions and comments to EUR/RPM Peter Chisholm at ChisholmPT@state.gov. CLINTON