Remarks on Arrival to the North Atlantic Council Foreign Ministers Meeting

Secretary Tillerson's three—or four—important areas to discuss in Brussels with NATO colleagues:

1) Ensure NATO has the resources—financial and otherwise—necessary to fulfill its mission* NLT May 25, 2017 (Smith et al, 2017) & (Stoltenberg, 2017)
2) Build on NATO’s involvement to defeat ISIS and other counterterrorism actions to bring stability to the Middle East
3) Posture NATO in Eastern Europe to respond to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and elsewhere
4) Develop meeting agenda for the NATO meeting in May

*The term 'Mission' used used 75 times in the Secretary General's Annual Report 2016 (Stoltenberg, 2017):

1) Resolute Support Mission (p.5).
2) In Afghanistan, we have moved from a large combat operation to a train, advise and assist
mission – helping to ensure that country never again becomes a safe haven for international
terrorists (p.8).
3) I want, finally, to acknowledge the huge debt of gratitude we owe to the brave men and women from Allied and partner nations who serve in NATO’s missions and operations (p.9).
4) Whether engaged in security operations, military exercises, or training missions, the security and stability of the Alliance would not be possible without their contributions (p.10).
5) By the end of 2016, 43 contingents from 17 countries had contributed to the Baltic Air Policing mission (p.18).
6) Although the number of policing missions in the north decreased in 2016, the overall number increased mainly because of the higher number of NATO Air Policing missions along the Turkish-Syrian border due to changed command and control arrangements and the changed security environment in the area (p.19).
7) Whether engaged in security operations, military exercises, or training missions, the security and stability of the Alliance would not be possible without their contributions (p.10).
8) NATO has a Combined Joint CBRN Defence Task Force designed to perform a full range of CBRN defence missions (p.24).
9) In July, Allies agreed on a concept that helps to facilitate the provision and generation of
specialised, sustainable CBRN defence forces for NATO operations and missions (p.25).
10) This will enable NATO’s military structures to devote specific attention to protecting missions and operations from cyber threats and increase their focus on cyber-related training and military planning for operations conducted in a contested and degraded cyber environment (p.26).
11) This does not change NATO’s mission or mandate, which remains entirely defensive and is conducted in accordance with international law (p.26).
12) At the Warsaw Summit, Poland and Turkey signed a Letter of Intent on multinational cooperation in the area of airborne escort jamming capabilities, the purpose of which is to increase cooperation to help protect Allied air assets through jamming of enemy radars and missile systems during Alliance missions (p.40).
13) NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence (NIAMD) is an essential, continuous mission in peacetime, crisis and conflict (p.41).
14) The new system provides the means for NATO’s two AMD peacetime missions: Air Policing and Ballistic Missile Defence (p.41).
15) The Aviation Committee replaces the former Air Traffic Management Committee and is part of a total system approach towards aviation policy. This will contribute to the effectiveness of Allied air missions (p.41).
16) Another focus area has been the assessment of how civil aviation projects such as the Single European Sky in Europe and the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) in the United States could affect the Alliance’s missions and capabilities
and to the mitigation of hazards and risks to safety and security in the air (p.41).
17) On 5 October 2016, NATO AWACS aircraft flew their 1000th patrol mission over Eastern Europe (p.42).
18) The first E-3A mission in support of the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL was flown in October; a total of 22 of these missions were flown in 2016 (p.42).
19) The Alliance has long recognised the fundamental importance of Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (JISR) to its strategic preparedness and the success of its operations and missions (p.44).
20) Information and intelligence gained from surveillance and reconnaissance missions help decision-makers to make informed, timely and accurate judgments (p.44).
21) The JISR trial Unified Vision 2016 in June built upon these achievements and further evaluated and demonstrated the breadth of JISR missions (p.44).
22) For NATO, this involves a range of activities including providing training and support to countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan, conducting or contributing to missions on land, at sea and in the air, and cultivating relationships with partners around the world (p.50).
23) Following a joint agreement with the Afghan authorities, the International Security
Assistance Force (ISAF) – NATO’s longest and largest combat mission – concluded in December
