NATO SHOULD CONSIDER PARTICIPATING IN EXERCISE BALTIC HOST 10

C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 000386 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2019 TAGS: NATO PREL MOPS RS EN LG LH BO SUBJECT: NATO SHOULD CONSIDER PARTICIPATING IN EXERCISE BALTIC HOST 10 REF: A. STATE 92638 ¶B. USNATO 379 Classified By: Ambassador Ivo H. Daalder for reasons 1.4 (b/d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 3. ¶2. (C) Estonia, addressing the September 8 meeting of the North Atlantic Council, requested that NATO follow with interest the ongoing Zapad 09 Russian-Belarussian exercise with a view to providing a report to Allies. While Estonia conveyed concern over Zapad 09, it did not at that time push for further exploration of the issue of possible NATO participation in Exercise Baltic Host 2010. However, following a private call on Ambassador Daalder by Estonian PermRep Juri Luik, we understand Estonia will make this point at the September 16 NAC. ¶3. (C) USNATO understands that ref A guidance was unable to address potential U.S. support for NATO involvement in Exercise Baltic Host as the extremely short notice given prevented a full interagency examination of the issue (ref B). In that light, USNATO requests guidance on the proposal that we use the September 16 NAC to encourage NATO to begin consideration of the question of Alliance participation in Baltic Host 2010. ¶4. (C) The mission believes that any U.S. endorsement of NATO participation in the Baltic Host 2010 exercise should not be framed as a direct reaction to the Russian/Belarussian exercise. Instead, asking the Secretary General to address this issue provides an opportunity for the Alliance to consider a Baltic exercise in the framework of a broader understanding of NATO exercises. It should also help to alleviate Eastern Allies concerns over NATO level of defense commitment to them. DAALDER