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S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 USNATO 000011 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2020 
TAGS: PREL MCAP MARR NATO PL EN LH LG GM
SUBJECT: POLISH NON-PAPER ON BALTIC CONTINGENCY PLANNING 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Ivo Daalder.  Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (U) This is a request for guidance.  See para 8. 
 
¶2. (S) SUMMARY: On January 11, Polish Permanent 
Representative Winid delivered a non-paper reflecting 
Warsaw's views on the U.S./German proposal to revise the NATO 
contingency plan for the defense/reinforcement of Poland to 
also include the defense of the Baltic states.  He said that 
Warsaw had agreed to the proposal, but wanted U.S. support 
for Polish ideas on how to implement the proposal in order to 
avoid unnecessary delays in the Poland-specific portions of 
the plan.  Ambassador Daalder promised to raise the Polish 
ideas with SACEUR and with Washington.  The Polish deputy 
assured us after the meeting that Poland would approve 
expansion of the plan at the January 20th meeting of the NATO 
Military Committee.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3. (S) On January 11, Polish Permanent Representative Winid 
delivered a non-paper (see para 9 below) to Ambassador 
Daalder reflecting Warsaw's views on the U.S./German proposal 
to revise the NATO contingency plan for the 
defense/reinforcement of Poland (EAGLE GUARDIAN) to also 
include defense of the Baltic states.  He said that the 
non-paper was only being distributed to Daalder and to German 
PermRep Brandenburg, although the missions of Estonia, 
Latvia, and Lithuania would also be briefed on its contents. 
 
¶4. (S) Winid said that Poland--with his encouragement--had 
agreed to the proposal to revise EAGLE GUARDIAN, but that it 
had some views and questions about the technical 
implementation of the revision.  Winid explained that Warsaw 
saw three "layers" of approval for the plan (initial 
endorsement by SACEUR, formal approval by the NATO Military 
Committee, and then promulgation by SACEUR) and wanted to 
creatively use these layers to avoid any perception that the 
Poland-specific part of the plan was being delayed.  He said 
that Poland was seeking U.S. support to have SACEUR "endorse" 
the Polish portion of the plan as soon as it was ready, but 
stressed that after this endorsement the plan could be put on 
the shelf until the Baltic portion of the plan had been 
concluded, at which point the entire document could go to the 
Military Committee for formal approval. 
 
¶5. (S) Similarly, Winid said that Poland was seeking U.S. 
support for having SACEUR ask JFC Brunssum to informally 
begin preparing the necessary supporting plan for the 
Poland-specific portion of EAGLE Guardian. 
 
¶6. (S) Ambassador Daalder promised to discuss the Polish 
requests with SACEUR, as well as with Washington. 
 
¶7. (S/NF) COMMENT: Winid was obviously taking great pains to 
be as positive about the revision of EAGLE GUARDIAN as 
possible.  After raising the two issues noted above, he cut 
off his own DCM when the DCM tried to interject to raise 
additional points.  At the same time, Warsaw clearly wants to 
mitigate the extent to which "its" plan will be delayed by 
the revision.  While we intend to double-check the technical 
feasibility of the Polish requests, the requests appear 
reasonable and constructive. END COMMENT 
 
¶8. (S/NF) RFG: Unless otherwise directed we intend to inform 
Winid that we will support the Polish requests, assuming our 
checks determine that they are technically feasible. 
 
¶9. (S/REL POLAND) The full text of the Polish non-paper is 
reproduced below: 
 
BEGIN TEXT 
 
CLOSE HOLD 
 
Art. 5:  Contingency Planning ) Poland's position 
 
Contingency planning for a reinforcement of relevant parts of 
NATO territory during crisis remains (sic) indispensable 
element of the Alliance's art. 5 preparedness.  Poland 
believes that contingency plans should reflect the changed 
 
USNATO 00000011  002 OF 002 
 
 
geographic scope of the Washington Treaty area, should be 
regularly updated, appropriately exercised and underpinned by 
other measures, including adequate capability packages. 
 
Poland has constantly supported the development of 
contingency planning for the defence of the Baltic States. 
Such planning would provide them with necessary strategic 
reassurance, showing full Alliance solidarity for any 
possible art. 5 situation emerging in this region.  We 
acknowledge arguments in favour of the assumption that 
extending existing contingency plans to the Baltic States 
would strengthen the Contingency Plan for the reinforcement 
of Poland during crisis. 
 
Poland believes that current update of Contingency Plan EAGLE 
GUARDIAN provides an opportunity to address the defence 
requirements of the Baltic States.  However, a possible 
expansion of EAGLE GUARDIAN has to be conducted in a careful 
manner in order to avoid derailing the whole process or 
causing unnecessary delays. 
 
Consequently, Poland wishes to propose the following course 
of action: 
 
- Current update of EAGLE GUARDIAN should be completed 
according to envisaged time-frame.  The plan will be endorsed 
by SACEUR in February and passed to the Military Committee. 
 
- After endorsement by SACEUR, JFC Brunssum should start 
working on development of the supporting plan, CONSTANT 
GUARDIAN, without any further delay.  Simultaneously, SHAPE 
will begin planning for exercising EAGLE GUARDIAN with the 
aim of preparing first command post exercise as soon as 
possible. 
 
- In the Military Committee a consensus will be forged to 
expand EAGLE GUARDIAN to include the Baltic States. This 
might be done in a form of an additional branch plan or 
extended option of EAGLE GUARDIAN.  In any case, expanded 
EAGLE GUARDIAN should include two distinct elements:  the 
current option (that does not need to be reopened) and the 
extended option. 
 
- Additional planning for the Baltic States will be developed 
by SHAPE as a matter of priority allowing prompt formal 
approval of expanded EAGLE GUARDIAN. Poland stands ready to 
actively support this process. 
 
Poland believes that proposed steps do not require any 
political debate.  Consensus on them can be achieved through 
informal consultations.  We hope that the United States would 
take a leading role in engaging NATO Military Authorities and 
Allies to ensure support for expansion of EAGLE Guardian. 
 
Contingency planning has to remain internal, strictly 
classified NATO process and should not be a part of public 
statements. 
 
END TEXT 
 
DAALDER