Strategic Goal 3: Regional Stability

Strategic Goal 3: Regional Stability Avert and Resolve Local and Regional Conflicts to Preserve Peace and Minimize Harm to the National Interests Of The United States

The United States must provide for the safety of Americans at home and abroad, protect against threats to its interests worldwide, and honor commitments to its allies and friends. The activities of the Department are among the most cost-effective instruments for enhancing and ensuring regional stability.  Through diplomacy and capacity building efforts, the United States builds and strengthens relations with neighbors and allies worldwide by shaping regional environments and by informing international publics in ways that can prevent, contain, or resolve conflicts, and foster cooperative efforts.  In the same way, the Department also advances U.S. national security interests through the resolution of regional instability, so that all Americans, at home and abroad, are safe from violence.  The Department achieves these regional stability objectives by focusing on two main performance goals.

Close and stable ties with key allies emphasize U.S. global partnerships and contribute to security for traveling Americans.  A deepening relationship with Russia in bilateral and multilateral fora has provided and will provide a venue to discuss Eurasian security issues such as counterterrorism, nonproliferation, border security, and human rights.  The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) continues to be America’s strongest and most important partnership.  Security relationships in both East Asia and the Middle East also contribute to more effective security for U.S. national interests worldwide. The Department continues and will continue to maintain strong relations with Canada and Mexico and international partnerships with key organizations such as the European Union (EU) and the Organization of American States (OAS).  The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) provides the United States with a platform to advance the safety of its citizens and the security of its friends and key allies worldwide.

In the wake of the events of 9/11, the Department has secured bilateral agreements that enable U.S. forces to initiate combat operations under Operation Enduring Freedom.  Since then, the Department has continued efforts to negotiate Status of Forces Agreements (SOFAs), basing, and overflight/landing agreements overseas in anticipation of possible follow-on phases of the global war on terrorism.  These efforts will continue. 

The Department also leads a USG working group that seeks bilateral agreements to ensure that members of the U.S. armed forces and USG officials are not subject to prosecution by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The Department will continue to strengthen existing security relationships with key allies.  The Department will continue to improve the U.S.-South Korean security alliance by consulting closely on new issues such as the future of the Alliance initiative and improvement of the SOFA and the Land Partnership Plan, and will work with NATO allies to strengthen transatlantic defense capabilities.

The Department will work with Russia to dispose of excess Russian weapons plutonium, dismantle warheads, and use U.S. assistance programs to retrain Russian nuclear scientists.  The Department will also work with the Newly Independent States (NIS) to ensure they have effective export controls that meet internationally recognized standards.  In cooperation with European and East Asian allies, as well as China, the Department will work to prevent Iran from acquiring the foreign technology needed for nuclear weapons programs.

By means of public diplomacy, the Department will explain U.S. national security policies and encourage nations to support and cooperate with U.S. efforts to secure peace; deter aggression; and prevent, defuse, and manage crises.

ESDP is capable of substantial operations; NRF has initial operating capability.

·         Through the increased coordination and integration of EU forces the USG will be able to enhance ESDP operations.

·         Promoting additional defense spending by European and NATO partners to increase ability to operate jointly with U.S. forces will allow U.S. and NATO forces to respond more efficiently and rapidly to international needs.

Allies complete full integration into NATO as MAP cycle continues for aspirants.

·         Accession talks with new NATO members and progress on next round of MAP will help maintain NATO's Open Door policy.

·         Working with the U.S. Senate to ratify new member accession treaties will bolster membership interest from those not currently on the accession track.

Tailor progress on PfP projects to the needs of individual partners.

·         The Department will work toward continued progress on NRC to broaden and deepen cooperation on specific problem resolution.

·         Needs of PfP states can be met through military reform, improvements in military infrastructure, and increased interoperability and standardization with NATO forces.

Complete Joint Study of Phase III Military CBMs and Arms Control Measures.

·         Maintain a strong U.S.-South Korean alliance through cooperation with the South Korean Government on contingency planning.

