EU INVITES U.S. TO DISCUSS CURRENT SECURITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L USEU BRUSSELS 001382 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF/RSA MICHAEL BITTRICK AND MICHAEL SKARDON, AF/E MATTHEW WALSH, AF/C CHRISTOPHER LAMORA, EUR/ERA SAMANTHA SMITH, ELIZABETH KONICK, ZOJA DERETIC, ALESSANDRO NARDI E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/14/2019 TAGS: MOPS MARR PREL EUN SUBJECT: EU INVITES U.S. TO DISCUSS CURRENT SECURITY OPERATIONS REF: A. USEU BRUSSELS 1127 ¶B. USEU BRUSSELS 1287 ¶C. USEU BRUSSELS 1366 ¶D. USEU BRUSSELS 1346 Classified By: Pol M-C Christopher Davis for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request. ¶2. (U) The Swedish EU Presidency has convoked an October 16 meeting between EU Political and Security Committee Ambassadors and representatives of non-EU NATO Allies and EU accession candidates to discuss: -- EU counter-piracy operations; -- The EU police mission in Afghanistan; and -- EU military and police security sector reform missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo. ¶3. (C) USEU is awaiting guidance on two of the agenda items for the October 16 meeting: -- Whether the US is willing to sign a formal technical agreement to allow EU police trainers to deploy to U.S. PRTs in Afghanistan as non-EU Allies Canada and Norway have done (REF A); and -- Potential U.S. participation in the EU's security sector reform missions in the DRC (REFS B and C). If possible, guidance would be appreciated before the meeting. ¶4. (C) It is unclear whether EU planning for a possible security sector reform mission in Somalia will be discussed, as EU Foreign Ministers have not yet taken a decision to proceed with the mission (REF D). This meeting will, however, offer a good venue to raise the subject and influence the EU's plans for a mission in Somalia, if we so choose. ¶5. (U) Non-EU countries invited to the meeting are: Albania, Canada, Croatia, Macedonia, Iceland, Norway, Turkey, and the United States. MURRAY .