Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09USNATO107
2009-03-19 11:25:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Mission USNATO
Cable title:
SCENESETTER FOR CODEL CASEY
how-toVZCZCXRO3731 OO RUEHIK RUEHPOD RUEHYG DE RUEHNO #0107/01 0781125 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 191125Z MAR 09 FM USMISSION USNATO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2785 INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY 6644 RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RUEHNO/USDELMC BRUSSELS BE PRIORITY RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS BE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USNATO 000107
SIPDIS
H PASS TO CODEL CASEY; EUR/PGI FOR JAMES KUYKENDALL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OREP AMGT ASEC AFIN NATO BE
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR CODEL CASEY
The following is the text of a scenesetter provided by
Ambassador Volker to CODEL Casey in advance of their trip to
Brussels to attend the Brussels Forum. It is best viewed in
memorandum format. Begin text:
MEMORANDUM FOR MEMBERS OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE DELEGATIONS
FROM: Amb. Kurt Volker, USNATO
SUBJECT: Brussels Forum: Lay of the Land in Europe and
NATO
Welcome to Brussels, and to NATO!
Your visit comes at a time of extraordinary challenge for our
transatlantic community, but also a time of extraordinary
opportunity. Our task is nothing short of re-building the
transatlantic relationship - across the board - for a new era.
--------------
Europe's Side of the Global Everything-Crisis
--------------
Like us, Europe is buffeted by the financial crisis, risky
bailouts, energy disruptions, climate change, and worried
about the Middle East, Iran, Pakistan and more. European
leaders meet frequently, but are often divided in their
approaches and reluctant to take transformational decisions.
We risk seeing a re-nationalization of economic policy, trade
protectionism, and a shedding of costly commitments, whether
in cutting greenhouse gas emissions or defense spending.
One key role America has played in the past, and needs to
play again today, is to remind Europeans of the importance of
European unity - for Europe and the United States. Another
is for America to lead by example, yet in a way that consults
and brings European governments to a higher common
denominator. As bad as the times are, President Obama's
attendance at the back-to-back NATO and U.S.-EU Summits -
just two weeks away - is an opportunity to rally our
community and build common action.
--------------
Rebuilding NATO
--------------
NATO is a modern paradox. It has never been more engaged
operationally than today - in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Iraq, the
Mediterranean, the Horn of Africa. Our nations' leaders
still turn to NATO to provide solutions to today's security
problems, wherever they may come from.
Yet NATO suffers from international divisions and a lack of
strong European political will and commitment to these very
operations. A host of factors have taken their toll:
- Years of divisions over Iraq, Guantanamo, and more;
- European preference for coordinating policy in the EU
instead of NATO;
- Differing American and European threat perceptions
after September 11;
- European public aversion to use of military force in
almost any circumstances;
- A vast divide within Europe over how to deal with an
aggressive Russia; and
- Weak European defense spending, resulting in
divergent U.S. and European defense capabilities.
Still, the United States and Europe need NATO. We form a
single transatlantic community based on shared democratic
values. We face the same challenges in the world, and can
only deal with them effectively if we deal with them
together.
Re-building NATO will require us to forge a new consensus on
four baskets of issues:
- Afghanistan/Pakistan;
- Russia and the East;
- the Balkans; and
- NATO's future.
In addition, French President Sarkozy's decision to
USNATO 00000107 002 OF 003
reintegrate France into NATO's military structure should
reinforce Europe's commitment to our transatlantic community.
--------------
Afghanistan/Pakistan
--------------
Allies have become increasingly concerned over the situation
in Afghanistan. They therefore welcome President Obama's
Strategic Review, and appreciate the Administration's
determination to consult with Allies and bring their thinking
on board.
Vice President Biden, Secretaries Clinton and Gates, and
SACEUR Craddock and CENTCOM Commander Petraeus have all
engaged Allies recently on Afghanistan. The North Atlantic
Council went to Afghanistan on March 16-18. Special
Representative Holbrooke will meet with Allies on March 23.
While we do not know the conclusions from the Strategic
Review, some key factors will clearly shape our thinking:
- We need to see this as a regional challenge. Not
Afghanistan alone, but also with Pakistan and the wider
region, including Russia, India, China and Iran.
- This is not simply a military challenge, so military
efforts alone will not succeed. We need an integrated
civil-mil strategy, with the resources to back it up.
- In the long-term, Afghanistan needs to be able to
provide for its own security. We therefore need to provide
trainers and funding to strengthen the Afghan National Army
and Afghan National Police.
- The elections to be held in August are critical, and
we need to do all we can to provide security, expertise,
and funding to help make them a success.
