READOUT NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 06 USNATO 000063 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2019 TAGS: AF NATO PREL SUBJECT: READOUT NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 11, 2009. Classified By: Classified by Deputy Chief of Mission Walter E. Andrusys zyn for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C/NF) Summary from the NAC Meeting: -- AFGHANISTAN: Discussion focused on scheduling strategic instructed dialogues prior to the Krakow Defense Ministers, meeting on the Afghan National Army Trust Fund, crafting an interim response to the Afghan-proposed military technical agreement, and Pakistani proposals for building closer cooperation with NATO. PermReps want to address discrepancies in ISAF and UNAMA counts of civilian casualties with visiting Special Representative of the UN Secretary General Kai Eide next week. Two topics related to NATO,s role in Afghan police development are stalemated in the Military Committee. -- BALKANS: With the one-year anniversary of Kosovo's independence coming up next week, Allies discussed the KSF, its recruiting efforts, and the wisdom of discussing KFOR draw downs at this point. -- AFRICA: The Chairman of the Military Committee (CMC) called for prompt guidance on which of four options Allied preferred for deploying Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG)-1 for a possible counter-piracy mission off the Horn of Africa. However, chiefly Germany claimed it needed more information on the various options before it could consider approaching the Bundestag for a NATO counter-piracy mandate. Spain said it now had flexibility to consider a "time share8 approach to the counter-piracy and broader Indian Ocean political flag presence mission on which SNMG-1 might embark. The SYG has called for guidance to be produced at the February 18 NAC. -- IRAQ: The SYG noted that Assistant Secretary-General for Operations Martin HOWARD was in Baghdad for talks on the legal status of the NTM-I training mission. A readout would be provided to Allies next week. -- RESPONSE TO TERRORISM: no discussion -- STATEMENTS ON POLITICAL TOPICS: Allies heard proposals for three Political Committee taskings: 1) on Russian bases in Georgia (by UK); 2) on Medvedev's European security proposals (by CZ, EST) ; and 3) on the overall NATO/Russia relationship (by CZ). After much German and, to a lesser extent, Italian and Greek, resistance, only the first was agreed. --AOB: The SYG mentioned an unresolved problem with the draft revised CONOPS for Operation Allied Endeavor (OAE). NATO Military Authorities had agreed on all military aspects in the draft, but a political issue -- the exchange of information with the EU -- prevented consensus. The UK PermRep commented that this exercise was a perfect example of why headquarters reform was necessary at NATO: the problem had been ongoing since May 2008, even though this was currently NATO's only Article 5 mission. END SUMMARY. -------------- Afghanistan -------------- ¶2. (C/NF) Afghanistan: SHAPE Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Major General (MGEN) Wright described the multiple suicide-bomber attack in Kabul on February 11. He noted the successful resistance by Afghan police and guards at the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Justice, and Finance, resulting in the deaths of at least three suicide bombers. Violent events decreased this week in the West and increased in the East. A meeting of one-star generals will occur soon in Kunar province to coordinate the next phase of joint Pakistan/Afghanistan border operations. New insurgent groups have moved into the Baghlan corridor of RC-North. USNATO 00000063 002 OF 006 ¶3. (C/REL ISAF) MGEN Wright reported that poppy eradication began this week in Helmand with an average 120 hectares destroyed daily, supported by the Afghan Special Counter-narcotics Force. (During later discussion, the UK added that Helmand Governor Mangal has burnt 1800 hectares of poppy in 2009, destroying up to 82 tons of opium worth 30 million euros. UK noted the arrests of 145 traffickers and 14 resultant convictions this year, a &quantum leap forward8 in Afghan law enforcement, paramilitary, and justice sector capabilities in counter-narcotics.) ISAF has provided only medevac, close air support, and in extremis support to this year,s eradication campaign, and the Afghan counter-narcotics forces have faced minimal local resistance. Phase IV voter registration, which is solely in RC-S, is underway despite continued insurgent intimidation of the population. Centers in five of Helmand,s districts will probably never open due to security problems, but Governor Mangal said only 2 percent of the province,s residents live in those areas. Over 215,000 citizens across southern provinces have registered during Phase IV, and there have been two minor attacks in Kandahar voter registration centers. ¶4. (C/REL ISAF) SHAPE briefed on a recent poll conducted by BBC/ABC/ARD news agencies. The poll showed a steady, but not dramatic, decline in overall support of the Afghan government and international forces. The decrease in support did not, however, translate to an increase