BRIEFING ALLIES ON "NATO-IZING" MISSILE DEFENSE

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 USNATO 000463 SIPDIS JOINT STAFF PASS JIAMDO FOR RADM MACY E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/19/2019 TAGS: PARM MARR PREL NATO SUBJECT: BRIEFING ALLIES ON "NATO-IZING" MISSILE DEFENSE Classified By: Ambassador Ivo H. Daalder for reasons 1.4(B)&(D). ¶1. (S) Summary: Ambassador Daalder and RADM Macy consulted with Allies October 20 on the U.S. Phased, Adaptive Approach (PAA) to missile defense, offering additional details to previous briefings and how PAA might fit into a NATO territorial missile defense mission. Allied reaction was uniformly positive, with questions focused on possible Russian Federation cooperation. End Summary. ¶2. (S) Accompanied by Rear Admiral Archer Macy, Director of the Joint Integrated Air and Missile Defense Organization (JIAMDO),Ambassador Daalder delivered missile defense talking points and slides that were approved by the interagency October 19 to Allied PermReps at the October 20 NAC. Of key interest to several Allies was the list of our hoped-for results from December's Foreign Ministerial at NATO: "During the December Foreign Ministerial, we should seek NATO communique language: - welcoming the U.S. Phased, Adaptive Approach (PAA) as a valuable contribution to the Alliance's security (Note: If possible, any statement of support from Defense Ministers in Bratislava would also be welcome); - indicating that Allies affirm missile defense for NATO territories and populations to be an appropriate and viable mission for the Alliance; - noting that if NATO pursues a territorial missile defense mission, the PAA would be a U.S. national contribution; and - noting that a possible expanded role for the Active Layered Theater Ballistic Missile Defense (ALTBMD) program would be a key milestone toward developing territorial missile defenses for the Alliance." Ambassador Daalder accordingly made the exact language available to PermReps at that afternoon's lunch in order to better inform Defense Ministers two days ahead of their Bratislava meeting. ¶3. (S) Following the briefing, several Allies expressed their appreciation for the additional level of detail provided on the four proposed phases of the PAA. Spain asked about the proposed command and control arrangements, specifically who would have the authority to make launch decisions. RADM Macy replied that the key decisions are not to decide who will shoot; due to the timeline, there is not time for consultation. What are important are the detailed discussions at NATO on planning functions and Rules of Engagement. ¶4. (S) Italy asked whether the system would have a capability against Russia. RADM Macy replied that PAA is not planned against Russia. It is a capability against what we call rogue nations, who operate outside of the actions of the major powers. Germany noted that the proposed integration of PAA and ALTBMD had a strong parallel with NATO's extended air defense system, and asked (supported by Norway) what the implications of PAA would be for cooperation with Russia - especially since we had made commitments at both Bucharest and Strasbourg/Kehl to keep the cooperation option open. Ambassador Daalder noted that nothing in PAA precluded cooperation with the Russians; on the contrary, the system would allow for such cooperation. The U.S. would be exploring cooperation bilaterally with the Russian Federation, and he hoped that the NATO-Russia Council would also be able to discuss MD cooperation. ¶5. (S) Norway asked how the U.S. saw NATO's role in European missile defense vis-a-vis PAA. Ambassador Daalder said that, should NATO choose to undertake a mission to protect NATO territory and populations from the current ballistic missile threat, PAA would be the U.S. contribution to that mission (in addition to the USG share of the commonly-funded ALTBMD expansion). There would be no NATO system per se, but rather a NATO mission with a commonly funded command and control backbone (expanded ALTBMD) and national contributions, including PAA from the U.S. ¶6. (S) The UK concluded the round of questions and comments by asking what the resource implications would be for NATO of a PAA-ALTBMD combination. Ambassador Daalder said that an expanded ALTBMD with territorial missile defense capabilities would be commonly funded. Any financial implications beyond USNATO 00000463 002 OF 002 that would arise from national contributions, whether those were interceptors, sensors, command and control nodes, hosting and support of such assets, etc. The U.S. would deploy PAA assets bilaterally, and other Allies could opt to plug in their assets as their contribution. ¶7. (S) Secretary General Rasmussen welcomed U.S. plans to proceed with European missile defense within a NATO framework. He hoped European Allies would receive PAA positively, as it addressed a number of concerns which had previously been expressed. He expected that Defense Ministers would discuss this issue in Bratislava and could address the U.S. proposals there. DAALDER