Cablegate: Headlines of a Successful Foreign Ministerial

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O 041532Z DEC 09
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UNCLAS USNATO 000570

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR MCAP MASS NATO XG AF RS
SUBJECT: HEADLINES OF A SUCCESSFUL FOREIGN MINISTERIAL

REF: A. USNATO 569
B. USNATO 567

(U) The December 3-4 NATO Foreign Ministerial was a success,
with the U.S. getting everything it wanted, and then some.
The Ministerial Statement and the separate ISAF statement on
Afghanistan were reported in reftels. Some of the highlights
included:

- Allies strongly endorsed President Obama's approach toward
Afghanistan, with 25 countries pledging to do more in terms
of troops, trainers, and trust fund monies. Allies and ISAF
partners pledged to contribute about 7,000 troops, and
several thousand more will likely be forthcoming in the near
future. ISAF countries also began a discussion on improving
civilian coordination, with an eye to agreeing on new
mechanisms by the time of the London Conference.

- Allies embraced the President's Phased, Adaptive Approach
to Missile Defense in language that is stronger in places
than what we originally proposed. Statements by ministers on
missile defense were universally strong and welcoming.

- Allies agreed to provide MAP to Montenegro and reached a
compromise on Bosnia that enables Sarajevo to get MAP once it
achieves the necessary progress in its reform efforts.
Reaching this consensus was difficult, but in the end Turkey
and its allies agreed to support the compromise.

- NATO countries and Russia formally restarted the
NATO-Russia Council by convening the first formal Ministerial
meeting since December 2007. The NRC Ministers agreed to
restructure the NRC, launch a joint review of 21st Security
Challenges, and a Work Program for 2010.

Because of these successes, the road to the Lisbon Summit
next November looks brighter than it did only a few days ago.
DAALDER

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