DUTCH: NO EU DISCUSSION YET ON CSW AFGHAN

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000100

SIPDIS

IO/SHA, USUN/ECOSOC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC PHUM KWMN SA NL UN CSW
SUBJECT: DUTCH: NO EU DISCUSSION YET ON CSW AFGHAN
RESOLUTION

REF: SECSTATE 8912


1. Kabul minimize considered.


2. According to Dutch MFA contacts, the EU has not/not made a
decision yet to propose and/or support a UN Commission on the
Status of Women (CSW) resolution on the situation of women
and girls in Afghanistan, nor has it begun fruitful
discussions on the issue. PolOff presented reftel demarche
and January 8 Fact Sheet from Department's Office of
International Women's Issues to Senior Policy Officer for
Human Rights Birgitta Tazelaar, Afghan Desk Officer Marit van
Zomeren, and UN Funds and Social Affairs Policy Advisor Hein
van der Hoeven. They agreed that the situation has improved
significantly, but that much work remains. Van der Hoeven
noted that the EU position will likely be significantly
influenced by the UN Secretary General's report on the
situation of women and girls in Afghanistan. He said that if
the SYG's report is very positive, the EU is likely forgoe
consideration of a resolution. He further noted that he
expects the EU to have a more formalized position in advance
of upcoming COHUM meetings in New York in early February.


3. At present, the GoNL does not have a formal position as
to whether or not it would support an EU resolution, if
tabled. Van Zomeren, who visited Afghanistan in October,
stated that despite new laws and positive measures, major
problems persist and the situation is "not all rosy." To
illustrate, she commented that the voter registration process
in the south is flawed, and that the two women members of the
constitutional drafting committee acted as secretaries, not
equal members. Tazelaar noted that the MFA will speak
further with its Embassy and contacts in Kabul, as well as
its mission to the UN, regarding this issue. Following such
consultations, the MFA will weigh which avenues of action
will be most useful in addressing the status of women and
girls in Afghanistan.


4. Note: The Dutch are currently supporting two
women-focused programs in Afghanistan via UNIFEM and UNAMA.
Additionally, an official from the MFA's Women and
Development office will travel to Kabul next week on a
general mission to assess the current situation. The Dutch
are the voice of the EU for the next 18 months in
Afghanistan, as neither Ireland (current president of the EU)
nor Luxembourg (which holds the presidency in the first half
of 2005, directly after the Netherlands) maintain a presence
in Kabul. End note.
SOBEL