Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09USNATO15
2009-01-16 13:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Mission USNATO
Cable title:
NATO/IRAQ: NTM-I CORE COUNTRIES SHARE CONCERNS OF
how-toVZCZCXYZ0014 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHNO #0015 0161334 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 161334Z JAN 09 FM USMISSION USNATO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2611 INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD IMMEDIATE 0691 RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEHNO/USDELMC BRUSSELS BE IMMEDIATE RHMFISS/USNMR SHAPE BE IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 000015
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/05/2019
TAGS: NATO PREL MOPS MARR IZ
SUBJECT: NATO/IRAQ: NTM-I CORE COUNTRIES SHARE CONCERNS OF
DENMARK AND PORTUGAL
REF: A. USNATO 09
B. USNATO 06
C. BAGHDAD 72
Classified By: Ambassador Charge Bruce Weinrod for reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 000015
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/05/2019
TAGS: NATO PREL MOPS MARR IZ
SUBJECT: NATO/IRAQ: NTM-I CORE COUNTRIES SHARE CONCERNS OF
DENMARK AND PORTUGAL
REF: A. USNATO 09
B. USNATO 06
C. BAGHDAD 72
Classified By: Ambassador Charge Bruce Weinrod for reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) The backbone countries in the NATO Training Mission in
Iraq (NTM-I) share similar concerns about the legal status of
the NTM-I as Denmark and Portugal (Ref A),both of which are
withdrawing from the mission (Denmark until the legal status
can be clarified, but Portugal permanently.). Poland said
without a short-term endorsement from the GOI on NTM-I's
legal issues during NATO's upcoming trip to Baghdad, it may
withdraw its 17-person contribution to NTM-I. Poland had
planned an inter-agency meeting on January 19 to discuss
possible expansion of its contribution to NTM-I but has
shelved those plans until the legal status issues can be
resolved. More focused on the long-term, Italy said it had
"a few" months to work out a durable solution, but would
withdraw its 75 trainers if a long-term solution was not in
place well before the EOL expires (July 31). The other large
contributor, the UK, has its own bilateral agreement with
Iraq.
2. (C) The GOI has postponed the NATO negotiating team's trip
to Baghdad that had been scheduled for next week until the
first week of February at the soonest. In the short-term,
Poland and Italy expect the NATO negotiating team to receive
Iraqi clarifications of the GOI/NATO exchange of letters
(EOL). USNATO will urge nervous Allies to be patient, but
this virtue is in short supply. NATO is now focusing on an
EOL that extends the specific legal protections required by
Allies, rather than stating that NTM-I would have equal
status with the U.S. SOFA. This plan seems sound, but a
short-term solution is essential to stop NTM-I's
hemorrhaging. NATO negotiators will need to secure some
endorsement of the December NATO/GOI EOL and clarifications
on Allies' main legal questions from its upcoming
negotiations with the GOI to shore up Allies.
WEINROD
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/05/2019
TAGS: NATO PREL MOPS MARR IZ
SUBJECT: NATO/IRAQ: NTM-I CORE COUNTRIES SHARE CONCERNS OF
DENMARK AND PORTUGAL
REF: A. USNATO 09
B. USNATO 06
C. BAGHDAD 72
Classified By: Ambassador Charge Bruce Weinrod for reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) The backbone countries in the NATO Training Mission in
Iraq (NTM-I) share similar concerns about the legal status of
the NTM-I as Denmark and Portugal (Ref A),both of which are
withdrawing from the mission (Denmark until the legal status
can be clarified, but Portugal permanently.). Poland said
without a short-term endorsement from the GOI on NTM-I's
legal issues during NATO's upcoming trip to Baghdad, it may
withdraw its 17-person contribution to NTM-I. Poland had
planned an inter-agency meeting on January 19 to discuss
possible expansion of its contribution to NTM-I but has
shelved those plans until the legal status issues can be
resolved. More focused on the long-term, Italy said it had
"a few" months to work out a durable solution, but would
withdraw its 75 trainers if a long-term solution was not in
place well before the EOL expires (July 31). The other large
contributor, the UK, has its own bilateral agreement with
Iraq.
2. (C) The GOI has postponed the NATO negotiating team's trip
to Baghdad that had been scheduled for next week until the
first week of February at the soonest. In the short-term,
Poland and Italy expect the NATO negotiating team to receive
Iraqi clarifications of the GOI/NATO exchange of letters
(EOL). USNATO will urge nervous Allies to be patient, but
this virtue is in short supply. NATO is now focusing on an
EOL that extends the specific legal protections required by
Allies, rather than stating that NTM-I would have equal
status with the U.S. SOFA. This plan seems sound, but a
short-term solution is essential to stop NTM-I's
hemorrhaging. NATO negotiators will need to secure some
endorsement of the December NATO/GOI EOL and clarifications
on Allies' main legal questions from its upcoming
negotiations with the GOI to shore up Allies.
WEINROD