NATO/IRAQ: DUTCH ON NATO TRAINING

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001881

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/25/2014
TAGS: MOPS IZ NL NATO
SUBJECT: NATO/IRAQ: DUTCH ON NATO TRAINING

REF: STATE 161037

Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY ANDREW SCHOFER FOR REASONS 1.5 (B AND D)

(C) PolMilOff delivered reftel points to MFA Security Policy
Operations Acting Director Joost Flamand on July 26. Flamand
said that while the GONL did not object to "dual-hatting" the
MNF-I commander as commander of the NATO training mission,
the Dutch thought it might be preferable to first obtain
agreement on the details of the training mission. Flamand
acknowledged the U.S. had presented "sound reasons" for
dual-hatting MNF-I commander as NATO mission commander.
Nevertheless, given the imperative to broaden allied
participation in Iraq, such a step might give those allies
not in Iraq an excuse to argue against the mission. Flamand
stressed the GONL wanted NATO to be able to carry out its
Istanbul commitments. He suggested that, should the issue of
command become a focal point for disagreement, it might be
advisable to indicate dual-hatting as "a preference"
depending on the outcome of discussions over NATO's exact
role. Flamand also noted the Netherlands as EU President
will lead an exploratory mission to Iraq to see if the EU can
play a role, perhaps in police training. He expressed
concern that the French and the Germans might use the lack of
clarity concerning the EU's role as a pretext to block
consensus in NATO.
RUSSEL