Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BRUSSELS2647
2006-08-01 13:19:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Brussels
Cable title:
BELGIAN COUNCIL OF MINISTERS FUND SEVERAL POSITIVE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0027 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHBS #2647/01 2131319 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 011319Z AUG 06 FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS TO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0214 RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0018 RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0436 RUEHTL/AMEMBASSY TALLINN 0221 INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 7557 RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 002647
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AF BE CG EAID EN KZ MARR MAS MOPS PBTS PGOV
PREL, SNAR, SU, XK, XL
SUBJECT: BELGIAN COUNCIL OF MINISTERS FUND SEVERAL POSITIVE
EFFORTS
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 002647
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AF BE CG EAID EN KZ MARR MAS MOPS PBTS PGOV
PREL, SNAR, SU, XK, XL
SUBJECT: BELGIAN COUNCIL OF MINISTERS FUND SEVERAL POSITIVE
EFFORTS
1. (U) Summary. The Belgian Council of Ministers meeting held
July 20 approved and provided budgetary allowances for
several economic, political and military initiatives. Of
particular interest were a C-130 for Afghanistan, a NATO mine
clearing operation in the Baltics, and continued
participation in the fight against drugs in the Caribbean.
End Summary.
MILITARY DETACHMENTS
--------------
2. (U) The Belgian Minister for Defense, Andre Flahaut, made
several suggestions at the July 20 Council of Ministers. At
his request, many key initiatives were given budgetary
authorization:
Afghanistan: a C-130 detachment comprised of one C-130 and 17
soldiers will be stationed at Kabul International Airport
(KAIA) and placed under the operational control of ISAF
commander (COMISAF). The detachment will be engaged for a
four-month period, beginning September 15. Its missions will
consist of support flights for transporting material and
personnel, and medical evacuations.
Baltic Sea: Contributing the Belgian NS Narcis and 46
soldiers, the Belgian Royal Navy will participate in the
search and destruction of marine mines and explosive devices
in the territorial waters of Estonia and its exclusive
economic zone (ZEE). Entitled Open Spirit 2006, this
operation will be under the control of the Estonian Navy.
Caribbean Sea: The Belgian frigate Westdiep and 159 soldiers
will participate in an operation monitoring sea traffic
attempting to identify ships transporting illegal substances.
The frigate will provide administrative, logistic and
operational support for a legal detachment of the U.S. Coast
Guard charged with boarding suspect vessels.
DR Congo: Forty-one soldiers will be remain in Kalemie,
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC) to ensure the smooth
transition between training underway for Congolese integrated
brigades to technical training planned for general-purpose
engineers. The detachment force will increase to 67 soldiers
beginning August 22.
NEW NATO HQ
--------------
4. (U) The Council agreed to undertake a feasibility study
pertaining to the construction of the new permanent head
office of NATO in Brussels. As agreed in the December 8, 2004
Memorandum of Agreement signed between Belgium and NATO,
Belgium will assume management of the project. The Council
selected the PM, FM, and MoD as signatories to the Memorandum
of Agreement with the Secretary-General of NATO.
DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION
--------------
5. (U) The Minister of Development Cooperation, Armand De
Decker, won approval from the Council of Ministers for the
third management contract between the Belgian State and
Belgian Technical Cooperation (BTC). BTC is a public law
company that has the exclusive authority to formulate and
implement Belgian direct bilateral cooperation as a public
service task. This contract is aimed at the optimal
harmonization of international assistance. This would require
a higher degree of ownership on the part of the country
partner receiving assistance, in the hopes of eliminating
redundancies and other inefficiencies during all stages of
the development process.
PREVENTATIVE DIPLOMACY
--------------
6. (U) FM De Gucht suggested financing several preventative
diplomacy efforts. The Council approved initiatives in Sudan,
Kazakhstan, and several Central American states. Through the
NGO "Close the Gap", 300 computers will be delivered to the
Sudanese Parliament and ministries in the south of the
country. Special NATO funds will be allocated for the
destruction of a stock of 27,000 light and small gauge
weapons (ALPC),and portable air-defense systems (MANPAD) in
Kazakhstan. A public awareness campaign developed by the
Oscar Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Development will
educate Central American teenagers on the impacts of weapons
on their lives. All of these projects were approved for
funding.