2014 and full responsibility for the country’s security was transferred to Afghan security forces and institutions (p.52).
24) On 1 January 2015, at the invitation of the new Afghan National Unity Government, NATO launched the non-combat Resolute Support mission (RSM) to train, advise and assist the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (p.52).
25) Resolute Support Mission in 2016 (p.52).
26) In March, General John Nicholson, Commander of the Resolute Support mission, was
granted the flexibility to ensure that the Afghan security forces, including the Air Force and Special Operations Forces, can receive training, advice and assistance support at lower levels when and where it is most needed (p.52).
27) Additionally, it was agreed that the Resolute Support mission could provide other noncombat support such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, medical evacuation, and logistical support to the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (.52).
28) There were around 13,000 troops, from 39 NATO member and partner countries, deployed in Afghanistan in 2016 as part of the Resolute Support mission (p.52).
29) The mission will continue into 2017 with similar troop levels in Kabul and in the regions (p.52).
30) While the main focus in 2016 was on continuation of support of the Resolute Support mission and funding for the Afghan security forces, work continued on the long-term Enduring Partnership, which involves political dialogue and practical cooperation between NATO and Afghanistan (p.53).
31) The security situation in Afghanistan remains challenging. The commander of the Resolute Support mission has assessed that the Afghan government controls territory containing about two-thirds of the Afghan population while the Taliban controlled or influenced territory home to less than 10% of the population, with the remaining 25% contested (p.53).
32) NATO’s counter-piracy mission, Operation Ocean Shield, ended on 15 December 2016, having successfully contributed to the broad international community effort to combat piracy off the coast of Somalia for nearly a decade (p.54).
33) Since May 2012, thanks to counter-piracy activities including Operation Ocean Shield, there have been no successful piracy incidents in the area, and NATO has been able to declare that the mission achieved its objectives (p.55).
34) KFOR’s primary role remains that of a “third responder”, providing support as needed to the Kosovo authorities and the European Union Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) (p.59).
35) Giving due attention to issues such as protection of civilians, children in armed conflict, and gender perspectives in NATO’s operations and missions illustrates the Alliance’s commitment to upholding international humanitarian law, while, at the same time, making Allies more resilient and effective (p.60).
36) At the Warsaw Summit, NATO Heads of State and Government reaffirmed the importance of protecting children during NATO-led operations and missions, pledging to expand training, exercise, and education opportunities in cooperation with the United Nations (p.61).
37) On the operational level, the Resolute Support mission recently reviewed its training on children and armed conflict to ensure that the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces are aware of their obligations (p.61).
38) As part of this effort, a specialist advisor on children and armed conflict was deployed to
Afghanistan in April – a first for a NATO-led mission (p.61).
39) Incorporating gender perspectives into analysis, planning, execution, assessment and evaluation of NATO-led military missions increases operational effectiveness (p.61).
40) In 2016, NATO continued to deploy full-time, trained Gender Advisors to operations and
missions at strategic, operational and tactical levels (p.61).
41) 33 Gender Advisors were deployed on operations or missions (p.61).
42) Through its partnerships, NATO helps countries to strengthen their ability to
safeguard their own security, both at home and as part of international missions (p.64).
43) participation in exercises and training for future operations and missions (p.640).
44) Nineteen partners maintain missions on the NATO Headquarters campus in Brussels (p.64).
45) Partner countries make significant contributions to many of the Alliance’s operations and missions (p.66).
46) That, in turn, facilitates their participation in NATO led operations and missions (p.66).
47) Through the Operational Capabilities Concept (OCC), staffs from partner and Allied countries, as well as from Alliance headquarters, are also able to establish strong peacetime working relationships that help the integration of partner forces into future NATO-led missions and operations (p.68).
48) Choosing events that match their individual training and education needs helps
partners prepare for future cooperation with NATO in missions and operations (p.68).
49) In addition to the variety of education and capacity building programmes offered to partners, joint exercises and training are key in order to ensure that NATO’s partners will be able to work together with the Alliance in operations and missions (p.69).
