Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07THEHAGUE471
2007-03-16 10:35:00
SECRET
Embassy The Hague
Cable title:
NETHERLANDS/AFGHANISTAN: DUTCH CHOD CLARIFIES
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S E C R E T THE HAGUE 000471
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/UBI, EUR/RPM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2017
TAGS: NATO PINS PREL MARR MOPS AF NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/AFGHANISTAN: DUTCH CHOD CLARIFIES
COMMENTS ON DUTCH DEPLOYMENT
REF: 3/14/07 POLITICS IN THE NETHERLANDS
Classified By: Ambassador Roland Arnall, reasons 1.4 (b,d)
S E C R E T THE HAGUE 000471
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/UBI, EUR/RPM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2017
TAGS: NATO PINS PREL MARR MOPS AF NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/AFGHANISTAN: DUTCH CHOD CLARIFIES
COMMENTS ON DUTCH DEPLOYMENT
REF: 3/14/07 POLITICS IN THE NETHERLANDS
Classified By: Ambassador Roland Arnall, reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (S) Dutch CHOD General Dick Berlijn clarified to
Ambassador Arnall on March 15 comments he made in an
interview with the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad (ref).
According to Gen. Berlijn, he did not say anything new or
different than the official Dutch government position
regarding its two year deployment to Uruzgan. He said the
article took his comments out of context, especially
regarding the article's title: "Netherlands will not extend
current mission in Uruzgan". He did acknowledge making
comments stating that Dutch helicopter and engineering units
were "stretched to the limit." But he said the article
misrepresented his position, making him appear negative
regarding prospects of maintaining some form of Dutch
presence in Uruzgan beyond August 2008.
2. (S) From a purely military perspective, Berlijn envisioned
two possible ways forward: "optimistically," the Dutch could
remain engaged militarily in Uruzgan if another ally provided
helicopter and engineering unit support. From a more
negative viewpoint, Berlijn said the Dutch could retain a
presence in Uruzgan to assist in some capacity, so long as
such assistance was not military in nature. Berlijn
emphasized that the future role of the Dutch presence in
Uruzgan was ultimately a "political issue" that must be
resolved between the Dutch government and parliament in
coming months. He added that the Dutch military recognizes
there is "still a lot of work to do" in Uruzgan, and wants to
continue to work closely with the United States in
Afghanistan.
ARNALL
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/UBI, EUR/RPM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2017
TAGS: NATO PINS PREL MARR MOPS AF NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/AFGHANISTAN: DUTCH CHOD CLARIFIES
COMMENTS ON DUTCH DEPLOYMENT
REF: 3/14/07 POLITICS IN THE NETHERLANDS
Classified By: Ambassador Roland Arnall, reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (S) Dutch CHOD General Dick Berlijn clarified to
Ambassador Arnall on March 15 comments he made in an
interview with the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad (ref).
According to Gen. Berlijn, he did not say anything new or
different than the official Dutch government position
regarding its two year deployment to Uruzgan. He said the
article took his comments out of context, especially
regarding the article's title: "Netherlands will not extend
current mission in Uruzgan". He did acknowledge making
comments stating that Dutch helicopter and engineering units
were "stretched to the limit." But he said the article
misrepresented his position, making him appear negative
regarding prospects of maintaining some form of Dutch
presence in Uruzgan beyond August 2008.
2. (S) From a purely military perspective, Berlijn envisioned
two possible ways forward: "optimistically," the Dutch could
remain engaged militarily in Uruzgan if another ally provided
helicopter and engineering unit support. From a more
negative viewpoint, Berlijn said the Dutch could retain a
presence in Uruzgan to assist in some capacity, so long as
such assistance was not military in nature. Berlijn
emphasized that the future role of the Dutch presence in
Uruzgan was ultimately a "political issue" that must be
resolved between the Dutch government and parliament in
coming months. He added that the Dutch military recognizes
there is "still a lot of work to do" in Uruzgan, and wants to
continue to work closely with the United States in
Afghanistan.
ARNALL