in popular support for Taliban rule (which remained consistent at 4 percent since 2007). Local people are nearly equally concerned about the economy and security, according to poll data. Over 80 percent of Afghans still say they prefer to be ruled by an Afghan government rather than by the Taliban. ¶5. (C/REL ISAF) Pakistan: Pakistani Chief of Army Staff General Kayani visited the restive Swat settled area. Tri-Partite Commission coordination has helped forces on both sides of the Afghan-Pakistan border to plan joint operations in tribal areas opposite RC-East. The recent bridge outage in Khyber agency had a temporary, minimal effect on the main ISAF supply line into Torkham Gate. ¶6. (C/REL ISAF) The SYG noted that, at the Defense Ministerial meeting in Krakow on February 19-20, he expects Afghan Defense Minister Wardak to raise the military technical agreements (MTA) proposed to the U.S. and NATO, and the SYG wants to be able to &offer a comforting, public indication that we are seriously considering the proposal.8 The SYG reported that UAE officials have indicated their willingness to begin talks on a basing agreement for NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS). The Council visit to Afghanistan in March will include Ambassadors of Non-NATO Troop Contributing Nations, and will focus on upcoming elections and theater-wide coordination with Pakistan. Finally, the SYG expects two visitors to brief Permanent Representatives next week -- Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Afghanistan (SRSG),Kai Eide, on February 17, and ISAF Senior Civilian Representative Gentilini on February 18. ¶7. (C/REL ISAF) Civilian Casualties: Norway pointed out a distinct discrepancy between recent tallies of civilian casualties published by UNAMA and ISAF numbers. In response, the Chairman of the Military Committee (CMC) said he will provide a report prior to SRSG Kai Eide,s visit next week, explaining the difference between ISAF and UNAMA numbers as explained, in part, by different investigative and counting methodologies. The SYG noted that UNAMA numbers include deaths of Afghan National Security Forces, whose casualties are not counted as &civilians8 by ISAF. ¶8. (C/REL ISAF) Strategic Pre-Krakow Discussions: Canada, supported by the UK, requested a meeting of PermReps to focus strategic discussion on deliverables for the Krakow Ministerial, and to lay the ground work for the April Summit. USNATO 00000063 003 OF 006 Both nations support a separate Afghanistan statement at the Summit (the SYG agreed). Canada identified four key instructed discussion topics: the Afghan National Army (ANA) Trust Fund, follow-up on Afghan Interior Minister Atmar,s proposals for Afghan police, an interim response to DEFMIN Wardak on the MTA, and an evaluation of Pakistani proposals for a closer relationship with NATO from the SYG,s recent visit. The SYG said he expects to put the Afghan National Army (ANA) Trust Fund on the coffee agenda February 17, which he hopes will enable a Council DECISION to expand the scope of the fund on February 18. The Netherlands and Spain supported crafting a more in-depth interim response to the MTA. The Netherlands said AMB Eide might raise the topic. The SYG agreed to add instructed discussions on the Afghan MTA and Pakistan,s ideas for a closer relationship with NATO to the February 17 lunch agenda. (Note: The SYG offered that he is not yet in a position to formally answer Defense Minister Wardak,s proposal. He said a parallel process to formulate a military technical agreement response is ongoing in the U.S., and NATO should act in concert. End note.) Norway voiced support for talking about MININT Atmar,s proposals, though this topic was not added to an agenda. ¶9. (C/REL ISAF) Police Development Stuck in Military Committee: Two discussions are &stuck8 in the Military Committee -- providing advice on how NATO should respond to MININT Atmar,s proposals and what additional roles NATO could take on in Afghan police development. The stalemates were reflected by Turkey,s comment that it wants more details on additional Provincial Reconstruction Team support to police reform and police training, which the Senior Civilian Representative mentioned in his weekly report. Turkey cautioned against prejudging prospects for a future NATO role in police activities prior to hearing the Military Committee,s pending advice. Referring to both discussions of MININT Atmar,s proposals and NATO,s role in police development, CMC said, &If nations are enthusiastic about doing more, your positions need to come through in the Military Committee. He called on the Council to do a better job ensuring that national political positions are reflected consistently in Military Committee deliberations. ¶10. (C/REL ISAF) Military Committee and SHAPE Responses: SHAPE answered Turkey,s question about whether Sarobi district of Kabul would be peeled off and recategorized as an RC-East district. MGEN. Wright said the plan is to complete the ongoing transfer of lead security responsibility for Kabul, finishing in Sarobi, in August 2009. After the transfer, he confirmed a SHAPE plan to move Sarobi district into the RC-East area of responsibility. MGEN