READOUT: NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 8,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 USNATO 000145 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2019 TAGS: PREL PHSA PARM MOPS AF XA RS KN SUBJECT: READOUT: NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 8, 2009 REF: USNATO 75 Classified By: Classified by Charge d'Affaires Walter E. Andrusyszyn fo r reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). (C/NF) Summary from the NAC Meeting: -- AFGHANISTAN: (C) Allies discussed the need to move forward with the implementation of Afghanistan-related decisions from the April 3-4 NATO Summit, including the creation of a NATO Training Mission - Afghanistan and the development of a broader political and practical relationship with Pakistan. Allies also discussed the need to maintain pressure on the Karzai government over the issue of a law which would restrict the rights of Shia women. The UK stressed the need for provincial buy-in and empowerment in counternarcotics efforts. Canada briefed on recent cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan, particularly on border issues. -- BALKANS: (C) The U.S., UK, and France asked that NATO Military Authorities submit the Balkans Periodic Mission Review (PMR)-which will assess the advisability of downsizing KFOR-sufficiently early to allow for an informed discussion at the Defense Ministerial on June 11-12. The U.S. welcomed the PMR as the appropriate process to consider KFOR downsizing in a unified manner and on the basis of conditions on the ground. -- AFRICA: (C) The U.S. confirmed that the USS Halliburton will participate in the SNMG1 port visit to Karachi. Bulgaria expressed concern over the increasing number of piracy incidents in recent days, particularly one involving 16 Bulgarian crew members, and argued that these incidents illustrate the need for a continuing NATO involvement in counter-piracy efforts. -- IRAQ: (C) The Chairman noted that the SYG is currently in Iraq and has plans to visit NTM-I and meet with senior Iraqi leadership. -- RESPONSE TO TERRORISM: No discussion. -- STATEMENTS ON POLITICAL TOPICS: (C) The Czech Republic briefed on recent European Union (EU) events, including the EU-U.S. Summit and EU statements on protests in Moldova, the North Korea missile launch, the new Afghan law on women, the planned April 9 opposition rally in Tbilisi and the recent attack of a senior Russian opposition leader. Turkey briefed on the second forum of The Alliance of Civilizations held on April 6-7 in Istanbul and encouraged possible synergies between NATO and this UN initiative. The UK briefed on �A;activity in the UN Security Council (UNSC) noting recent debates on Haiti and ongoing discussion on the North Korea missile launch. --AOB: (C) The Council discussed the draft NAC statement on the North Korea missile launch and several Allies, notably Germany and France, raised issues on parts of the language in the statement. A meeting of the Political Committee was later called to discuss these various drafting issues. The Chairman raised the request by the Military Committee (MC) to convene a NRC CHODS meeting at the end of April and the Council agreed to allow the meeting. END SUMMARY. USNATO 00000145 002 OF 004 (C) Afghanistan: The Deputy Secretary General commented that the Alliance should move expeditiously to implement the Afghanistan-related decisions from the April 3-4 NATO Summit, particularly the setting up of a NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan (NTM-A) and the ANA Trust Fund. He said that a list of the contributions was being compiled by the IS. The Chairman of the Military Committee also asked nations to confirm their contributions with the SHAPE Force Generation Cell. The U.S. was joined by the UK, Canada, Turkey, and Italy in agreeing on the need to move quickly on NTM-A, with most arguing that the initial command and control and implementing arrangements should be completed in time for endorsement at the June Defense Ministerial. Lithuania reported that it was lifting all its national caveats for forces in Afghanistan. (C) Canada asked how the Alliance would carry out the agreement in the Summit Declaration on Afghanistan to "build a broader political and practical relationship between NATO and Pakistan," pointing out that the Political Committee had been tasked some time ago to look into this issue. Turkey also raised the relationship with Pakistan, arguing that public diplomacy issues were of significant enough concern to justify the designation of a NATO Contact Point Embassy in Islamabad. In addition, Turkey asked Allies to consider the possibility of a North Atlantic Council visit to Pakistan. In response, the Deputy Secretary General said the issue remained with the Political Committee. At the same time, he also reported that the International Staff had been in contact with the Pakistani Embassy and that a NATO Team was scheduled to travel to Islamabad to follow up on the establishment of the legal basis for a NATO Liaison Element. (Note: Mission's ideas on the NATO-Pakistan relationship can be found in USNATO 75.) (C) Canada urged Allies to keep the proposed Shia law on marriage on the "front burner." Turkey agreed that that diplomatic pressure should be applied to President Karzai and other Afghan leaders to prevent the law from moving forward, but cautioned that Western pressure should not be applied in so public a manner that it turns into a campaign issue during the upcoming elections. (C) The SHAPE Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Major General Wright provided an operational update, noting that Operation TOLO continues. He also said that there was a recent Shura in Surabi district on March 23 where UNAMA, CSTC-A and the Provincial Governor met. He argued that this level of interaction demonstrated progress on the integrated comprehensive approach. He reported that the Opposing Militant Forces (OMF) were responsible for the majority of civilian casualties, with an increase of 50-70 percent in Improvised Explosive Device (IED) usage. To date, there have been 125 civilians killed and 247 wounded from OMF IEDs. OMF is increasingly willing to adopt a strategy of causing civilian casualties and then manipulating the media to blame the casualties on ISAF. Wright also noted that OMF were repositioning from North Helmand province to Central Helmand with a 40 percent increase in activity due to increased ISAF presence, protection of poppy and to counter future ISAF force build-up. He said that counter-narcotic efforts were increasing with combined ANSF and Poppy Eradication Force efforts. 