NETHERLANDS/AFGHANISTAN: FUNDING AFGHANISTAN'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 000956

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2015
TAGS: PREL EAID AF UNSC
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/AFGHANISTAN: FUNDING AFGHANISTAN'S
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

REF: STATE 61560

Classified By: Political Counselor Andrew Schofer for reasons 1.4 (b) a
nd (d).


1. (C) Poloff met Marit van Zomeren (MFA Afghanistan Desk)
April 6 to request augmented Dutch support for subject
elections (reftel). Referring to a comprehensive list of
Dutch contributions in Afghanistan for the 2001-2005 period
(outlined below),van Zomeren said the GoNL had disbursed to
UNDP in March four million euro for 2005 to support
parliamentary elections. She recalled that Development
Minister van Ardenne had recently visited the area and stated
publicly that the Netherlands was one of the first to pledge
and pay, so she would wait to see what other donors would now
contribute before discussing an augmented Dutch contribution.
Further, van Zomeren said that van Ardenne identified other
priority resource needs for Afghanistan, including
disarmament, setting up the parliament, and fighting drugs.
In this context, van Zomeren speculated that the 4 million
euro might be the best the GoNL could do for now. She agreed
that UNDP's reported shortfall is large, but suggested that
UNDP and donors would find a way to come up with sufficient
resources in the end through donations and ad hoc mechanisms.
(Note: Van Zomeren said that she and her department at the
MFA follow the elections and its resource needs more closely
than her counterparts at the Ministry for Development, which
plays a role and with whom Poloff also shared reftel points.)


2. (C) Money aside, van Zomeren volunteered that the GoNL
worries more about the time-line for elections and how the
lethargic and cautious GOA decision-making process severely
hampers preparations. She pointed out that the GOA has
numerous decisions pending on issues that need resolution
before election preparations can proceed, among them voting
rules, seat allocations (including Kuchi nomad seats),and
preparations for provincial elections. UNDP is forced to
rush arrangements as soon as the GOA makes decisions on key
steps, she complained.


3. (C) EU Special Envoy for Afghanistan Vendrell receives
strong support from an engaged Dutch delegation, van Zomeren
said. His reports to Brussels reveal he is "very worried"
about the pace of preparations and that he has pressed
President Karzai to act. Van Zomeren added that Vendrell
reports to EU colleagues that Karzai's cabinet hesitates,
fearing to make unpopular decisions.


4. (C) Finally, van Zomeren asked about the status of USG
support for Afghanistan. She said that van Ardenne had heard
recently from the Afghan Minister of Finance that the U.S.
Senate had plans to dramatically reduce USG pledges for 2005.


5. (SBU) Summary of The Netherlands contributions to
Afghanistan 2001-2005

2001: 21.4 million euro (5.5 million to UNHCR, the rest to
WFP, OCHA, UNICEF, ICRC, and others)

2002: 90 million euro (35 million to Afghan reconstruction
trust fund (ARTF),small amounts to rebuilding the army and
police training, 10.5 million to UNHCR, 37.8 million to
humanitarian projects)

2003: 54 million euro (41 million to rebuilding of which 35
million to the ARTF, 13 million to humanitarian assistance
including UNHCR and NGO support);

2004: 52 million euro (45 million to rebuilding, including 35
million to the ARTF and 2.8 million for elections, and 7
million for humanitarian support including UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP
and NGOs);

2005 (projected): 50 million euro (25 million to the ARTF, 4
million to elections distributed to UNDP in March, 10-15
million to various projects supported by the Stability Fund
such as drug control and disposal of weapons, and 4.5 million
to humanitarian assistance). In addition, the Embassy of The
Netherlands in Kabul has 600,000 euro to spend on security,
human rights, and reconstruction projects as identified in
the Embassy's program plan for 2005-2008.
SOBEL