·         Encourage greater interagency cooperation within the South Korean Government for joint planning with the United States.

Begin Joint Study of Phase IV Military CBMs and Arms Control Measures.

·         Maintain a strong U.S.-South Korea alliance through cooperation with the South Korean Government on contingency planning.

·         Encourage greater interagency cooperation within the South Korean Government for joint planning with the United States.

The United States plays a mediating role in several of the world’s most severe conflicts and will use its position on the UN Security Council to engage the international community in the search for solutions to crisis situations.  U.S. representatives are currently involved in diplomatic activities that include Middle East peace efforts, Cyprus talks, and regional stability in Southeast Europe.  The Department continues to support peace in Northern Ireland and also seeks to encourage Korean reconciliation, peace on the Korean peninsula, and greater stability in Northeast Asia.  The Department extends its diplomacy to other conflicts affecting such areas as South Asia, where it is pursuing regional nonproliferation priorities and a reduction in tensions, and East Africa, where transnational conflicts persist.

To combat the threat of terrorists who pose a major challenge to regional stability in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Latin America, the Department works closely with friendly governments to build and maintain the political will and institutional capacity for fighting terrorism.  The Department coordinates and implements U.S. counterterrorism capacity building overseas and has expanded and refocused its training programs to address the most critical issues.

Through International Military Education and Training (IMET), Foreign Military Financing (FMF), and Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) programs, the United States is strengthening the peacekeeping skills and abilities of various regional partners.  The United States trained and equipped West African battalions under Operation Focus Relief to enhance peacekeeping capacity in the sub-region.  Battalions from Nigeria and Ghana contributed significantly to successful operations conducted by the UN peace mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL).

The United States is also aware that other factors contribute to instability and threaten the very foundations of peaceful and sustainable democracy.  These include health crises, the illegal transport and dumping of hazardous wastes, the illegal trade in toxic chemicals and pesticides, and illegal and corrupt exploitation of natural resources.  The United States has initiated new global public-private partnerships to fight infectious disease, particularly HIV/AIDS.  Working with the G-8 and other concerned countries, the United States has embarked on a campaign to champion political commitment to address deforestation, including a partnership with Indonesia, one of the leading concerned countries.  The Department has brought together other countries to discuss mutually beneficial approaches to the use of shared natural resources before issues escalate into armed conflict.

The Department will press India and Pakistan to resume a direct, high-level dialogue that can reduce tensions and lead to peaceful resolution of disputes.  In Africa, the Department will seek to encourage the deployment of internationally sanctioned monitors to Sudan to solidify progress made towards peace.  Elsewhere in Africa and in other regions, the Department will continue to seek the resolution of ongoing conflicts and the successful management and conclusion of UN and other multilateral peacekeeping missions that leverage U.S. influence and resources.  In the Andes, the Department will significantly expand assistance to the Government of Colombia to regain national authority over much of the country and assist Colombia’s neighbors as they prevent the expansion of terrorist violence and drug production.

Arms control agreements contribute to confidence, transparency, predictability, and stability, thus serving as effective tools to prevent conflict.  The Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) plays a key stabilizing role in the Eurasian and Transatlantic security structures and reinforces U.S. influence in European security matters.  A decision to seek ratification of its follow-on—the Adapted CFE Treaty, which responds to new post-Cold War challenges—awaits Russian fulfillment of obligations to reduce Russian forces in Georgia and Moldova.  The Department has set the highest standards for implementation of the CFE Treaty, the Vienna Document (confidence- and security-building measures [CSBMs]), and the Treaty on Open Skies (reciprocal, unarmed observation flights) - especially their verification provisions.