Wright answered Turkey,s follow-on question noting that five districts have been identified for an integrated district stabilization plan undertaken by CSTC-A, UNAMA, ISAF, and the Afghan Government, and said the details should come out in one week in the revision to Operation Tolo. Responding to a request from Italy, the CMC said his staff could provide an assessment of the potential effects of the closure of Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan and the benefits of opening supply transit routes through Russia. The CMC said he would disseminate to the Council the recently completed overall training update on Afghan army and police forces (requested stridently by Canada and Belgium). ¶11. (C/REL ISAF) Contributions: The Czech Republic announced that the last three helicopters (of six donated to the Afghan army) were transported to the field on February 8. The Czech Ambassador thanked the many nations who had assisted with refurbishment or transport of these aviation assets. The Czech parliament passed a new mandate for continued participation in Afghanistan, increasing the ISAF force cap to 480 soldiers, and leaving 100 troops assigned to Operation Enduring Freedom. Czech personnel and three helicopters will be stationed in Oruzgan and RC-East, they said. . -------------- Balkans USNATO 00000063 004 OF 006 -------------- ¶12. (C/NF) Balkans: The SYG noted that next week would mark the first anniversary of Kosovo independence, which Pristina will observe quietly. Much progress has been made in the past year, especially in the reform process. EULEX has begun commercial registration of goods entering from the north, especially gates 1 and 31. Kosovar Serbs have started non-violent protests in response. A 20.4 million Euro shortfall remains in standing up the KSF -- 15.1 million in equipment and 5.3 million in needed infrastructure. ¶13. (C/NF) The Chairman of the Military Committee (CMC) said NATO's military establishment had an interest in building up the KSF so that KFOR's presence in Kosovo could be reduced. Italy said that, while not yet time to start the discussion, the time to consider military criteria to underpin a future discussion of a move to a KFOR deterrent posture was on the horizon. The UK, FR and PL called for moving soon to a serious consideration of a transition to a KFOR deterrent posture. The U.S., HU and GM said it was premature to start reflecting on drawing down KFOR into a deterrent posture, since that could send the wrong signal to all parties in Kosovo. The SYG added that any discussion at this point of troop drawdowns risked both an unhelpful media leak as well as unnecessary creation of a self-fulfilling prophecy. ¶14. (C/NF) Norway requested an update from KFOR on its assessment of EULEX's deployment and cooperation. Several Allies requested an update on the KSF recruitment process, since it was clear that minority candidates were so far not being attracted to serve in the KSF. The CMC promised a thorough update on KSF at next week's NAC. -------------- Africa -------------- ¶15. (C/NF) Africa: The SYG noted that the AU's request for support from NATO in formulating a maritime strategic capabilities concept had been approved and communicated to the AU commission last week. The CMC mentioned that SNMG-1 was due to sail in 30 days, but he had not yet received guidance on whether it would adopt a counter-piracy role in addition to its current scheduled port visits, that will take it Indian Ocean port calls. Several Allies, led by Spain, Portugal, Germany and the Netherlands, replied that they required further information from the Military Committee before they could decide among the four options which had previously been presented. The SYG responded that the CMC was correct to take note of the extremely short time left before SNMG-1 was due to sail; he added that he intended to get a NAC DECISION on the Group's mission at the February 18 NAC. ¶16. (C/NF) Several Allies then reiterated their unhappiness at being asked to choose among the four options without further information, which Spain noted it had asked for on February 4. Spain said it now &had flexibility to consider one of the &time share8 options, but lacked some information to clarify how that option would play out on deployment. It particularly questioned whether SNMG-1 was being asked to operate in the same waters as the ESDP's counter-piracy operation, ATALANTA, and to undertake the same mission. Turkey reminded nations that it had previously suggested an SNMG-1 counter-piracy mission "in adjacent waters" to those in which ATALANTA was operating. He suggested that the MC provide information on his suggestion, and that the NAC return to the topic next week. ¶17. (C/NF) The CMC expressed confusion that Allies were unable to provide guidance to the Military Committee on what they wanted the SNMG to do. Did Allies want an updated version of Operation Allied Provider (SNMG-2's counter-piracy mission last Fall)? Did they want coordination with Operation ATALANTA? Option 2.2 as provided by the Military USNATO 00000063 005 OF 006 Committee (MCM-0005-2009) posited a temporal split between the South Asia deployment originally