Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|
00THEHAGUE1929 | 2000-06-27 10:54:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy The Hague |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. |
C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001929 |
1.(C) The Dutch MFA is studying the UN military advisors request for Dutch a contribution to a SHIRBRIG operation in Ethiopia/Eritrea (refs a and b). MFA UN Political expert Marjolijn van Deelen told A/Polcouns on June 26 that no Dutch decision will be made until a satisfactory UN mandate and command structure are defined. However, Van Deelen observed that a prospective deployment of Dutch forces to Ethiopia/Eritrea was more doable than the recently-declined Dutch participation in UNAMSIL in Sierra Leone, since the former presented a more clear-cut mission that could reasonably remain within a Chapter VI mandate. Another selling point, of course, is that SHIRBRIG commander General Patrick Cammaert is a Dutchman. 2.(SBU) Discussions within the Dutch government are currently focused on whether participation in a Horn of Africa operation meet the criteria adopted by the current coalition in 1994 for participation in peacekeeping operations. These criteria are as follows: -- Dutch interests served (which include international peace and security); -- Clear mandate, consistent with international law; -- Solidarity and credibility of international support; -- Evident support over the long term among participants and countries of the region; -- Dutch parliamentary and public support; -- Concrete objectives; -- Realizable objectives; -- Burden sharing among a PKO participants; -- Available Dutch military units; -- Clear command structure (no duel key); -- Satisfactory risk level; -- Adequate rules of engagement; -- Adequate (UN or other) financial support; -- Clear timetable for Dutch force participation. 3.(C) Ref B notes that the Dutch will be asked to contribute, in priority order, an infantry battalion with engineer company, one role 2 medical hospital, one helicopter wing, or one brigade headquarters company. Van Deelen said that the nature of the Dutch contribution would be determined once a decision to participate was made -- in other words, the availability or not of particular units would not determine the ultimate decision. Within the next day, she said, the MFA would determine whether to participate in an initial SHIRBRIG survey mission to Ethiopia/Eritrea. Thereafter, she advised, deliberations would continue within the GON on the question of larger Dutch participation, with the MFA UN Affairs department taking the lead. Comment -------------------------- 4.(C) There does not appear to have been any MFA-MOD consultation on this proposal. Notwithstanding our MFA contact's confidence that military commitments would follow political decisionmaking on Dutch deployment, mission is not entirely confident that the Dutch military at this moment has the force flexibility or budget wherewithal to deploy a battalion-plus force to the Horn of Africa. End comment. SCHNEIDER |