Combating terrorist threats to regional stability will remain a critical priority; the Department will seek to keep counterterrorism at the top of bilateral and multilateral agendas.  The Department will work to ensure that the UN presses its members to meet their obligations to fight terrorism and will engage regional organizations such as the EU, OAS, and ASEAN to press member states for counterterrorism action and coordination.  The Department will expand capacity building programs such as the Anti-terrorism Training and Assistance (ATA) Program, the Terrorist Interdiction Program (TIP), and policy engagement workshops for senior officials.  The Department will expand regional counterterrorism cooperation through a greater number of regional conferences and anti-terror financial training.  The Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) is also a critical element in the long-term war on terror through enhancing economic, educational, and political opportunity, particularly for women and young people.

The Department will expand efforts to inform the international public about U.S. policy towards Iraq and encourage public support for the U.S. goal of a broad-based representative Iraqi Government committed to the rule of law, protection of the rights of the Iraqi people, and regional stability.

The Department intends to change the focus of the Enhanced International Peacekeeping Capabilities (EIPC) program towards regional peacekeeping training centers.  Because collaboration and cooperation are the foundations of peacekeeping training, focusing on regional training centers that bring nations together in common cause will further the U.S. goal of maintaining regional stability.  In this vein, the Department will continue to engage the military forces of Western African countries in order to enhance peacekeeping capabilities and ensure their positive participation when responding to regional contingencies.  The adjacent chart shows that by the end of FY 2004, the Department hopes to have U.S.-trained forces from twenty-two countries participating in PKOs.

In Europe, U.S. security assistance will continue to support countries undertaking military reforms and modernization necessary to promote regional stability, work toward the integration and interoperability necessary to meet NATO standards, and move toward accession to NATO.  U.S. security assistance also provides support for front-line states in Central Asia that have provided essential assistance to the United States and coalition partners in the global war on terrorism, and that are critical to the continued success of those efforts. 

Through economic and developmental assistance, the Department will support pro-Western reform-minded governments and development of civilian-controlled professional militaries that are appropriately sized, effectively trained, and capable of supporting border defense missions to ensure territorial integrity.  By leveraging complementary interests in the Balkans with security interests in other regions such as the Caucasus and Central Asia, the Department will strive to achieve the broadest possible impact from U.S. security assistance efforts.

The Department will continue to partner with African nations through the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance (ACOTA) program to provide assistance aimed at creating a sustainable capacity for conflict mitigation and peace support operations.  The Department will also assist the military forces of African countries in developing a counterterrorism operations capability and in conducting peace support missions.  The Department will increase support for North and West African nations through its Pan-Sahel Initiative designed to establish rapid-reaction units to address security threats along their borders.  In South and Northeast Asia, the Department will consult with and encourage China to continue its efforts to contribute to peace and stability.

Resolve two conflicts (Congo-Great Lakes and Sudan).

Using ACOTA, FMF and other programs, improve conflict management skills of key regional actors through training of African staffs and militaries.

Seek employment of better-trained and -equipped African units to conduct peace support operations.

Provide operational support to sub-regional efforts to mitigate conflict.

Use diplomatic, economic, and other levers to pressure all sides to a conflict to sign/comply with peace agreements; work multilaterally and bilaterally.

In the Congo, the key issue is army integration, which will help ensure the long-term viability of the Congolese Government, and its frontiers; IMET and PKO will be used to support U.S. and regional efforts to assist with security sector reform.

Closely linked to resolution of the Congo conflict will be support of the African Union Mission to help end civil war in Burundi.  Using PKO funds, the USG will assist the deployment of regional peacekeepers to monitor the December 2002 agreement.  Stability in Burundi will reduce instability in the neighboring eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

In Sudan, the United States will collaborate with the African Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Troika partners (the U.K. and Norway), UN agencies, and other entities to implement signed peace agreements.

As needed, the United States will continue support for deployment of ceasefire monitoring mechanisms, including the Civilian Protection Monitoring Team (CPMT) and the Nuba Mountains Joint Military Commission (JMC).  This support will also include coordination with the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) for a possible UN mission.

Withdraw two peace support missions (Sierra Leone and Ethiopia/Eritrea).

·         Prepare Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) and police to defend the borders and to support extension of state administration throughout the country.

