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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