VZCZCXRO1707
OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHNO #0706/01 3451417
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 111417Z DEC 06
FM USMISSION USNATO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0286
INFO RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD IMMEDIATE 0231
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE 0489
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 USNATO 000706 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2016 
TAGS: MARR NATO OVIP PREL
SUBJECT: BOUCHER AND NATO TALK AFGHANISTAN STRATEGY AND 
COORDINATION 
 
Classified By: CDA Richard Olson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1.(C) Summary: Assistant Secretary for South and Central 
Asian Affairs Richard Boucher met December 7 with NATO 
Secretary General de Hoop Scheffer to discuss strategy for 
 
SIPDIS 
Afghanistan and Pakistan.  Boucher said it was not clear what 
value an Afghanistan Contact Group, as proposed at the Riga 
Summit, would add to existing groups.  Both the Secretary 
General and Boucher agreed that upcoming high-level meetings 
of the G-8, EU, NATO and the Joint Coordination and 
Monitoring Board should be used to coordinate policy in 
Afghanistan.  A/S Boucher told de Hoop Scheffer the U.S. is 
considering a significant increase in assistance to 
Afghanistan, based on a recent strategic review.  The 
Secretary General expressed concern that NATO lacks a 
 
SIPDIS 
coordinated civil-military strategy in Afghanistan, and 
called on the European Union (EU) to provide more assistance. 
 The Secretary General said he is not sure of Pakistan's 
commitment in dealing with "problems" along its border with 
Afghanistan, and said he will travel to Islamabad to meet 
with President Musharraf.  Boucher noted the resurgence of 
the Taliban has led the U.S. to reassess its 
counterinsurgency strategy, and offered U.S. experts to help 
NATO adjust its strategy also.  End Summary. 
 
Afghanistan Contact Group and Meeting Calendar 
============================================= = 
 
¶2. (C)  Assistant Secretary Boucher said it is not yet clear 
what an Afghanistan Contact Group, as proposed at the Riga 
Summit, would do to improve coordination and strategy within 
the international community.  The Secretary General said he 
had spoken with President Karzai earlier in the day, in part 
to "calm him down" over the proposed contact group; de Hoop 
Scheffer emphasized the need to understand Karzai,s 
authority as the elected president of Afghanistan.  However, 
he noted, there is a "hodge podge" of development players and 
projects; something is still missing in the coordination. 
A/S Boucher suggested three important items to address: civil 
- military coordination within the International Security 
Assistance Force; an Afghan government policy on corruption; 
and more large-scale development projects, particularly 
electricity and road building.  The Secretary General noted a 
development strategy will help convince publics of the need 
to maintain troops in the field as security providers for 
assistance projects. 
 
¶3. (C)  Ambassador Nuland suggested using upcoming high-level 
meetings to coordinate Afghanistan policy.  The Secretary 
General agreed, suggesting the G-8 put Afghanistan on its 
agenda, and invite NATO and EU representatives, to see if 
this can "pull the strands together."  He added it is time to 
start "playing on Chancellor Merkel,s conscience," as 
Germany will soon have the chairmanship of both the EU and 
the G-8. Boucher suggested using the reinforced meeting of 
the North Atlantic Council at the level of Political 
Directors in January, the upcoming NATO Foreign Ministerial, 
and a high-level meeting of the Joint Coordination and 
Monitoring Board to help focus Afghan strategy. 
 
PermReps Discuss Afghanistan Contact Group 
========================================= 
 
¶4. (C)  During a separate meeting with NATO PermReps, 
Assistant Secretary Boucher said the proposed Contact Group 
would make sense only if it helps develop strategy.  He 
stressed the need to keep the London Compact on track, and to 
reinforce the capacity of the Afghan government.  French 
Ambassador Duque said President Chirac,s concept of the 
Contact Group is to "pursue a comprehensive strategy" with 
international organizations and neighboring countries.  It 
will aim to ensure that commitments are "enhanced," and to 
"keep the international community on its toes."  The Iraq 
Study Group, Duque added, came to a similar conclusion by 
proposing a support group for Iraq. Boucher responded there 
is a need to ensure not only that strategy is implemented, 
but also to increase the level of resources flowing into 
Afghanistan.  The U.S. has decided to significantly increase 
its assistance; we hope other countries will do the same. 
Ambassador Nuland pointed out that Iraq lacks a body 
equivalent to the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board. 
 