50) In 2016, the Centre conducted 11 live company-level training exercises of the Georgian Armed Forces, conducted pre-deployment training for a Georgian battalion and two companies in advance of their deployment to NATO’s Resolute Support mission, established an institutional mentoring affiliation with NATO’s Joint Force Training Centre in Bydgoszcz,
Poland, and has become an integral part of Georgia’s Training and Military Education Command (p.71).
51) NATO continued to provide practical assistance to the African Union (AU) throughout 2016. Cooperation between NATO and the AU began in 2005 following a request for assistance to provide logistics and airlift support for the AU mission in Darfur (p.72).
52) NATO has a continuing mandate to provide air and maritime lift support to the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) (p.72).
53) NATO maintains an office in Addis Ababa. In addition, NATO experts are seconded to the AU Peace and Security Secretariat, which has responsibility for all AU peace-support operations and missions (p.72).
54) The SPS Programme addresses security threats such as cyber defence, counter-terrorism and defence against CBRN agents. It supports NATO-led missions and operations, the development of security-related advanced technology, addresses human and social
aspects of security, and provides defence capacity building assistance through technical expertise (p.78).
55) The situation in Ukraine as well as the work that the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission is undertaking, are of particular importance (p.80).
56) Since then,
NATO’s strategic commands have been integrating gender perspectives into the analysis, planning, execution and evaluation processes of operations, missions and exercises (p.85).
57) Indirect – or national – contributions are the largest and come in the form of Allies’ participation in NATO led operations or missions (p.90).
58) The Military Budget covers the common-funded aspects of NATO operations and missions, as well as operating and maintenance costs of the NATO Command Structure (p.91).
59) Alliance Operations and Missions (p.91).
60) Allied Command Operations (ACO) is responsible for the planning and execution of all Alliance operations and missions (p95).
61) NCIA continues to support operations by providing IT services for NATO’s crisis management operations including the Resolute Support mission and KFOR (p.95).
62) Resolute Support Mission (p.101).
63) The Resolute Support mission is a NATO-led mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan security forces and institutions. The mission was launched on 1 January 2015, immediately after the stand-down of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) (p.102)
64) The legal framework for the Resolute Support mission is provided by a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), signed in Kabul on 30 September 2014 and ratified by the Afghan Parliament on 27 November 2014. (p.102).
65) The mission is also supported by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2189,
unanimously adopted on 12 December 2014 (p.102).
66) The Resolute Support mission provides training, advice and assistance in eight key areas: multi-year budgeting; transparency, accountability and oversight; civilian oversight of the Afghan Security Institutions; force generation; force sustainment; strategy and policy
planning, resourcing and execution; intelligence; and strategic communications. (p.102).
67) Those countries not contributing troops to the Resolute Support mission are supporting the mission in different ways, as well as the broader effort to strengthen the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) over the long term (p.102).
68) Beyond the training, advice and assistance mission, Allies and partner countries are also contributing to the funding of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces, and will enhance the Enduring Partnership with Afghanistan, by strengthening political dialogue and
practical cooperation (p.102).
69) Resolute Support Mission Command (RSM) in Kabul RSM Headquarters (p.102).
70) NATO-KFOR’s mission is to contribute to maintaining a safe and secure environment in Kosovo, as mandated by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244. In carrying out its mission, NATO assists and cooperates with the United Nations, the European Union and other
international actors, as appropriate. (p.103).

List of References:

Smith, S. et al. (2017 Mar. 31). NATO Must Lay Out Plan to Boost Spending Before May Summit: Tillerson. Retrieved from http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/nato-must-lay-out-plan-boost-spending-may-summit-tillerson-n740961

Stoltenberg, J. (2017). The Secretary General's Annual Report 2016. Retrieved from http://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pdf/pdf_2017_03/20170313_SG_AnnualReport_2016_en.pdf

Tillerson, R. (2017, Mar. 31). Remarks on Arrival to the North Atlantic Council Foreign Ministers Meeting. Retreived from https://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2017/03/269341.htm