RFG - NATO TO EXCHANGE VIEWS WITH BOSNIA AND

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USNATO 000088 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: NATO PGOV PREL BK SUBJECT: RFG - NATO TO EXCHANGE VIEWS WITH BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA USNATO 00000088 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (U) REQUEST FOR GUIDANCE and SUMMARY: On Wednesday, March 3, the North Atlantic Council (NAC) will conduct an exchange of views with the Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in the run-up to the NAC's March 23 Sarajevo visit and NATO's Foreign Ministerial meeting in April. The NAC meeting is intended to address BiH's request to join NATO's Membership Action Plan (MAP). Post requests guidance on messages to deliver to the BiH dignitaries during the March 3 multilateral meeting. END REQUEST FOR GUIDANCE and SUMMARY. -------------- BiH: Stuck in neutral -------------- ¶2. (U) BiH requested to join MAP on October 2, 2009. After vigorous debate within the Alliance, Foreign Ministers decided at the December 2009 meeting that BiH will join MAP "once it achieves the necessary progress in its reform efforts." Ministers tasked the Council in Permanent Session to keep BiH's progress on reform under active review, and affirmed continued support for BiH's reforms. BiH's intent is to prove that between December 2009 and the Ministerial in April 2010, it will have demonstrated sufficient progress on reforms to warrant a positive answer on its request to join MAP. -------------- Helping BiH gain traction -------------- ¶3. (U) One of the first opportunities for BiH to brief NATO on its reform efforts will be on March 3, when the NAC will hear from BiH's Prime Minister, Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense. The high level of the delegation is clearly intended to demonstrate to Allies the depth of BiH's commitment to NATO and to securing its invitation to join MAP. After BiH presents its reform efforts, Permanent Representatives will exchange views and provide feedback on BiH's reform efforts, focusing leaders on what further efforts need to be made in preparation for Foreign Ministers' April meeting. -------------- Potential messages -------------- ¶4. (U) Based on private discussions with Allies, we assess that the following messages would be most likely to achieve Allied consensus: -- As our Ministers of Foreign Affairs said in their December 2009 statement, we affirm our support for your participation in MAP and your aspirations for NATO membership once BiH achieves the necessary progress on reform efforts. -- As has been stressed many times in the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) Assessment and in other settings, NATO wants to see more than just defense reform. Allies look to you for evidence of reform efforts in the political, security, public information and resources sectors, as well. ¶5. (U) Additionally, USNATO suggests the following points: -- It is not the Alliance's job to establish benchmarks or timelines by which to judge BiH's progress in reforms. It is your responsibility to identify and implement reforms that could most benefit the citizens of BiH. -- In order to successfully participate in MAP, a country has to have the institutional structures in place to make tough decisions and implement difficult reforms. In order to persuade the Alliance that BiH is ready for this next step, you have to demonstrate to us that you are willing and able to engage in this process. -- Currently the Alliance, as a whole, is not convinced. Nationalistic rhetoric, divisive actions and stalling on decisions undercut your argument that BiH is seriously ready to engage with us and assume the responsibilities associated with MAP. USNATO 00000088 002.2 OF 002 -- BiH stands at a critical juncture -- there is still time to take the necessary decisions and move your reform process forward. Foreign Ministers will be looking for concrete signs of your commitment to implementing reform when they evaluate BiH's MAP application in April. ¶6. (U) REQUEST FOR GUIDANCE - Post requests cabled guidance by Tuesday, March 2, on what messages to deliver to the visiting BiH dignitaries during the Council meeting on March ¶3. Ambassador Daalder will additionally use this guidance as the basis of his statements when the NAC visits Sarajevo on March 23. HEFFERN