Press briefing

by NATO Spokesman, James Appathurai

(...) And he will then be meeting with the Minister of Defence, Mr. Jung, meeting with the press at 15:15.  And at 16:15, he will be having a photo opportunity with Chancellor Merkel with whom he will have bilateral discussions.  Just to clarify, I remember reading, because I used a speech writer, a quote by Churchill because there's always quotes by Churchill.  And he said:  "Don't try to climb a wall that's leaning towards you and don't try to kiss a girl that's leaning away from you.  The third thing you don't want to do is go into details about operations when the commander of the mission is sitting right next to you."

But to give you a little bit more of clarity on what NATO does when it comes to counter-narcotics... some of you heard this last week... but the operational plan allows for...  And NATO has engaged in such activities as providing intelligence to Afghan counter-narcotics officials about counter-narco... or about narcotics in their area, providing training to counter-narcotics officials, providing transport to counter-narcotics officials and providing in extremis... in other words, emergency support to counter-narcotics officials whose lives are in danger. 

What further roles NATO could provide within the OPLAN?  And there are certainly a lot...  There are certainly a lot of voices calling for NATO to do more within the OPLAN.  And, by the way, that does not include eradication, that is a discussion that General McNeill says that needs to be added. 

Now, I'm done because you've been here a long time.  But I'm happy to take your questions on this or any other very interesting issue.

Q:  Just a very brief fact total follow-up on the ANA.  What its current strength?  I seem recall a figure of 35,000 from June.

Appathurai:  It's either thirty-five or forty thousand.  It's one of those two figures and being developed as well.  Behind you...

Q:  Thank you, James, there are some quite strong wording about the cooperation with the police and E.U. effort in Afghanistan.  And now, of course, we have the situation of the German leader of the mission going home, could you, if need, of the right court, go a little bit more into what's going on there?

Appathurai:  No....  No, I told you what, what the situation is.  I think you have seen in Judy's article this morning, amongst others, at least her vision of the security situation. 
From our point of view, what I've said is the position there.  There are some 80, I believe, 70 or 80 European police officers, largely in Kabul.  Others have made bilateral arrangements with the provincial reconstruction teams.  Those relationships... and NATO's support for those who are in Kabul have worked very well.  And we expect them to continue to work well as the E.U. expands its mission both with the PRTs and in Kabul. 

NATO has provided support not only to European police officers, but to UN officials, to World Bank officials.  And that includes, for example, if their lives are in danger of course, NATO will not turn a blind eye to that.  So these are relationships that we expect to continue.  And my understanding is that it has worked well until now. 

Q:  James, again in relation with these conversations between this intelligence alliance occur about doing something more in fighting the narcotics there.  Did you say that something more can be done but never entering into the eradication?  And what are the things that are being considered, possibly ways of doing more?

Appathurai:  My understanding is that the operational plan does not allow for direct eradication by ISAF Forces.  So if that were to be put in place, then you would have a much wider discussion.  And that would include opening the operational plan.  What else can be done?  Well, that is of course what needs to be discussed.  You have heard for example last week, Mr. Costa talk about the problem of drug labs and transport.  I don't know whether that is permissible within the operation plan.  But certainly those are the kinds of ideas that are being put forward in some circles. 

And I can say certainly that there is a sentiment among many to explore to fullest what the operational plan allow for because as General McNeill said, the narcotics problem is undermining all of the three major strands of the ISAF's mission.  And it is poisoning Afghan society economically, politically and medically.  For all those reasons, no one wants to turn a blind eye to this.  But it needs to be done in the right way.  And the fundamental principle must be that the Afghan must take the lead for very obvious political reasons.  Sir...

Q:  James, ne craignez-vous pas que le début de la campagne électorale en Russie va influencer les relations avec l'OTAN?  J'ai en vue la démission du gouvernement russe, merci.

Appathurai:  Nous n'anticipons pas que ça va... qu'il y aura un effet sur les relations OTAN-Russie.  Vous savez qu'il y a un bateau, je pense que c'est une frégate russe qui est en ce moment dans la Mer Méditerranée avec la flotte de l'OTAN.  Alors, la coopération entre la Russie et l'OTAN pratique continue.  Tous nos pays de l'OTAN, tous nos partenaires ont des processus électoraux (SIC).  Ça va sans le dire.  Mais nous arrivons... à continuer nos relations sans problème.

Q:  Inter Tass News agency, James, can you give some comment about the recent test of new vac bomb in Russia?

Appathurai:  I don't believe NATO has any position on this issue.  Each country has its own armed forces, its development programs for weapons.  Those are not proscribed weapons.  So beyond... beyond that I have no... I have no comment from NATO.

Pascal, ah... it looked like I was going to escape.

Q:   Hé non!  (RIRES)  C'est le début de la réintégration des Français dans l'OTAN dont je veux parler.  Je suis certain que le Secrétaire général et même toi vous avez une opinion sur ce sujet qui est de plus en plus sur la table en France.  En tout cas, on en parle dans la presse.  Donc, je sais que tu vas me répondre:  "Nous ne nous ingérons pas dans les affaires intérieures des pays membres."  Mais il ne s'agit pas d'une affaire intérieure, il s'agit des relations entre l'OTAN et la France qui sont... qui ont déjà des relations institutionnelles.  Donc, est-ce qu'il te semble...?  Ou est-ce qu'il semble au Secrétaire général pour qui tu parles que l'OTAN changerait profondément si la France revenait totalement dans la structure militaire intégrée.  Il ne me semble pas que l'OTAN ait changé, pour donner un exemple, totalement, quand l'Espagne a fait la même chose en 98.  Donc, je pose la question:  "Quel serait l'intérêt pratique et politique, ce sont deux choses différentes, de l'OTAN selon toi?"

Appathurai:  Selon moi, et je parle maintenant, non seulement comme porte-parole mais aussi pour donner mes opinions politiques... Ça fait neuf ans que je suis à l'OTAN, qui est très longtemps.  ...Et j'ai vu dans toutes les opérations, toutes les discussions de l'OTAN, la France étant un pays qui contribue beaucoup, souvent parmi les pays qui contribuent le plus.  

Et ça, ça comprend aussi tout ce qui est militaire, nos opérations militaires, nos structures militaires, bien que la France ne fait pas partie formellement de cette structure.  Il y a deux généraux français qui sont très importants au sein du NRF.  La France, évidemment, contribue beaucoup au NRF.  La France prend le commandement... a pris le commandement au Kosovo ... Elle l'a fait auparavant... offre les réserves, etc, etc, etc. 

Et je touche aussi par exemple la contribution que la France a donnée à travers l'OTAN au soutien que nous avons donné aux Pakistanais après le tremblement de terre.  Alors, personne pourrait me dire que la France ne contribue pas à l'OTAN, et ne contribue pas beaucoup. 

Si la France décide de s'intégrer formellement dans la structure militaire, ça c'est une décision française à faire.  Ça serait le bienvenu évidemment de la part de l'OTAN.  Mais ça marche très bien jusqu'à présent, ça je peux dire aussi.