THE VICE PRESIDENT'S MARCH 10 MEETING WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 USNATO 000131

NOFORN
SIPDIS

OVIP: STACEY HAWKINS, BRIAN MCKEON, WARD DIRKSEN,
POST: ALSION BLOSSER, 03/10/2009; EXT 3136
POST: AMB. KURT VOLKER
OVIP COS: ANTHOHY BLINKEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2019
TAGS: OVIP MOPS NATO PGOV PREL KV AF PK
SUBJECT: THE VICE PRESIDENT'S MARCH 10 MEETING WITH
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL.

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Classified By: Ambassador Kurt Volker for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) March 10, 2009; 9:30AM-12:15PM Central European
Time; Brussels, Belgium.


2. (U) Participants:

U.S.:
The Vice President
Ambassador Kurt Volker
National Security Advisor to the Vice President Anthony
Blinken
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Michele Flournoy
Lieutenant General Douglas Lute, NSC
VADM James Winnefeld, JCS J-5

NATO:
Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
Deputy Secretary General Claudio Bisogniero
Deputy Chairman of the Military Committee LTG Karl Eikenberry

NATO COUNTRIES:
Albania (Invitee): Ambassador Artur Kuko
Belgium: Permanent Representative Franciskus van Daele
Bulgaria: Permanent Representative Lubomir Ivanov
Canada: Permanent Representative Robert McRae
Croatia (Invitee): Ambassador Igor Pokaz
Czech Republic: Permanent Representative Stefan Fule
Denmark: Permanent Representative Per Poulsen-Hansen
Estonia: Permanent Representative Juri Luik
France: Permanent Representative Pascale Andreani
Germany: Permanent Representative Ulrich Brandenburg
Greece: Permanent Representative Thrassyvoulos Terry
Stamatopoulos
Hungary: Permanent Representative Zoltan Martinusz
Iceland: Permanent Representative Thorsteinn Ingolfsson
Italy: Permanent Representative Stefano Steffanini
Latvia: Permanent Representative Janis Eichmanis
Lithuania: Permanent Representative Linas Linkevicius
Luxembourg: Permanent Representative Alphonse Berns
Netherlands: Permanent Representative Herman Schaper
Norway: Permanent Representative Kim Traavik
Poland: Permanent Representative Boguslaw Winid
Portugal: Permanent Representative Manuel Fernandes Pereira
Romania: Permanent Representative Sorin Ducaru
Slovakia: Permanent Representative Frantisek Kasicky
Slovenia: Permanent Representative Bozo Cerar
Spain: Permanent Representative Carlos Miranda
Turkey: Permanent Representative Tacan Ildem
United Kingdom: Permanent Representative Stewart Eldon

SHAPE
Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Bantz John Craddock



3. (C/REL NATO) Summary: The Vice President set a high tone
of "straightforward listening and consulting" during his
brief to NATO Permanent Representatives in the North Atlantic
Council on March 10. Following discussion, he highlighted
areas of consensus and listed potential civilian and military
contributions nations should consider completely fulfilling
before the April NATO Summit. He noted five areas of concern
that would require continued debate and dialogue in the
international community. Many nations called his visit a
"visible demonstration" that the U.S. values the Alliance and
actively considers feedback. Permanent Representatives
appreciated the Vice President's candor and transparency in
previewing the U.S. Afghanistan-Pakistan strategic review.
End summary.

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--------------
PREVIEW OF U.S. REVIEW
--------------


4. (C/REL NATO) The Vice President carefully outlined his
visit as an opportunity to listen, consult, and forge a
common and comprehensive approach to Afghanistan. He said he
was keeping President Obama's commitment to collect Allied
and partner inputs on what is working, what is not working,
and how to disrupt the safe haven of terrorism in the
Pakistan-Afghanistan border region. He underlined that once
a common strategy is achieved, the U.S. expects nations to
keep the commitments they suggested during the review
process.


5. (C/REL NATO) Biden focused on the responsibility of all
nations at the table to protect the security of their
citizens and described "those mountains" as al-Qaida's
preferred location for regenerating and developing new
atrocities to wage. The U.S. is deeply committed to NATO,
the Vice President continued, and the Alliance works best
when we listen to each other and commit the full measure of
our strength to achieve our goals. He said absent that kind
of cohesion, it will be incredibly difficult for NATO to face
future challenges. "We have to get this right even though
our publics are tired of war," he concluded.


