SPANISH VIEWS GOING INTO ANSF FORCE GENERATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 000200 SIPDIS ANTHONY RUSH, SCA/A RAPHAEL CARLAND AND AARON COPE, EUR/RPM ALEXANDRA MCKNIGHT AND STACIE ZERDECKI, EUR/WE OSD FOR ANDY WINTERNITZ E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2020 TAGS: MASS PREL NATO SP AF SUBJECT: SPANISH VIEWS GOING INTO ANSF FORCE GENERATION CONFERENCE REF: STATE 14366 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Arnold A. Chacon, for reasons 1. 4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Spain fully supports Afghan National Security Force (ANSF) targets, and recognizes the importance of an effective ANSF to the Allies' transition out of Afghanistan, but does not expect to announce additional contributions to Afghanistan at the February 23 NATO/ISAF force generation conference. Pol-Mil officer conveyed reftel points February 19 to Spanish MFA Subdirector General for Security Affairs Manuel Acerete. Acerete understood the shortage of trainers and mentors for the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan, but said what was needed most was greater Afghan participation. ¶2. (C) He also reiterated Spain's commitment (announced in April 2009) to send 40 Civil Guards (GC),and assured Post that those personnel, who have been trained and ready since September 2009, would soon be on their way to Afghanistan. The deployment of 511 additional soldiers (announced in January and approved, along with the GC, the week of February 17) would bring the total of Spanish OMLTs to five. COMMENT: If asked at reftel conference to commit to "additional new significant contributions," Spain is likely to indicate that the Spanish parliament just blessed a 50 percent increase in Spanish participation in Afghanistan. END COMMENT. ¶3. (C) Asked about the delay in deploying the Guardia Civil promised in April 2009, Acerete said Spain had been unable to send them until space and funding issues were resolved. He cited ongoing construction of Spain's new Forward Support Base in Qal-e-Now as well as an internal conflict over funding for the deployment. Since the Spanish are beginning to occupy the FSB, there will be room for new personnel in increments. Likewise, the GOS determined the Civil Guards, who fall under the Interior Ministry, will nonetheless be paid out of the same funding that the Defense Ministry uses to send troops, because all fall under a NATO mission. He noted overwhelming congressional approval February 17 for Spain's latest deployment to Afghanistan, adding that the Council of Ministers had authorized it February 19. Now that the political decision has been ratified and the remaining obstacles have been addressed, Acerete affirmed the first unit of Spanish Guardia Civil should arrive in March 2010. ¶4. (C) Acerete said the Guardia Civil deployment would be outlined in detail in the coming weeks, but would probably entail an initial unit of approximately 20 to form a POMLT. The biggest effort would be to train the ANSF. Spain will concentrate first on Badghis province, where it needs a "critical mass" to ensure security in what has become a high-risk province. Now there is a single Afghan National Army (ANA) kandak in Badghis and only a small EUPOL presence. To address this "precarious" situation, Acerete expected Spain would send a single unit to start followed by various gendarmerie-type reinforcements. Acerete referenced EU and European Gendarmerie Force (EGF) initiatives to form specially trained units ("police intervention units") within the NATO/ISAF framework. While the GOS already envisions sending additional Guardia Civil, perhaps even another POMLT, later, their deployment will take place little by little. Even the total of 40 announced will not go all at once and the exact number could vary due to the presence of instructors as well as enablers. SOLOMONT