NORWAY SENDING FM STORE TO BERLIN CONFERENCE ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000333 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/17/2018 TAGS: PREL KWBG PBTS PHUM IS EUN NO SUBJECT: NORWAY SENDING FM STORE TO BERLIN CONFERENCE ON PALESTINIAN CIVIL POLICE AND THE RULE OF LAW REF: SECSTATE 62133 Classified By: Political Counselor Kristen Bauer for reasons 1.4 (b) an d (d) ¶1. (C) The Norwegian delegation to the June 24 Berlin Conference will consist of: Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store, Ambassador Sven Svedman (Berlin Embassy),First Secretary Martina Osterhus (Berlin Embassy),Counselor Tor Wennesland (Norwegian representative to the Palestinian Authority (PA)),Senior Advisor Signe Gilen (MFA Middle East Section),and Senior Advisor Laila Stenseng (Foreign Minister's Secretariat). ¶2. (C) In a discussion at the MFA with Ingrid Schoyen, Assistant Director for Middle East Affairs, and Signe Gilen, Senior Advisor, Schoyen expressed some concern about the efficient coordination of donor activities in the security sector, and hoped a key theme of the conference would be encouraging such coordination. Schoyen repeatedly emphasized the importance of keeping PA "ownership" of their security apparatus, and also the crucial importance of budget support to keep PA employees salaried and efficient. She said that the security apparatus could not be built overnight, and donors must carefully take into account the positive lessons of Nablus and Jenin. ¶3. (C) Norway plans to contribute a minimum of $2.3 million (12 million NOK) annually to the Palestinian Civil Police Development Program (PCPDP) as well as $570,000 (3 million NOK) annually to EUPOL COPPS in the years 2008-2010. These pledges have already been announced and the Norwegians do not expect to make additional pledges at the Berlin Conference. Norway's overall annual support for the PA totals $146 million annually, of which $44 million is direct budget support. WHITNEY