6. (C/REL NATO) The U.S. Afghanistan-Pakistan review, the
Vice President announced, has the following elements:
-- To set clear achievable goals with a minimum core
objective to disrupt, destroy, and deny terrorist safe haven
in the Pakistan-Afghan tribal and border areas;
-- That the region should be treated as one theater, and the
U.S should move from a transactional relationship with
Pakistan to a longer-term partnership based on stabilizing
the economy, bolstering democratic institutions, and
eliminating safe havens on Pakistani territory;
-- That there is no purely military solution, but Afghanistan
requires an integrated civilian-military approach focused on
building security while minimizing civilian casualties; and
-- That the U.S. should revive diplomacy in the region with
every stakeholder.

--------------
AREAS OF CONSENSUS
--------------


7. (C/REL NATO) Following two hours of consultation with
Allies, the Vice President summarized eight areas of general
consensus that he will report to the U.S. Strategic Review
process:

-- That the world, not just NATO, should "own" the
Afghanistan problem;
-- That the international community needs a serious and
coherent plan to deal with narcotics;
-- That NATO should play a stronger role in Afghan police
development
-- That the credibility of upcoming Afghan presidential
elections is critical, but nations harbor no illusions that
elections will produce a western-style participatory
democracy in the short term;
-- That Afghans need to take more ownership of governance
matters;
-- That accountability, benchmarks, and measurable criteria
must be hallmarks of the international community's approach;
-- That a regional approach including all Afghanistan's
neighbors is appropriate and necessary for success;

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-- That there should be better overall coordination of
efforts.

--------------
THEREFORE, ACHIEVE DELIVERABLES
--------------


8. (C/REL NATO) Given these broad principles of consensus,
the Vice President added, we should be able to achieve a
number of concrete deliverables by the April NATO Summit. He
continued, "I am not asking for volunteers at the table
today, but you should think about it," and not hesitate while
waiting for a bilateral "ask." Biden said NATO should fully
fill the elections support force, especially the two
remaining battalions in the south and enablers such as
airlift, medical, and counter-IED resources. He said of the
total 233 million USD required to successfully hold Afghan
presidential elections, only 114 million is pledged, and the
UN needs 50-60 million more in pledges before the end of
March. He called out the EU as "still undecided" on whether
to send an observer mission, and said NATO nations should
encourage their colleagues in the EU to commit civilian
election monitors and assure them that forces in the field
would provide adequate security (he did not specify whether
ISAF or U.S. forces would
secure election monitors).


9. (C/REL NATO) The Vice President lauded the recent
expansion of the scope of the Afghan National Army Trust
Fund, but said real contributions must follow. He asked
nations to field the most urgently required Operational
Maneuver and Liaison Teams (OMLTs) bringing the total from 52
to 63 by April (he noted a total eventual number of 103
OMLTs, commensurate with the Afghan army build-up). Biden
urged donations to the Law and Order Trust Fund that pays
police salaries and called for a more robust NATO role in
police training, asking whether it made sense for Allies to
commit trainers and mentors through creation of a NATO
Training Mission-Afghanistan. The Vice President highlighted
the need for "the pretty basic stuff" of governance -
international mentors to assist office organization, develop
payroll and administrative functions, and instill management
principles - organized through civilian teams at central,
provincial, and local levels. He said the Regional
Command-South civil-military coordination c
ell should be replicated around the country. Biden asked
nations to focus recruitment on agricultural experts to teach
better methods and help Afghanistan build a job-creating
farming industry. Looking more widely across the region, he
said nations should plan bilateral contributions and further
support to the International Monetary Fund during the
upcoming donor conference in Tokyo on March 17, to assist
Pakistan to weather its economic crisis.

--------------
TOPICS FOR CONTINUED DELIBERATION
--------------


10. (C/REL NATO) Turning to topics that Permanent
Representatives did not address, "whether due to lack of time
or continued differences of opinion," the Vice President
identified five critical future discussions. He noted that
the U.S. Strategy Review had not reached conclusions on these
issues:

-- Nations need to come to some agreement on how to encourage
and support an Afghan-led reconciliation program that
discerns among al Qaida, Pakistani Taliban, Afghan Taliban,
the Taliban Quetta Shura, and local fighters;

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-- Nations need to discuss the footprint of international
forces. Vice President Biden noted that, "We are on the
ragged edge of being seen as occupiers," and should review
the nature of troops appropriate to achieving our goals.
-- Nations should debate how to address the rampant
corruption pervading Afghan government institutions, and
whether efforts will be best channeled in a centralized or
loosely federated manner;
-- An appropriate judicial system devised for Afghanistan
will need to consider some level of tribal and cultural
context - the Taliban's claim that they can deliver "justice"
has resonated with the population because, while brutal, it
accounts for tribal and cultural norms.
-- The international community's single most consequential
accomplishment to affect Pakistani behavior toward its own
insurgents and northwest border areas could be to forge
rapprochement between India and Pakistan.

