BELGIAN GOVERNMENT TO SUPPORT NEW APPROACH ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 001622

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2024
TAGS: PREL PINR AF PK BE
SUBJECT: BELGIAN GOVERNMENT TO SUPPORT NEW APPROACH ON
AFGHANISTAN

REF: STATE 122731

Classified By: Ambassador Howard Gutman, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: The Belgian government is prepared to
welcome the new administration policy on Afghanistan. The
Minister of Defense will speak publicly in support of the
President's speech. The new Foreign Minister was unable to
provide an immediate reaction but agreed there are strong
arguments in favor of sharing burdens. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Defense Minister Pieter De Crem told the
Ambassador, A/DCM and DATT on December 1 that he will speak
publicly on December 2 in support of President Obama's new
approach. He had already discussed Afghanistan with Prime
Minister Yves Leterme earlier that morning. In his message,
De Crem will call upon all the nations deploying forces to
Afghanistan to increase their support, both on the military
and the civilian sides.


3. (C) De Crem said that Belgium was already increasing its
military presence in Afghanistan but admitted that Belgium
needed to do more on the civilian side. He said PrimeMinister Leterme was in negotiations with Interor Minister
Annemie Turtleboom over sending cvilian police trainers but
the police trade unons were resisting. However, De Crem
stresse, "I do not exclude anything, although we aleady
have considerable participation."


4. (C) De Crem believes it is very important to use the
opportunity of the President's address. He said he will be
very supportive and will push both the PM and the FM both to
be very supportive and to push for what is needed for the
longer term. However, for domestic political reasons,
Belgium will need to keep in place its caveat on military
operations in the south. De Crem's aim is to create an
atmosphere where the government considers doing more in the
near term, and increases civilian aid and police training.


5. (C) The Prime Minister, under De Crem's urging, had
agreed to meet with Turtleboom and Deputy Prime Minister Guy
Vanhengel (both of the Flemish liberal party),on the police
training issue but the PM had had to postpone that meeting in
order to have more time to lay the groundwork for successful
discussions. (NOTE: The Flemish liberals dominated a
previous government and had excluded the Flemish Christian
Democrats when they were in power. The Flemish liberals are
now chafing at similar treatment by the now-dominant Flemish
Christian Democrats, the party of the PM, FM and DefMin..
END NOTE).


6. (C) De Crem then pointed out for the Ambassador others
in the opposition to the government with whom the Ambassador
should meet. The Ambassador agreed to do so.


7. (C) Foreign Minister Steven Vanackere, in his post less
than a week, made clear he would be unable to comment at this
point, but would be coordinating his position within the
government and with advice from his ministry. He was
interested in whether the President would be announcing a
timetable.


8. (C) BIO NOTE: Vanackere speaks excellent English and
has a good sense of humor. He noted that he is "less
immediate than (his predecessor) Leterme. He described
himself as a Parliamentarian politician, with a view that if
he shows respect to the opposition, they will better respect
him. He was pleased that his party, the Flemish Christian
Democrats, had kept the Foreign Ministry portfolio as he
believed that it was important for the party to do so.


GUTMAN
.