planned and a counter-piracy mission; if Allies wished to pursue this option, the MC urgently needed guidance. He was supported by the U.S., Italy and Canada. Germany, however, said it was not ready to take a DECISION without further information on the various options in MCM-0005-2009 and a detailed conops. Germany reiterated it needed detailed information to consider prior to deciding whether it would seek a Bundestag mandate for a NATO counter-piracy mission. It focused on a specific mission to accomplish; that mission,s end state; legal cover (read whether it was pursuant to a UNSCR); rules of engagement; disposition of detainees; whether NATO operations might go ashore; where specifically the NATO ships would deploy; and how costs would be borne among Allies. The Netherlands expressed amazement that three Allies providing more than half the ships to SNMG-1 could ask for further information and not receive it. ¶18. (C/NF) The SYG suggested that, following a suggestion from Canada, Allies return to this issue at the February 17 PermReps' coffee. This did not, however, relieve Allies from their responsibility to provide guidance to the CMC at the February 18 NAC. -------------- Iraq -------------- ¶19. (C/NF) Iraq: The SYG noted that his Assistant for Operations, Martin Howard, was in Baghdad negotiating the legal status of the NTM-I training mission. He said initials reports indicated a &challenging situation.8 He promised a readout would be provided to Allies as soon as possible, possibly at next week,s NAC. ¶20. (C/NF) Response to Terrorism: no discussion -------------- Statements on Political Subjects -------------- ¶21. (C/NF) Statements on Political Subjects: Greece mentioned that the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE had recently visited Pristina, Belgrade and Tirana, and would be with the OSCE Mission in Tbilisi on February 12. The Czech PermRep, on behalf of the EU Presidency, had made a statement on the status of the Russian military in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and mentioned current visits by the EU troika to Ukraine and Russia. Picking up on the question of Russian bases in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the UK PermRep proposed a tasking to the Political Committee (PC) to work on a text for a NAC or NATO statement on the bases, which the NAC also could return to, possibly to use as the basis for the next political-level NATO-Russia Council (NRC) informal meeting with Russian Ambassador Ragozin. The Czech PermRep then proposed two further PC taskings -- one a paper on the Medvedev European security proposals, and the other on the NATO-Russia relationship writ large. ¶22. (C/NF) Although there was some support for the UK-proposed tasking from the Baltic nations, Poland and Bulgaria, several Allies, led by Germany and Italy, differed on the wisdom and utility of tasking the PC to deliver documents on either overall Russia policy or the still-nebulous Medvedev proposals at this stage. Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal asked for the Czech proposals in writing so they could raise them with their respective capitals. There was eventual agreement that the Czech Republic should circulate the texts of its proposed taskings. In addition the PC would, without a specific tasking, continue to explore the NATO/Russia relationship on the basis of previous NATO statements. On the Medvedev European security proposals, it was agreed that the NAC should wait until Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grushko addresses the OSCE on February 18, to see if he adds any USNATO 00000063 006 OF 006 flesh to the skeletal Medvedev concept. If he does, the International Staff can prepare an analysis ahead of the March 5 Ministerial at NATO. -------------- Any Other Business -------------- ¶23. (C/NF) Any Other Business: The Greek PermRep opined that attempts to speed up decision-making had backfired in this case, but that Greece placed great importance on Operation Active Endeavor (OAE),not least because of considerable Greek investment in OAE personnel and OAE-related ship hosting and because it represented NATO,s only Article Five operation, and would support informal efforts by the SYG's office to resolve the current impasse. He promised Greece would be constructive in its approach. The Turkish PermRep said the current draft of the CONOPS was now acceptable to Ankara, but added that this was a step backwards for his government, which would not have much additional flexibility in trying to resolve the issue. The Turkish government would have no objection to the Greek proposal for the SYG's office to quietly explore solutions to this problem, but that current proposals to share NATO information with the EU in the draft conops would be unacceptable. ¶24. (C/NF) The SYG also asked Allies whether there was a general feeling on restoring mil-mil cooperation with Russia, and asked that the topic be included in the next NAC guidance to the MC. Finally, the U.S. thanked Denmark both for holding the recent meeting in Copenhagen on maritime operations off Gaza and its Feb. 11 circular letter to Allies reporting on the meeting,s highlights. VOLKER