--------------
NATO SHOULD EXPAND ROLE WITH POLICE
--------------


11. (C/REL NATO) The Vice President suggested twice in his
remarks that NATO should do more on police development,
either through a NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan (similar
to the one in Iraq) or another mechanism. He underlined the
need for paramilitary-type robust police trainers to deploy
to districts, because "the Afghan police are in combat, like
it or not." Italy, the Czech Republic, Canada, Croatia,
Spain, and Portugal supported this idea (only Germany thought
numbers of police and trainers were sufficient). Spain and
Portugal said UN-mandate language would help them consider
committing to a bigger NATO police effort. Paired with an
increased NATO role, Biden welcomed the EU's commitment to
increase the size of the EUPOL mission. The Vice President,
supported by UK Permanent Representative Eldon, said NATO
should explore setting up an Afghan Defense University. The
UK Ambassador posed the possibility of transforming the
existing Combined Training Advisory Group within Combined
Security Transition Command-Afghanistan into a sub-command of
a NATO training mission, and giving it the mandate for
managing branch schools, academies, defense colleges, and
doctrinal development.

--------------
DISTRICT APPROACHES
--------------


12. (C/REL NATO) In response to the Vice President's stated
preference for district-level approaches, Polish Ambassador
Winid said, "We should think countrywide but act
district-wide." The Czech Ambassador called it, "Get
focused, go local," but said district-centered initiatives
need better overall clearinghouse coordination. Canada
supported increased international civilian engagement at the
district level, matched by clean performance by Afghan
counterparts. Romania pointed out the need for Afghan
officials to have more secure mobility to engage their local
populations.

--------------
IRAN AND RUSSIA
--------------


13. (C/REL NATO) While Allies generally latched onto a
regional approach targeted at Pakistan, several pointed the
need to consider Afghanistan's other neighbors. Italy
offered to use its G8 leadership role to encourage the
tripartite process and influence Afghanistan's neighbors to

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build regional stability. The Czech Republic, Germany, and
France said NATO should involve Russia in Afghanistan beyond
transit, and move away from "letting Moscow manage our
relations with Central Asia." Turkey asked for parameters on
engaging Iran. A number of Allies suggested roles to be
played by Central Asian states. The Vice President said the
U.S. would take a pragmatic approach to engage Iran, Russia,
China, India, and transit countries, starting with the March
31 "big tent" Afghanistan meeting. He said it is possible to
continue having a confrontational relationship with some of
these nations on particular issues while still cooperating on
shared interests in Afghanistan.

--------------
COUNTER-NARCOTICS AND ANTI-CORRUPTION
--------------


14. (C/REL NATO) Denmark, the UK, and Albania named
counter-narcotics as a priority issue. The Vice President
asked Allies to avoid "waving constitutional issues on law
enforcement vs. military activities as a fig leaf," but
explore practical means to engage in comprehensive
counter-narcotics activities within legal means. Biden
thanked Permanent Representatives for refraining from
mentioning President Karzai's brother Walid Karzai and his
reputed connections to drug trafficking, pointing him out as
an example of pervasive corruption. Estonian Ambassador Luik
suggested that the international community could invigorate
the private sector by setting up short amnesty programs for
businesses to recapture "hidden money" legally in the licit
local economy. The Vice President concluded that the
international community must keep the pressure on the Afghan
government to continue taking ownership of rampant corruption
within its own institutions.

--------------
FRAMEWORK TO ASSIST SMALL ALLIES
--------------


15. (C/REL NATO) The Czech Ambassador said the U.S. review
should consider presenting a framework that small nations
lacking "enabling" overhead transport, logistics, and medical
capabilities could use to better plug in their military
commitments. He said a framework would help national
decision makers to see what capacities could be linked with
assets already in theater, exposing additional units that
could therefore deploy.

--------------
LEVEL OF AMBITION AND POST-2010
--------------


16. (C/REL NATO) Germany, Bulgaria, Belgium, Estonia, and
Hungary asked that the U.S. review help clarify a realistic
level of ambition for Afghanistan and the performance of its
democratic institutions. Hungary cautioned that Afghanistan
is developing a culture of dependence and aptitude for
blame-shifting. The Netherlands Ambassador Schaper asked the
Vice President how the international community should
reevaluate its role after the Afghanistan Compact expires in

2010. Biden responded that he hoped a post-2010 evaluation
would begin with a Dutch offer to stay.
VOLKER