NETHERLANDS/AFGHANISTAN: DM KAMP INTERVIEW DOES

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 000978

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/RPM, EUR/UBI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/02/2016
TAGS: NATO MARR PREL PGOV NL AF
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/AFGHANISTAN: DM KAMP INTERVIEW DOES
NOT REFLECT DUTCH POLICY ON AFGHANISTAN


Classified By: DCM Chat Blakeman, reasons 1.4 (b,d)


1. (C) Summary: Senior Dutch government officials downplayed
DM Kamp's April 30 television interview in which he claimed
the Netherlands might withdraw its deployment to Afghanistan
as part of NATO's ISAF III mission should it become
"impossible to fulfill the mission." Dutch officials said
Kamp's comments were misconstrued by the Dutch media, and do
not/not represent any change in the Dutch commitment to
Afghanistan. End summary.


2. (C) Dutch media reported extensively on Kamp's April 30
television interview, in which he noted that the Dutch might
choose to withdraw from Uruzgan province should it become
"impossible to fulfill the mission." Kamp noted that the
Dutch government and parliament would decide in such a case
whether it was necessary to withdraw. He added that it was
highly improbable, as that also would imply NATO had failed.
Kamp said the "number of victims" would not be a reason to
withdraw -- "we never speculate on possible victims," Kamp
said, and, "we did say that it would be a dangerous mission."
At the same time, Kamp expected a "summer from hell" as the
Taliban will most certainly test the newly deployed Dutch
troops.


3. (C) National Security Advisor Rob Swartbol (please
protect) told DCM May 2 that PM Balkenende called Kamp
regarding his comments. According to Swartbol, Kamp was
trying to evade a difficult question and did not "do a very
good job." Swartbol stressed that the Dutch are "obviously
not swaying" from their commitment to deploy to Uruzgan
province. He said Kamp was displeased by the way the Dutch
media "twisted" his words and will make a public statement
May 4 to "set the record straight." Swartbol said Balkenende
told Kamp to "choose his words more carefully" in the future.


4. (C) Chief of Defense Gen. Dick Berlijn told Ambassador May
2 that Kamp's interview had been misconstrued by the Dutch
press. Gen. Berlijn noted that Kamp had stressed during the
interview that the Dutch were committed to Afghanistan, and
that they would only consider withdrawal if the mission "no
longer made sense." He added that Kamp wholeheartedly denied
quotes attributed to him that the Dutch would withdraw if the
mission became "too dangerous," and confirmed Kamp's
willingness to make a public statement on May 4 to "set the
record straight."


5. (C) MOD Director of Operations Gen. Eikelboom told DATT
May 2 that Kamp's remarks "caught us all by surprise," and
said that his comments were not/not coordinated. Gen.
Eikelboom reiterated that the Dutch are "committed for two
years" in Uruzgan, but also repeated that it was important
that U.S. forces remain at OEF firebases in the north.


6. (C) MFA Senior Policy Advisor for Afghanistan Dewi van de
Weerd told polmiloff May 2 that Kamp's comments should not be
taken at face value. She argued that Kamp was pressed during
the interview, and he gave a candid answer. Van de Weerd
described press attention to Kamp's comments as overly
negative, and that more attention should be paid to Kamp's
remarks that a withdrawal was highly improbable. "Kamp was
being blunt," she said, "but he also said withdrawal would
signify failure for NATO, which he viewed as highly unlikely."

ARNALL