ICELAND: CAUTIOUS SUPPORT FOR NATO'S 'GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP'

CONFIDENTIAL C O N F I D E N T I A L REYKJAVIK 000143 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/RPM:EVA SHINAGEL USNATO FOR TOM UNDERWOOD E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2016 TAGS: PREL, MARR, NATO, IC SUBJECT: ICELAND: CAUTIOUS SUPPORT FOR NATO'S 'GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP' REF: A. (A) SECSTATE 56334 B. (B) USNATO 213 Classified By: AMBASSADOR CAROL VAN VOORST, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 1. (C) Post presented ref A points to Icelandic MFA Acting Political Director Thordur Bjarni Gudjonsson April 24. Gudjonsson stated that Reykjavik has not adopted a formal position on the U.S.-UK proposal for a NATO "Global Partnership," adding that: -- In principle, cooperation with NATO should be open to any like-minded country. -- Iceland supports efforts to make partnership with NATO more "interesting" for potential partners. 2. (C) Poloff noted ref B report that Iceland thought "international" a more appropriate term than "global" for the partnership, and Gudjonsson remarked that Iceland, while it agrees with the U.S. and UK on substance, might have some issues with our packaging. He did not elaborate. 3. (C) Comment: Judging by Gudjonsson's comments and his government's current focus on homeland air defense, Iceland will not make "Global Partnership" a foreign policy priority. The GOI's consistent support for Alliance engagement with other countries bodes well for Icelandic cooperation as we try to realize U.S.-UK goals. On the other hand, the 'international versus global' semantic issue bespeaks Icelandic concern, with Naval Air Station Keflavik soon to close, that NATO not ignore core Euro-Atlantic security issues in its pursuit of global ambitions. End comment. van Voorst