NETHERLANDS/AFGHANISTAN: RESPONSE ON AUSTRALIAN

S E C R E T THE HAGUE 000488 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR P, SCA, EUR/RPM, EUR/UBI E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2017 TAGS: NATO PINS PREL MARR MOPS AF AS NL SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/AFGHANISTAN: RESPONSE ON AUSTRALIAN SPECIAL FORCES DEMARCHE REF: STATE 34078 Classified By: Ambassador Roland Arnall, reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (S) Summary: MFA Deputy Director for Political Affairs Wim Geerts described on-going discussions with the Australian Government on sending additional Australian special forces to Uruzgan province as "no controversy." He expected the Dutch and Australians to resolve the issue of placing the new special forces under ISAF or OEF during Australian Chief of Defense Forces Angus Houston's visit to The Hague on March 21-22. Geerts discussed reftel points with Ambassador Arnall on March 19. End summary. ¶2. (S) Geerts said reftel points were "quite clear," and emphasized that the Dutch and Australians were in "no fight" on this issue. To the contrary, Geerts said the Dutch greatly appreciate the additional contribution from the Australians, and he is confident that The Hague and Canberra can find a way forward from which to work together on the ground in incorporating these new special forces. ¶3. (S) That said, Geerts noted that the Dutch prefer the Australian special forces be placed under the ISAF chain of command. He argued that ISAF is responsible for Uruzgan province. Both the Dutch and Gov. Monib believe placing the special forces under ISAF is optimal in order to preserve unity of command. Geerts described Dutch efforts in Uruzgan as "civilian as possible, as military as necessary," and suggested ISAF rules of engagement were sufficiently robust for Australian special forces. He added that Dutch Foreign Minister Verhagen called Australian Foreign Minister Downer on March 16, and suggested the two sides will be able to work out their differences during the upcoming visit of Australian Chief of Defense Forces Houston to The Hague. ¶4. (S) Geerts also pointed to the GONL's domestic management of the issue as a determining factor. He said that managing the public's perception of the mission in Uruzgan was important, even if he described the on-going debate within the Dutch Parliament regarding the feasibility of reconstruction efforts vs. the need to undertake kinetic operations as "not the right discussion." He said Parliament is seized with the issue, which will play an instrumental part in the upcoming decision on whether to maintain some sort of a Dutch presence in Uruzgan past August 2008 -- from that perspective, explaining an increase in OEF vs. ISAF forces in the province will be difficult. ARNALL