From: <a href="http://www.aftenposten.no/spesial/wikileaksdokumenter/article3972763.ece">Aftenposten</a><br>
Date: 26.08.2009

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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 OSLO 000527 
SIPDIS 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/2019 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, MARR, MOPS, PARM, RU, NO 
SUBJECT: USNATO AMBASSADOR DAALDERS MEETING WITH NORWEGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER 
STOERE 
Classified By: CDA James Heg for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) 

1. (C)
SUMMARY: In discussions August 17 with visiting USNATO
Ambassador Ivo Daalder, Norways Minister of Foreign Affairs
Jonas Gahr Stoere and MFA DG for North America and Security
Policy Steffen Kongstad said the GON would welcome a new U.S.
Missile Defense strategy that emphasized a multilateral
approach. They also noted the importance of keeping the door
open for discussions with Russia, while developing a more
unified NATO consensus through working-level dialogue. On
Norways Core Initiative idea regarding potential NATO
exercises in Norway, Stoere cautiously espoused a "High North,
low tension" viewpoint, based on what Norway sees as a
comprehensive approach to environmental, economic, and
security challenges presented by the melting Arctic ice. The
Foreign Minister endorsed future NATO exercises in the High
North if they fell under the rubric a new NATO Strategic
Concept as detailed in the September 2008 Norwegian Non-paper
presented at NATO. (USNATO Ambassador Daalders discussions
with the Deputy Defense Minister are being reported septel.)
End Summary.

Missile Defense - NATO context welcome 
-------------------------------------- 

2. (C)
USNATO Ambassador Ivo Daalder, accompanied by Charge daffaires
Heg and pol-mil officer, met with FM Stoere, MFA Director
General Kongstad, and Norways NATO Ambassador Kim Traavik over
dinner August 17 after a full day of meetings in Oslo that
included Ambassador Daalders speech at the Norwegian foreign
policy institute NUPI on "Resetting NATO-Russia Relations." FM
Stoere welcomed a new, multilateral discussion on Missile
Defense (MD), saying that MD can provide an increase in
protection for geographical areas only if it actually enhances
security and does not provoke an arms race. (Norway opposed
the previous U.S. administrations MD policy in the past.) He
supported the idea of a NATO-wide approach to MD policy, since
in the 2005 - 2008 period it clearly became a "bilateral and
not a NATO-based issue." He also added that it would be
important to analyze Russias reaction to the MD discussions,
as Moscows reaction would likely signal behavior of NATO
allies in future discussions on MD within the Alliance. He
estimated that there is a careful balancing act that needs to
be achieved between informing Russia while ensuring it does
not determine the evolution of NATO MD policy. Stoere believed
it would likely take beyond December 2009 to reach a consensus
on MD, as the exact threat remains unclear. However, he agreed
with USNATO Amb. Daalder that action needs to be taken soon to
ensure sufficient time for systems to become operative before
Iran could pose a real threat to NATO countries.

Uneasy NATO-Russia Relations 
----------------------------

3. (C)
Stoere referred to Russias confrontational approach at the
NATO-Russia Council as "ritualistic," with their negative
reactions to NATO issues embedded in their "blood and veins."
The NATO decision to close down the NATO-Russia dialogue last
August was, nevertheless, a "bad decision" in Norways view,
and one which provided a hook for other countries that would
like to ensure that future discussions on Russia issues do not
move forward. Stoere said that, despite Russias inherent
dislike of NATO, it is important to keep this communication
channel open, in particular if NATO countries can develop a
consensus-based approach on dealing with Russia. Stoere
recommended increasing working-level contacts on Russia issues
within NATO as a path to achieving additional agreement on how
to move forward. Stoere noted that Russian Foreign Minister
Lavrov acts "almost normal" in non-NATO fora, such as the
Arctic Council and Barents Council; he suggested that such
fora could also provide an opening for coping with Russia on
several matters Norway sees as areas for NATO concern in the
Arctic High North. He noted that Norway, although sometimes
viewed as too soft in its approach to Russia, is very firm on
jurisdiction issues and the future of Svalbard.

Strategic Concept: Way Forward on NATO Reform 
---------------------------------------------

OSLO 00000527 002 OF 002 

4. (C)
Stoere expressed disappointment about the Composition of the
new Experts Group announced by NATO SYG Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
He thought Rasmussen would give higher consideration to the
NATO Nordic allies. He agreed that there appears to be general
uncertainty on how Strategic Concept discussions will evolve,
juggled between NATO Director for Policy Planning Jamie Shea,
the Experts Group, and the NAC. The minister offered that
Norway would seek to host a Strategic Concept dialogue in the
coming months, in order to ensure Norwegian input into the
discussion and to supplement the Core Areas Initiative
non-paper Norway submitted to NATO in September 2008. Stoere
emphasized that as part of the Strategic Concept discussions,
it is critically important to ensure NATOs enlargement
strategy is re-defined to address the "unfinished business in
the Balkans." He expressed concern over the NATO SYGs apparent
lack of interest in addressing Balkan issues.

5. (C)
FM Stoere concluded by emphasizing the importance of
developing a relevant, easy-to-read Strategic Concept that
would be within the publics grasp, in order to ensure
continued public support for NATO. He said it must reflect
contemporary challenges and demonstrate NATO is not only about
Russia, Iran, and terrorism. He cited as an example the two
and a half page document on the financial crisis prepared by
the London School of Economics for Queen Elizabeth as an
excellent example of how clear and concise the new Strategic
Concept needs to be.

NATO Exercises: "High North, Low Tension"
----------------------------------------

6. (C)
On potential NATO re-flagging of bilateral and multilateral
exercises in Norway, Stoere cautiously espoused a "High North,
low tension" viewpoint, based on what Norway sees as a
comprehensive approach to environmental, economic, and
security challenges presented by the melting Arctic ice. He
supported the idea of future, small-scale NATO exercises in
the High North, if they fell under the rubric of a new NATO
Strategic Concept as detailed in the September 2008 Norwegian
Non-paper presented at NATO. Stoere particularly emphasized
the point that NATO should avoid "unnecessarily provoking" the
Russians.

7. (C)
Stoere opined that Norway has a unique status as both a NATO
founding member country, on the one hand, and Russias
neighbor, on the other, which provides Norway with insights on
new allies perspectives. Norway feels a special kinship with
the Baltic states, he said, and shares their viewpoints about
containing Russias potential threat to their sovereignty.
Stoere described how, during his March 2009 visit to Moscow,
he thanked FM Lavrov for making it so much easier for him to
justify the Joint Strike Fighter purchase to the Norwegian
public, given Russias regular military flights up and down
Norways coast. In summing up Norways approach to Russia,
Stoere offered that Norway remains vigilant regarding the
threat Russia poses, but added that he is in favor of further
analysis of the several challenges with which Norway must
grapple with due to the melting of Arctic ice before endorsing
large NATO military exercises in the High North.

8. (C )
Comment: In separate discussions with Amb. Daalder earlier the
same day (reported septel), Deputy Defense Minister Barth-Eide
and MOD DG for Security Policy Svein Efjestad shared similar
concerns about potentially provoking Russia, but had no
hesitation in recommending NATO re-flagging of existing
training and exercises in the High North in the near term.
They were confident such exercises could be presented as part
of the normal, routine training for NATOs defense of Article 5
guarantees throughout Europe.

HEG
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