AUSTRALIA EXPLORING OPTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL

S E C R E T CANBERRA 001042 SIPDIS STATE FOR P, EAP, SCA PACOM FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2019 TAGS: PARM PREL MARR MOPS AS SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA EXPLORING OPTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL AFGHANISTAN CONTRIBUTIONS REF: STATE 120807 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Daniel A. Clune. Reasons: 1.4 ( b),(d) ¶1. (S) Summary: DCM delivered on November 25 reftel points to Prime Minister Rudd's Special Envoy for Afghanistan Ric Smith and Deputy National Security Adviser Angus Campbell. Both Smith and Campbell had been previously briefed on an unclassified version of reftel points during a regularly-scheduled video conference with U.S. National Security Adviser Jones. They expressed appreciation for the briefings and said Australia would make a strong statement of support and that Prime Minister Rudd was exploring ways to make additional contributions including through increasing the number of staff officers embedded in ISAF headquarters. End Summary. ¶2. (S) Deputy Chief of Mission Clune on November 25 told Prime Minister Rudd's Special Envoy for Afghanistan Ric Smith and Australian Deputy National Security Adviser Duncan Campbell in separate meetings that the United States would be announcing a way forward on Afghanistan and Pakistan prior to the December 3-4 NATO Ministerial in Brussels. Though we did not have the details, we expected the roll out to include a robust additional military and civilian contribution to Afghanistan. The United States would appreciate a strong public expression of political support from our allies as a signal of ISAF unity as well as concrete contributions, including civilian and development assistance. DCM Clune left non-paper as outlined in paragraph five of reftel. ¶3. (S) Deputy NSA Campbell said the Australian government had been studying ways to make additional contributions in Afghanistan. Increasing its civilian contribution was a problem for Australia as they did not have the force to protect an increased number of civilians. However, they will continue to consult among the different government agencies and expected to present a proposal to their ministers in mid-January in time for the AUSMIN consultations. Campbell noted that when Prime Minister Rudd visited Afghanistan three weeks ago he had offered to embed additional Australian staff officers in ISAF headquarters. ¶4. (S) Special Envoy Smith noted that Australia had already announced a significant increase of troops earlier in the year but that Prime Minister Rudd was interested in augmenting Australia's contribution including through expanding the number of staff officers embedded in ISAF headquarters, more funding for police training, and increasing its civilian advisers in Oruzgan province. Smith echoed Campbell's concerns about increasing Australia's civilian contribution, saying Australia "did not have a culture of deploying civilians into a war zone." ¶5. (S) Smith had just returned from a visit to Oruzgan and described the ISAF/NATO, UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, and Afghan government presence as a "wobbly three-legged stool." He said increasing funds for police Qthree-legged stool." He said increasing funds for police training in Oruzgan might be "putting good money into a bad situation" because the local population perceived the police to be part of the problem and because of difficulties retaining trained personnel. BLEICH