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