We hope and expect that the results of the U.S. strategy
review will inform and drive a change in NATO's own approach
to the issue. In particular, we hope that NATO can:
- Fill out the election security force (2 more
battalions)
- Fill out all the Afghan Army training teams (14 teams)
- Put money into the Afghan National Army Trust Fund;
and
- Add new police training teams to speed Afghan police
development.
--------------
Russia and the East
--------------
Having gotten used to the Russia of the 1990's, Europe is now
unsure how to deal with the more authoritarian and assertive
Russia of today. These differences came to a boil in the
aftermath of the war in Georgia last August.
Some Allies seek a stable relationship with Russia to the
seeming exclusion of all else; others focus on the need to
support democratic reformers in the east and speak plainly
about aggressive Russian policies; still others want to focus
NATO on its core mission of collective defense at home.
The only way to reach a NATO consensus is to address all of
these interests at once. Thanks to Secretary Clinton's
meetings at NATO on March 5, the following elements are now
at the heart of an emerging - though still fragile - NATO
consensus:
- NATO will continue to work toward a Europe whole,
free and at peace;
- Article 5 collective defense remains at the heart of
the Alliance;
- We will continue to support reform in Europe's East,
including using the NATO-Ukraine and NATO-Georgia
Commissions to work toward NATO membership;
- We will engage Russia in dialogue through the
NATO-Russia Council, including at Ministerial levels, in
order to build practical cooperation in key areas; and
- We will at the same time use our dialogue with Russia
to raise areas where we have fundamental differences,
including over Georgia and the CFE Treaty.
USNATO 00000107 003 OF 003
--------------
The Balkans
--------------
While NATO grapples with policies on Afghanistan and Russia,
it cannot afford to drop the ball in the Balkans. We have
made substantial progress since ending ethnic cleansing in
the 1990's. Romania and Bulgaria are members of both NATO
and the EU, and Croatia is well on its way. But for the
others in the region, we must continue to hold out the
prospect of NATO and EU membership, while insisting on
democratic and market reforms.
--------------
NATO's Future
--------------
NATO is due to produce a "Declaration on Alliance Security"
at the April Summit, a first attempt to define NATO's role in
meeting future security challenges, and a precursor to
drafting a new "Strategic Concept" over the coming year.
--------------
New Secretary General - Reforming NATO
--------------
The selection of the next NATO Secretary General will also be
important in charting NATO's future course. Jaap de Hoop
Scheffer's term expires on July 31, 2009. As we select a new
Secretary General, we need to explicitly empower him or her
with the CEO authorities needed to shift budgets and people
to meet changing NATO priorities.
It is an exciting and critical time at NATO. I look forward
to discussing these and other issues with you. Until then,
please let me know if my staff or I can be of any assistance.
ANDRUSYSZYN
SIPDIS
H PASS TO CODEL CASEY; EUR/PGI FOR JAMES KUYKENDALL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OREP AMGT ASEC AFIN NATO BE
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR CODEL CASEY
The following is the text of a scenesetter provided by
Ambassador Volker to CODEL Casey in advance of their trip to
Brussels to attend the Brussels Forum. It is best viewed in
memorandum format. Begin text:
MEMORANDUM FOR MEMBERS OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE DELEGATIONS
FROM: Amb. Kurt Volker, USNATO
SUBJECT: Brussels Forum: Lay of the Land in Europe and
NATO
Welcome to Brussels, and to NATO!
Your visit comes at a time of extraordinary challenge for our
transatlantic community, but also a time of extraordinary
opportunity. Our task is nothing short of re-building the
transatlantic relationship - across the board - for a new era.
--------------
Europe's Side of the Global Everything-Crisis
--------------
Like us, Europe is buffeted by the financial crisis, risky
bailouts, energy disruptions, climate change, and worried
about the Middle East, Iran, Pakistan and more. European
leaders meet frequently, but are often divided in their
approaches and reluctant to take transformational decisions.
We risk seeing a re-nationalization of economic policy, trade
protectionism, and a shedding of costly commitments, whether
in cutting greenhouse gas emissions or defense spending.
One key role America has played in the past, and needs to
play again today, is to remind Europeans of the importance of
European unity - for Europe and the United States. Another
is for America to lead by example, yet in a way that consults
and brings European governments to a higher common
denominator. As bad as the times are, President Obama's
attendance at the back-to-back NATO and U.S.-EU Summits -
just two weeks away - is an opportunity to rally our
community and build common action.
--------------
Rebuilding NATO
--------------
NATO is a modern paradox. It has never been more engaged
operationally than today - in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Iraq, the
Mediterranean, the Horn of Africa. Our nations' leaders
still turn to NATO to provide solutions to today's security
problems, wherever they may come from.
