AFGHANISTAN'S FUTURE - DUTCH QUESTIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 003267 STATE FOR EUR/UBI, SA/PAB, SA/SEAR, IO E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2011 TAGS: PREL PTER EAID EUN NL JA SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN'S FUTURE - DUTCH QUESTIONS REF: A. STATE 192153 ¶B. TOKYO 7585 CLASSIFIED BY: POLCOUNS MARY E. DALY, REASONS 1.5 B/D ¶1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION MESSAGE, CHARGE HAS SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH DUTCH DEPUTY POLITICAL SECRETARY GENERAL HERMAN SCHAPER ON NOVEMBER 8 TO DISCUSS AFGHANISTAN'S FUTURE AND HE WOULD APPRECIATE TALKING POINTS TO ADDRESS DUTCH QUESTIONS IN PARA 2 BELOW BY COB WASHINGTON TIME ON NOVEMBER ¶7. ¶2. (C) DURING MEETINGS ON NOVEMBER 5 TO DISCUSS REF A TALKING POINTS ON AFGHANISTAN'S FUTURE, SENIOR OFFICIALS IN THE DUTCH MFA'S SOUTH ASIA DEPARTMENT WERE LOOKING FOR A DUTCH ROLE IN THE POLITICAL AND RECONSTRUCTION PROCESS, AS WELL AS MORE INFORMATION ON U.S. VIEWS. WE WOULD APPRECIATE GUIDANCE ON THE FOLLOWING POINTS IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CHARGE'S MEETING NOVEMBER 7: -- THE DUTCH BELIEVE THAT THE AFGHAN SUPPORT GROUP SHOULD BE THE FOCAL POINT FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND ASSISTANCE, RATHER THAN ANY NEW ORGANIZATION. THEIR QUESTIONS: DOES THE U.S. AGREE? IS THE JAPAN-HOSTED EVENT AT UNGA BEING DONE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE AFGHAN SUPPORT GROUP? IF NOT, WHAT ROLE DOES THE U.S. SEE FOR THE AFGHAN SUPPORT GROUP AND HOW WILL WE ENSURE EFFICIENT USE OF AID? -- THE DUTCH ASKED FOR U.S. VIEWS ON SRSG BRAHIMI'S PROPOSAL TO HOST A MEETING ON AFGHANISTAN'S FUTURE IN MECCA, SAUDI ARABIA. THE MFA'S INITIAL, UNOFFICIAL REACTION IS THAT IT WAS AN INTERESTING IDEA BECAUSE IT COULD LEND AN "ISLAMIST" MANTLE TO A POLITICAL SOLUTION. WHAT ARE U.S. VIEWS? -- WITH REGARD TO THE EFFORTS TO DEVELOP A POST-TALIBAN GOVERNMENT, THE DUTCH INDICATED THAT THERE HAD TO BE A ROLE FOR THE COUNTRIES THAT WOULD END UP FOOTING THE BILL. ONE IDEA, NOT YET OFFICIAL DUTCH POLICY, IS TO PRESS THE U.S. TO EXPAND THE 6-PLUS-2 MECHANISM TO INCLUDE ENTITITES SUCH AS THE EU AND INDIA. THEY SAID THEY HAD NOT/NOT TALKED ABOUT THIS YET WITH OTHER EU COUNTRIES. PLEASE ADVISE ON WHAT WE CAN SAY TO THE DUTCH ABOUT THE ROLE THEY COULD PLAY IN THE EFFORT TO DEVELOP A POST-TALIBAN GOVERNMENT. FENDRICK