BRUSSELS 00002647 002 OF 002
IMBRIE
.
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AF BE CG EAID EN KZ MARR MAS MOPS PBTS PGOV
PREL, SNAR, SU, XK, XL
SUBJECT: BELGIAN COUNCIL OF MINISTERS FUND SEVERAL POSITIVE
EFFORTS
1. (U) Summary. The Belgian Council of Ministers meeting held
July 20 approved and provided budgetary allowances for
several economic, political and military initiatives. Of
particular interest were a C-130 for Afghanistan, a NATO mine
clearing operation in the Baltics, and continued
participation in the fight against drugs in the Caribbean.
End Summary.
MILITARY DETACHMENTS
--------------
2. (U) The Belgian Minister for Defense, Andre Flahaut, made
several suggestions at the July 20 Council of Ministers. At
his request, many key initiatives were given budgetary
authorization:
Afghanistan: a C-130 detachment comprised of one C-130 and 17
soldiers will be stationed at Kabul International Airport
(KAIA) and placed under the operational control of ISAF
commander (COMISAF). The detachment will be engaged for a
four-month period, beginning September 15. Its missions will
consist of support flights for transporting material and
personnel, and medical evacuations.
Baltic Sea: Contributing the Belgian NS Narcis and 46
soldiers, the Belgian Royal Navy will participate in the
search and destruction of marine mines and explosive devices
in the territorial waters of Estonia and its exclusive
economic zone (ZEE). Entitled Open Spirit 2006, this
operation will be under the control of the Estonian Navy.
Caribbean Sea: The Belgian frigate Westdiep and 159 soldiers
will participate in an operation monitoring sea traffic
attempting to identify ships transporting illegal substances.
The frigate will provide administrative, logistic and
operational support for a legal detachment of the U.S. Coast
Guard charged with boarding suspect vessels.
DR Congo: Forty-one soldiers will be remain in Kalemie,
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC) to ensure the smooth
transition between training underway for Congolese integrated
brigades to technical training planned for general-purpose
engineers. The detachment force will increase to 67 soldiers
beginning August 22.
NEW NATO HQ
--------------
4. (U) The Council agreed to undertake a feasibility study
pertaining to the construction of the new permanent head
office of NATO in Brussels. As agreed in the December 8, 2004
Memorandum of Agreement signed between Belgium and NATO,
Belgium will assume management of the project. The Council
selected the PM, FM, and MoD as signatories to the Memorandum
of Agreement with the Secretary-General of NATO.
DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION
--------------
5. (U) The Minister of Development Cooperation, Armand De
Decker, won approval from the Council of Ministers for the
third management contract between the Belgian State and
Belgian Technical Cooperation (BTC). BTC is a public law
company that has the exclusive authority to formulate and
implement Belgian direct bilateral cooperation as a public
service task. This contract is aimed at the optimal
harmonization of international assistance. This would require
a higher degree of ownership on the part of the country
partner receiving assistance, in the hopes of eliminating
redundancies and other inefficiencies during all stages of
the development process.
PREVENTATIVE DIPLOMACY
--------------
6. (U) FM De Gucht suggested financing several preventative
diplomacy efforts. The Council approved initiatives in Sudan,
Kazakhstan, and several Central American states. Through the
NGO "Close the Gap", 300 computers will be delivered to the
Sudanese Parliament and ministries in the south of the
country. Special NATO funds will be allocated for the
destruction of a stock of 27,000 light and small gauge
weapons (ALPC),and portable air-defense systems (MANPAD) in
Kazakhstan. A public awareness campaign developed by the
Oscar Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Development will
educate Central American teenagers on the impacts of weapons
on their lives. All of these projects were approved for
funding.
BRUSSELS 00002647 002 OF 002
IMBRIE
.