4,000 hectares had been eradicated so far in 2009, an increase of 1,500 hectares USNATO 00000145 003 OF 004 compared to 2008. However this is only a fraction of the estimated poppy harvest of 150,000 hectares and the planned eradication effort of 30,000 hectares across Afghanistan for ¶2009. Wright also reported that OMF were declaring the Pakistani ceasefire in Swat as a victory for their cause and will try to implement ceasefires elsewhere. He said that there had been a recent meeting between ISAF elements in RC-E and RC-S with Pakistani counterparts to discuss border security. LOCs through Pakistan to Afghanistan remain open. He also reported that--while Election Support Force requirements were being finalized following the announcements at the NATO Summit--shortages remain for theatre aircraft and specialty teams in RC-S. (C) In response to the operational briefing, the UK said that poppy eradication was proceeding reasonably well in Helmand province, but noted some problems with the Poppy Eradication Force in the "food zone." The UK took the opportunity to stress the importance of provincial buy-in and empowerment to an effective counternarcotics strategy. (C) The Canadian PermRep gave detailed briefing on recent Afghanistan-Pakistan cooperation, particularly in the field of border cooperation. (Note: The Canadian PermRep plans to circulate his speaking notes. Mission will e-mail them to EUR/RPM when they become available.) (C) Balkans: The U.S., UK, and France asked that NATO Military Authorities submit the Balkans Periodic Mission Review (PMR)-which will assess the advisability of downsizing KFOR-sufficiently early in May to allow for an informed discussion at the Defense Ministerial on June 11-12. The U.S. expressed support for the PMR process as the appropriate venue to consider KFOR downsizing as an Alliance on the basis of conditions on the ground. Deputy Secretary General (DSYG) Bisogniero said the deadline for PMR submission was being pushed up from late- to mid-May, but Chairman of the Military Committee Admiral Di Paola cautioned that SHAPE needed sufficient time to prepare the PMR properly. (C) The DSYG said the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) declared full operating capability (FOC) on April 6, but will remain understaffed until early autumn. As a result, he said KFOR would be keeping a particularly close watch on developments, particularly in northern Kosovo. MG Wright reported that KFOR has initiated DAILY patrols in the area of new Kosovo Albanian construction efforts in northern Kosovo due to resultant tensions there. The UK announced that it had deposited an additional 1 million pounds into the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC) drawdown fund. Africa: The U.S. confirmed that the USS Halyburton will participate in the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) port visit to Karachi. Bulgaria expressed concern over the increasing number of piracy incidents in recent days, noting that five that had occurred in the previous 48 hours. He reported that one of these five ships had 16 Bulgarian crew members on board. Bulgaria argued that these incidents illustrate that the need for a continuing NATO involvement in counter-piracy efforts. The Chairman of the Military Committee acknowledged that attacks were becoming more frequent as the weather improved, but noted that they were taking place outside the primary zone where NATO and other international efforts had been focused. He argued that this demonstrated the need for an enduring commitment to the USNATO 00000145 004 OF 004 counter-piracy effort, as well as the need for a greater density of international vessels with a counter-piracy mandate in the region. (C) Iraq: The Chairman noted that Secretary General de Hoop Scheffer was in Iraq to visit NTM-I and meet with senior Iraqi leadership. (C) Statements on Political Subjects: The Czech Republic briefed on recent European Union (EU) events noting the progress made and various issues discussed at the EU-U.S. Summit. The Czech delegate also noted recent EU statements issued on protests in Moldova, the North Korea missile launch, the new Afghan law on women, the planned April 9 opposition rally in Tbilisi, and the recent attack on a senior Russian opposition leader. Turkey briefed on the second forum of The Alliance of Civilizations held on April 6-7 in Istanbul and commended the work of the conference in promoting intercultural understanding by involving organizations such as the Arab League, the Council of Europe and the UN. The Turkish delegate advocated the possibility of synergies between NATO and this UN initiative in the future. Spain supported the Turkish proposal. The UK briefed on activity within the UNSC noting that debate is ongoing within the UNSC on Haiti and on the North Korea missile launch. (C) Any other Business: -- North Korea: After an initial Council discussion of a proposed text for a NAC statement on the North Korea missile launch, PermReps agreed to task the Political Committee to finalize the statement on an urgent basis. (Note: The Political Committee did finalize the text which was agreed by the Council under a silence procedure later in the day. The text of the statement will be reported septel.) -- Russia: Following their informal discussion the day before, the DSYG asked PermReps to formally agree to the scheduling of an NRC Ambassadorial on April 29 and an NRC Chiefs of Defense (CHODs) meeting in early May. He also said that if the CHODs meeting were approved, NRC Military Representatives would meet, probably on April 21, to prepare the meeting. A meeting of NRC Foreign Ministers would then follow in late May or early June. In agreeing to this proposed schedule, U.S. Charge Andrusyzyn said that it would be important to provide political guidance for use by the CHODs in their meeting. In this connection, he suggested that the CHODs' agenda be focused on practical cooperation in a limited number of areas of mutual interest, such as Afghanistan, the fight against terrorism, counter-piracy, and search and rescue at sea. ANDRUSYSZYN