DUTCH RESPONSE TO OEF DEMARCHE

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 002343 SIPDIS STATE FOR PM/RSAT, EUR/UBI E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2013 TAGS: MARR MASS PREL PARM PTER AF NL SUBJECT: DUTCH RESPONSE TO OEF DEMARCHE REF: STATE 246182 Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL COUNSELOR MARY DALY FOR REASONS 1.5 (B AND D). ¶1. (U) This is an action request: see para 3. ¶2. (C) Mission made reftel demarche to GONL prior to September 2-3 visit to Washington by Dutch PM Balkenende and FM de Hoop Scheffer. Post was advised that GONL was not in a position to provide assets as requested reftel. The Dutch plead budget constraints owing to their commitments to deployments in SFIR in Iraq and SFOR in Bosnia as well as their just concluded stint as co-lead nation of ISAF III in Afghanistan. Nevertheless the Dutch are interested in exploring some sort of follow-on presence in Afghanistan and have been considering various options to include participation of Dutch special operations forces (SOF) personnel in a German-led "expanded ISAF" operation in Kunduz or possibly direct participation by Dutch SOF in Operation Enduring Freedom. Concerning the latter possibility, post judges that there are competing views within the GONL -- the military is eager to get Dutch SOF involved in combat operations, while MFA and MOD are concerned about potential domestic political ramifications of Dutch SOF apprehending Taliban/Al Qaeda members that may in turn be detained in Guantanamo Bay. ¶3. (C) Action request: Post requests Washington advise whether there is interest in deployment of a small contingent of Dutch SOF personnel to Afghanistan, either in cooperation with the Germans in Kunduz or with OEF. We judge a formal demarche to the GONL would help clarify GONL intentions in this regard. SOBEL