Yet NATO suffers from international divisions and a lack of
strong European political will and commitment to these very
operations. A host of factors have taken their toll:
- Years of divisions over Iraq, Guantanamo, and more;
- European preference for coordinating policy in the EU
instead of NATO;
- Differing American and European threat perceptions
after September 11;
- European public aversion to use of military force in
almost any circumstances;
- A vast divide within Europe over how to deal with an
aggressive Russia; and
- Weak European defense spending, resulting in
divergent U.S. and European defense capabilities.
Still, the United States and Europe need NATO. We form a
single transatlantic community based on shared democratic
values. We face the same challenges in the world, and can
only deal with them effectively if we deal with them
together.
Re-building NATO will require us to forge a new consensus on
four baskets of issues:
- Afghanistan/Pakistan;
- Russia and the East;
- the Balkans; and
- NATO's future.
In addition, French President Sarkozy's decision to
USNATO 00000107 002 OF 003
reintegrate France into NATO's military structure should
reinforce Europe's commitment to our transatlantic community.
--------------
Afghanistan/Pakistan
--------------
Allies have become increasingly concerned over the situation
in Afghanistan. They therefore welcome President Obama's
Strategic Review, and appreciate the Administration's
determination to consult with Allies and bring their thinking
on board.
Vice President Biden, Secretaries Clinton and Gates, and
SACEUR Craddock and CENTCOM Commander Petraeus have all
engaged Allies recently on Afghanistan. The North Atlantic
Council went to Afghanistan on March 16-18. Special
Representative Holbrooke will meet with Allies on March 23.
While we do not know the conclusions from the Strategic
Review, some key factors will clearly shape our thinking:
- We need to see this as a regional challenge. Not
Afghanistan alone, but also with Pakistan and the wider
region, including Russia, India, China and Iran.
- This is not simply a military challenge, so military
efforts alone will not succeed. We need an integrated
civil-mil strategy, with the resources to back it up.
- In the long-term, Afghanistan needs to be able to
provide for its own security. We therefore need to provide
trainers and funding to strengthen the Afghan National Army
and Afghan National Police.
- The elections to be held in August are critical, and
we need to do all we can to provide security, expertise,
and funding to help make them a success.
We hope and expect that the results of the U.S. strategy
review will inform and drive a change in NATO's own approach
to the issue. In particular, we hope that NATO can:
- Fill out the election security force (2 more
battalions)
- Fill out all the Afghan Army training teams (14 teams)
- Put money into the Afghan National Army Trust Fund;
and
- Add new police training teams to speed Afghan police
development.
--------------
Russia and the East
--------------
Having gotten used to the Russia of the 1990's, Europe is now
unsure how to deal with the more authoritarian and assertive
Russia of today. These differences came to a boil in the
aftermath of the war in Georgia last August.
Some Allies seek a stable relationship with Russia to the
seeming exclusion of all else; others focus on the need to
support democratic reformers in the east and speak plainly
about aggressive Russian policies; still others want to focus
NATO on its core mission of collective defense at home.
The only way to reach a NATO consensus is to address all of
these interests at once. Thanks to Secretary Clinton's
meetings at NATO on March 5, the following elements are now
at the heart of an emerging - though still fragile - NATO
consensus:
- NATO will continue to work toward a Europe whole,
free and at peace;
- Article 5 collective defense remains at the heart of
the Alliance;
- We will continue to support reform in Europe's East,
including using the NATO-Ukraine and NATO-Georgia
Commissions to work toward NATO membership;
- We will engage Russia in dialogue through the
NATO-Russia Council, including at Ministerial levels, in
order to build practical cooperation in key areas; and
- We will at the same time use our dialogue with Russia
to raise areas where we have fundamental differences,
including over Georgia and the CFE Treaty.
USNATO 00000107 003 OF 003
--------------
The Balkans
--------------
While NATO grapples with policies on Afghanistan and Russia,
it cannot afford to drop the ball in the Balkans. We have
made substantial progress since ending ethnic cleansing in
the 1990's. Romania and Bulgaria are members of both NATO
and the EU, and Croatia is well on its way. But for the
others in the region, we must continue to hold out the
prospect of NATO and EU membership, while insisting on
democratic and market reforms.
--------------
NATO's Future
--------------
NATO is due to produce a "Declaration on Alliance Security"
at the April Summit, a first attempt to define NATO's role in
meeting future security challenges, and a precursor to
drafting a new "Strategic Concept" over the coming year.
--------------
New Secretary General - Reforming NATO
--------------
The selection of the next NATO Secretary General will also be
important in charting NATO's future course. Jaap de Hoop
Scheffer's term expires on July 31, 2009. As we select a new
Secretary General, we need to explicitly empower him or her
with the CEO authorities needed to shift budgets and people
to meet changing NATO priorities.
It is an exciting and critical time at NATO. I look forward
to discussing these and other issues with you. Until then,
please let me know if my staff or I can be of any assistance.
ANDRUSYSZYN