Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BRUSSELS1023
2009-07-27 10:36:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Brussels
Cable title:  

SCENESETTER FOR SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE HOLBROOKE'S

Tags:  PREL MOPS EAID AF BE 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 001023 

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

C O R R E C T E D COPY: PARAGRAPH NUMBER CORRECTED.

STATE FOR SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE HOLBROOKE, EUR/WE, EUR/RPM
AND SCA/A

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MOPS EAID AF BE
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE HOLBROOKE'S
MEETING WITH BELGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER YVES LETERME

BRUSSELS 00001023 001.3 OF 002


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 001023

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

C O R R E C T E D COPY: PARAGRAPH NUMBER CORRECTED.

STATE FOR SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE HOLBROOKE, EUR/WE, EUR/RPM
AND SCA/A

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MOPS EAID AF BE
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE HOLBROOKE'S
MEETING WITH BELGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER YVES LETERME

BRUSSELS 00001023 001.3 OF 002



1. (SBU) Summary: Embassy Brussels warmly welcomes the visit
of Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan
Holbrooke and his meeting with newly appointed Belgian
Foreign Minister Yves Leterme. Since a change of government
in late 2007, Belgium has gone from regarding its military as
"an ennobled humanitarian agency," in the words of Defense
Minister Pieter De Crem, to "a small, reliable to f, already
under cons trainersn. End SQ Of its 120and send3rity to the airport in Kabul, has one OMLT in
Kunduz, provides troops to a German led Provncial
Reconstruction Team in Kunduz and bases four F-16's in
Kandahar. In April 2009, tQe government promised to extend
its existing commitments through 2010, to supply a second
OMT, training and another PRT. QNote: a consensus seems to
be developing in the GOB that a PRT is too expensive for
Belgim to run.) It is willing to send crew for AWACQ planes
if NATO approves that mission. BudgeQ limitations make any
significant increase inmilitary operations unlikely, but the
government has promised to double its development assistance
to 12 million euros per year in 2009 and 2010.


3. (SBU) As more Belgian troops are sent to Afghanistan, they
are increasingly exposed to danger. Memories of the massacre
of ten Belgian paratroopers in Rwanda in the early 1990's
make the country sensitive to any possibility of harm to its
soldiers. The government, and especially Defense Minister De
Crem, take frequent criticism from the press and Parliament
for the danger, for perceived futility of the mission and for
allegedly failing to share information with members of the
Parliament about the soldiers' rules of engagement. De Crem
has successfully countered such criticism, and has begun to
do more to argue publicly the link between terrorism in
Europe and success or failure in Afghanistan. Public
acceptance of the message is important to maintaining the
military effort (especially if it results in casualties) and
increasing development aid. De Crem has had to promise to
deploy Belgian troops only in the North of Afghanistan

(except for the F-16 crews in Kandahar and the security force
at Kabul Airport),because the North of the country is
perceived to be less risky. However, Belgian troops in the
North recently came under sustained attack while patrolling
with the Afghan soldiers they are mentoring. Foreign
Minister Leterme is new, but could become more involved in
explaining the mission to the public. His predecessor, Karel
De Gucht, was more skeptical of the mission and much less
vocal in supporting it than De Crem.

4.(SBU) With budgets severely constrained by the economic
crisis, defense spending is likely to remain static for the
foreseeable future. The GOB's priority will be fulfilling
the promises it has already made to augment military
operations with the second OMLT (now expected to arrive in
December 2009 or January 2010 rather than September 2009 as
originally planned),and the two new F-16's. The Belgian
government may be able to offer more in development
assistance, albeit reluctantly.


5. (SBU) Belgium has designated 18 "partner countries" to
which it provides direct bilateral assistance administered by
its aid agency, Belgian Technical Cooperation, with offices
in-country. It provides assistance to other countries,
including Afghanistan, through grants to UN agencies, other

BRUSSELS 00001023 002.4 OF 002


international agencies and some NGO's. Examples of Belgian
NGO's operating in Afghanistan are Solidarite Afghanistan
Belgique and Mothers for Peace. In 2008, Belgium provided 7
million euros to Afghanistan. The 12 million euros it has
promised for 2009 would be 0.72 percent of its 1.6 billion
euro assistance budget for 2008. Much of Belgium's official
development assistance (ODA) is focused on African countries.
Its largest recipient, the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
received 122 million euros or 7.4 percent of total ODA in

2008. All but one of Belgium's 18 partner countries receive
more assistance from Belgium than Afghanistan.


6. (SBU) One area where Belgium is likely to contribute in
the future is police training. The Belgian Federal Police
have recently completed a report to Minister Leterme and to
Interior Minister Annelie Turtelboom that recommends the
sending of two to four police trainers to join the
EUPOL-Afghanistan training mission, if appropriate security
protections are available to the Belgian trainers. Leterme
and Turtelboom must soon make a decision on whether to go
ahead with that. Leterme will be interested in your
evaluation of the security aspects of the EUPOL-A mission.


7. (SBU) Themes for press appearance: Embassy suggests the
following themes for your five-minute television interview
with the Belgian press: Express strong appreciation for
Belgium's military contributions and show familiarity with
them. Say that the Afghanistan operations demonstrate that
Belgium is a trusted and capable ally in maintaining global
security. Acknowledge that Afghanistan operations entail
risks, North and South, but note that U.S. and other foreign
troops are running those risks (and more) right along with
the Belgians. The risks are necessary in light of the very
real threat to Belgian, European and world security posed by
terrorists and narcotics smugglers who would like to use
Afghanistan as a base. Emphasize the many needs for
development assistance that also contribute to stability,
discourage radicalism and encourage further Belgian
contributions in that way. Note progress that already has
been made to date.


8. Talking points for use with Foreign Minister Leterme:

-- Very much appreciate Belgium's efforts in Afghanistan,
both military and in development assistance.

-- I think you agree the success of our effort in Afghanistan
and Pakistan is directly linked to security in Belgium,
Europe and America. Can you do more to help ensure that is
understood by the Belgian public?

-- There are many very important development assistance needs
in Afghanistan.

-- Will appreciate additional assistance beyond the 12
million euros per year (approximately 0.72 percent of total
ODA) that Belgium has promised for 2009-10.

-- Understand your government is considering sending police
trainers to join EUPOL-Afghanistan. Your personal support
for doing so would be much appreciated. Will you?

BUSH





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