SCENESETTER FOR CODEL MCCASKILL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USNATO 000069 SENSITIVE SIPDIS H FOR CODEL MCCASKILL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL NATO RS SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR CODEL MCCASKILL USNATO 00000069 001.2 OF 003 ¶1. (U) Welcome to Brussels, and to NATO! ¶2. (SBU) Your visit comes at an exciting time for NATO as Allies redouble our efforts to succeed operationally while working together to redefine NATO to meet the security challenges of the future. America is playing a key role, as we have in the past, working with Europeans and Canadians to ensure success in our joint endeavors and to demonstrate that unity between Europe and the United States is the best means of maintaining peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic space. ¶3. (SBU) Afghanistan, Russia, missile defense, and the Balkans are at the top of NATO's agenda, along with NATO's revision of its underlying Strategic Concept and NATO reform. The last two issues are likely to have significant impact on how the Alliance does business and its effectiveness in the future. -------------- AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Despite what you may have read in the press, NATO and its partners have stepped forward to shoulder a significant amount of the burden in Afghanistan. Approximately 40,000 troops from 43 nations have joined the U.S. in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Those nations have suffered 40 percent of the casualties, as well. In recent months, the Alliance has recommitted itself to our joint endeavor by: -- endorsing the counter-insurgency approach developed by COMISAF GEN McChrystal; -- establishing a three-star joint command under U.S. LTG Rodriguez, so that COMISAF can focus his efforts at the strategic level; -- creating a NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan to help train the Afghan National Security Forces more rapidly and more effectively; -- appointing a new NATO Senior Civilian Representative to Afghanistan with an expanded mandate to better coordinate the civilian side of the counter-insurgency campaign; -- pledging approximately 9,000 more troops in response to President Obama's December 1 decision to increase the U.S. force contribution in Afghanistan; and -- taking steps to develop a broader relationship with Pakistan, in recognition of the importance of the regional dimension. NATO Allies and non-NATO troop contributors have increased their contribution in Afghanistan despite skeptical publics and serious economic constraints. We will continue to ask even more of our Allies. We are now focused on getting Allies to provide significantly more trainers to accelerate the capability of the Afghan national security forces and gradually begin transferring security responsibility to the Afghan authorities. Similarly, we need Allies, and others, to contribute to the trust funds that will help sustain the Afghan forces. -------------- RUSSIA -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Differences exist within NATO over the Alliance's relationship with Moscow. Several western Allies seek to enhance engagement and minimize differences with Russia, while eastern Allies remain wary of Russian intentions. The U.S. seeks concrete opportunities to cooperate with Russia USNATO 00000069 002 OF 003 and build a more open relationship, but recognizes differences will continue. NATO's principal forum for dialogue with Russia, the NATO-Russia Council (NRC), established in 2002, has failed to live up to expectations. The present NRC structure, which serves as a forum for confidence building and political dialogue, satisfies some Allies but worries the Russia skeptics who believe that Moscow uses the NRC to sow division within the Alliance. ¶6. (SBU) The U.S. goal is to transform the NRC, so that it delivers concrete benefits to NATO by advancing practical cooperation with Russia. To date, Moscow has used the NRC for political discussions on Afghan strategy or its proposals for a new European security architecture, rather than pragmatic cooperation. If we can convince Moscow to move away from zero-sum thinking, we can generate practical cooperation in missile defense, counter-narcotics and, perhaps, Afghanistan, counter-piracy, and counter-terrorism by the November 2010 Lisbon NATO Summit. At the same time, we cannot ignore Russian violations of internationally accepted commitments and principles -- the very principles upon which NATO was founded. -------------- MISSILE DEFENSE -------------- ¶7. (SBU) In December, NATO Foreign Ministers welcomed the Administration's Phased Adaptive Approach to Missile Defense, acknowledging that it would be a valuable national contribution to any NATO territorial missile defense capability. At their Strasbourg-Kehl Summit last April, NATO Heads of State and Government tasked NATO to present architecture recommendations for an Alliance territorial ballistic missile defense system at this November's Lisbon Summit. We are currently working to ensure that the appropriate architecture study is funded and completed so that leaders have the information they need to chart the future of Missile Defense at Lisbon. We have crossed most political hurdles here, but inadequate common resources continue to present challenges. -------------- The Balkans -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Due to improving security conditions in Kosovo, NATO began downsizing its KFOR mission last summer. On January 31, NATO completed the first phase of the KFOR drawdown to 10,000 personnel, called Gate 1. Some Allies are pushing to move rapidly to the next phase, Gate 2, cutting troop strength in half to approximately 5,000. We and others are concerned that a precipitous move to Gate 2 may undermine the stability KFOR has worked so hard to achieve. The political situation in the North remains tenuous and the international community is just now launching an effort to overcome the political stalemate that exists. The current force structure provides the reassurance and deterrence necessary to start tackling the sensitive issues without risking a dangerous upset in the security environment. ¶9. (SBU) Elsewhere in the Balkans, NATO remains committed to leaving no "unfinished business" in the region's Euro-Atlantic integration. At their Bucharest meeting in 2008, Heads of State and Government invited Albania and Croatia to join the Alliance, which they formally did last April. Allies have also agreed that Macedonia would be invited to join the Alliance as soon as it settles its long-standing name dispute with Greece. Until then, Macedonia will continue to participate in NATO's Membership Action Plan (MAP),a program of advice, assistance and practical support tailored to the needs of Partners wishing to join the Alliance. Foreign Ministers decided in December 2009 that Montenegro will also join MAP, as will Bosnia and Herzegovina once it achieves necessary progress in its reform efforts. Accordingly, Bosnia and Herzegovina will be looking USNATO 00000069 003 OF 003 to Foreign Ministers to again take up its request to join MAP at their April meeting in Tallinn, although prospects are dim. Serbia's view of NATO continues to be colored by NATO's 1999 air campaign. However, Belgrade's relations with the Alliance are slowly beginning to warm, and Serbia now participates in NATO's Partnership for Peace program and the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council. -------------- Strategic Concept -------------- ¶10. (SBU) The world has changed since 1999, when NATO's current Strategic Concept was agreed. We need a completely new guiding document for NATO, not simply a "revised" version of the 1999 Concept. The Group of Experts, led by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, has participated in a series of seminars on 21st century security challenges, NATO operations, and Partnerships. The final seminar, focused on capabilities, will take place February 23 in Washington. Following the seminar phase, the Experts will consult with Allies and partners, before submitting a report to the Secretary General on May 1. The new Strategic Concept should cover both core Alliance principles (principally Article 5, collective defense) as well as the challenges we face, including NATO's relationship with Russia and new challenges such as terrorism, WMD proliferation, failing states, missile threats, regional crises, energy and cyber security. ¶11. (SBU) It is an exciting and critical time at NATO. My team and I look forward to discussing these and other issues with you during your visit. HEFFERN