 
Development And Counterinsurgency 
================================= 
 
¶5. (C)  A/S Boucher told de Hoop Scheffer the U.S. is 
considering a significant increase in assistance to 
Afghanistan, based on a recent strategic review.  Once the 
 
USNATO 00000706  002 OF 003 
 
 
Office of Management and Budget produces final numbers, these 
will be briefed to NATO.  These funds will go to 
reconstruction projects, including electricity projects and 
roads; to funnel money into Provincial Reconstruction Teams; 
and to help train and equip Afghan security forces.  There 
will also be additional funds for Pakistan, particularly for 
development in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.  The 
two billion dollars from last year,s supplemental are now 
being spent on training and equipping the Afghan National 
Army and the Afghan National Police, and are helping to "kick 
start" the police. 
 
¶6. (C)  Boucher noted successes in several provinces of 
Afghanistan, particularly where military action has been 
followed by coordinated efforts to improve governance and 
carry out reconstruction projects.  The Secretary General 
complained that, within the alliance, each country has its 
own development strategy.  This is turning into a "beauty 
contest," with each country advertising its efforts without 
following an overall strategy.  In addition, he said, NATO is 
split between a development side and a military side, and is 
still "miles away from an integrated approach."  Boucher 
agreed that NATO still lacks a linked effort, but described 
how the U.S., after much effort, had made progress on 
integrating the military, political and reconstruction pieces. 
 
¶7. (C)  Boucher noted that, until recently, Operation 
Enduring Freedom was "chasing the bad guys" and making space 
for reconstruction efforts.  Now, with a resurgent Taliban, 
we are involved in a classic counterinsurgency.  Experts in 
the U.S. are developing a counterinsurgency strategy, 
including how Afghan forces can adopt a more integrated 
strategy.  Boucher offered to have these experts brief at 
NATO, and called on the Alliance to reassess its own 
strategy. 
 
Border Issues and Pakistan 
========================== 
 
¶8. (C)  The Secretary General said he is unsure if Pakistan 
is part of the problem or part of the solution in 
Afghanistan, and questioned how serious President Musharraf 
is in helping to solve "problems" along the border with 
Afghanistan.  Different military authorities give him 
different advice - some International Security Assistance 
Force officers say the Pakistanis are serious about 
confronting insurgents, while other senior military officials 
have expressed doubts. 
 
¶9. (C)  Assistant Secretary Boucher stressed the need to look 
at both sides of the border as a whole, with their related 
problems.  In particular, it will be necessary to extend 
governance to all border areas of both countries. 
Cross-border finger pointing continues, with Musharraf 
blaming the insurgency on corrupt Afghan officials, and 
Karzai blaming Pakistan for not cracking down on insurgent 
safe havens on their side of the border.  To make progress, 
both sides need to reduce the rhetoric. 
 
¶10.  (C) De Hoop Scheffer asked if it would be useful to 
travel to Pakistan to talk to President Musharraf, adding 
there is no use criticizing Musharraf publicly.  Boucher 
encouraged a visit, and suggested the Secretary General 
emphasize the Taliban is also a threat to Pakistan.  The 
Taliban command and control structure in Quetta is still 
intact, said Boucher;  while Musharraf has heard the message 
that he must go after all terrorist groups, this message 
needs to be reinforced. 
 
European Union 
============== 
 
¶11. (C) Boucher noted the European Union's new seven-year 
budget for Afghanistan provides less funding than previous 
budgets.  The EU, he said, is not coming up with the 
necessary resources.  The Secretary General agreed, saying 
that, after the hard fighting in Helmand Province this year, 
the military effort was not followed up with adequate 
development and reconstruction efforts.  EU leaders need to 
go to the "political market" and increase support for 
Afghanistan.  He hoped that the EU would address Afghanistan 
at its upcoming summit.  Ambassador Nuland added the EU 
should also provide development assistance to Pakistan's 
Federally Administered Tribal Areas. 
 
 
¶12.  (U) Participants: 
 
 
 
USNATO 00000706  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
U.S. Delegation: 
 
Assistant Secretary Richard Boucher 
 
Ambassador Victoria Nuland 
Ms. Fatema Sumar, SCA 
USNATO notetaker 
 
 
NATO Staff: 
 
 Secretary General de Hoop Scheffer 
Ambassador Schuwer, Acting Director, Private Office 
Mr. Joe Manso, Deputy Director, Private Office 
 
¶13. (U) Assistant Secretary Boucher's staff has cleared this 
cable. 
NULAND