Continue the West Africa Stabilization Program effort in conjunction with UN and U.K. lead-in peace building.  US support to enhance professionalism of RSLAF through continued provision of logistics support/training and logistics training depot in Freetown, as well as IMET and Defense Department-funded programs.

To help protect Sierra Leone from external threats, the United States will seek to contain Charles Taylor in Liberia using a mixture of bilateral and multilateral diplomacy (e.g., sanctions, Kimberly Process, etc.), and primarily through Economic Support Fund (ESF) programs designed to lay the foundation for his succession following the next round of elections.

Final withdrawal of the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) will be contingent on the successful conclusion of the border demarcation effort.  Toward this strategy, the United States provides ESF to the UN trust fund supporting the demarcation process and is otherwise diplomatically engaged in pressing the two sides to cooperate fully with the Boundary Commission.

No resumption of infiltration into Kashmir.

·         Maintain pressure on Pakistan to keep its commitments to stop permanently its support for infiltration. 

·         Work to enhance India’s ability to monitor the border.

·         Foster cooperative and confidence-building programs in Kashmir and between India and Pakistan in areas such as economic cooperation, people-to-people contacts, and nuclear confidence-building.

Disband terrorist groups in Pakistan .

·         Maintain pressure on Pakistan to end all official support for Kashmiri militant groups.

·         Consider assistance in demobilization, disarmament, and rehabilitation of militants.

India and Pakistan effectively implement existing nuclear and conventional CBMs, and agree to implement new ones.

·         Promote nuclear and missile restraint as well as confidence-building measures, properly enforced export controls, and non-proliferation.

·         Strengthen Indo-U.S. security ties as a key element of the growing U.S. strategic relationship with this emerging global power.

·         Strengthen U.S. Department of Defense and Pakistani Ministry of Defense military ties as a key element of our intensifying bilateral relationship.

No major problems implementing the Adapted CFE Treaty.

·         Maintain pressure on Russia to fulfill all Istanbul commitments.

·         Work with Georgia and Moldova to assist them in working with Russia to fulfill Russia's Istanbul commitments.

·         Lead U.S. ratification efforts once Russia fulfills all Istanbul commitments.

·         Work in NATO fora and in the Joint Consultative Group (JCG) to resolve implementation issues.

Key states accede to the Adapted CFE Treaty.

·         Once the Adapted CFE Treat enters into force, work with other CFE States Parties in the JCG and with allies at NATO concerning accession of new states, especially those that have been invited to join NATO.

·         Assist states seeking accession by training their experts in CFE provisions and procedures.

Units from twenty-two PKO-trained countries participate in international PKOs.

·         The USG will work with NATO to provide training to any country outside of NATO that offers to participate in operations in the Balkans, Implementation Force (IFOR) and KFOR.

·         Encourage NATO to host peacekeeping exercises for its member states and all PfP members.

·         Work with U.S. Combatant Commanders to offer bilateral and multilateral peacekeeping-based exercises within their regions.

Increase China’s coordination with the United States and the international community regarding the Korean peninsula, South Asia, and the Middle East.

·         Pursue high-level diplomatic efforts in bilateral and multilateral fora to ensure Chinese cooperation on these issues.

·         Ensure that high-level dialogue with senior Chinese leadership solicits Chinese cooperation and includes U.S. position on these issues.

·         Pursue, as appropriate, coordination on regional security issues raised through multilateral fora, including the UN, APEC, and other regional bodies.

·         Coordinate closely to make certain that U.S. interests in economic and other areas are neither undercut by, nor conflict with, Sino-U.S. cooperation on regional security issues.

Promptly report arms transfers on the WAIS; report denials of arms transfers; give notification before undercutting a previous dual-use denial.

·         Active diplomacy, (e.g., demarches and consultations) with members nations of the WA and other non-WA nations, the UN, other international organizations, and NGOs as needed.

Share “best practices” papers on effective export control practices within the WA.

·         Consultation efforts will focus on prompt reporting of arms transfers on the WAIS and sharing of "best practices" papers on effective export control practices within the WA.

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