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