C O N F I D E N T I A L LUXEMBOURG 000098

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/A TOM REOTT
DEPT FOR EUR/RPM AARON COPE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/02/2019
TAGS: NATO PREL MOPS MARR AF LU
SUBJECT: LUXEMBOURG EXCEEDS USG REQUEST FOR AFGHAN NATIONAL
ARMY

REF: A. STATE 31102

B. 08 LUXEMBOURG 244

C. 08 LUXEMBOURG 300

D. 08 LUXEMBOURG 66

Classified By: A/Political-Economic Chief, Adam Center, for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d)


1. (U) SUMMARY: Luxembourg announced on 31 March a
five-year annual contribution of $5.4 million to the Afghan
National Army (ANA), fulfilling a pledge made by Minister of
Defense Schiltz to SecDef Gates in October 2008 and exceeding
the USG ask for $4 million annually. Foreign Minister
Asselborn announced an additional $3.4 million in development
aid to Afghanistan, through the UN Development Plan. Prime
Minister Juncker also announced an additional 75,000 Euro
(approximately $100 thousand) contribution to the Afghan
presidential elections in August 2009. Asselborn repeated
the GoL position that there would be no increase in
Luxembourg troop commitments to Afghanistan at this time.
The GoL has expressed a willingness to work with the Afghan
Independent Human Rights Commission. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) At the 31 March Afghanistan Conference in The Hague,
Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn announced Luxembourg's $5.4
million annual pledge over five years (2010-2014) to the
Afghan National Army. The four million EURO pledge exceeds
the USG ask of four million DOLLARS made through numerous
demarches and pledged by Minister of Defense Schiltz to
Secretary Gates during an October 2008 Pentagon meeting (refs
b and c). MoD officials informed Post on 31 March that the
first tranche of this multi-year donation was already
deposited with SHAPE. Post has confirmed with Ministry of
Defense officials that the donation is indeed for four
million euros, not dollars, as we requested.


3. (C) Also at The Hague, Asselborn announced an additional
2.5 million euro contribution (approximately $3.4 million)
towards development aid. According to the GoL, this
contribution is part of an ongoing yearly contribution,
channeled through the UN Development Program. In response
to ref a demarche, the GoL has expressed a willingness to
engage with Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission and is
exploring future funding possibilities. Prime Minister
Juncker separately announced an additional 75,000 euro
contribution on 2 April to the August presidential elections.


4. (SBU) Asselborn reiterated on 31 March the GoL's
position that an increase in its troop presence in
Afghanistan is out of the question. The GoL presently
maintains a contingent of nine troops embedded with a larger
Belgian contingent at Kabul Airport. Ministry of Defense
officials have repeatedly told us that the GoL just does not
have the manpower or resources to contribute to an OMLT at
this time but hopes to be able to once military
transformation within Luxembourg has progressed sufficiently.


5. (C) COMMENT: Getting the GoL to contribute to the ANA
has been one of Post's top priorities, and we were pleased
with Minister Schiltz's pledge to Secretary Gates in October

2008. The higher contribution announced in The Hague,
however, signals the GoL's willingness to place Afghanistan
at or near the top of its priority list. We are gratified by
Luxembourg's initiative. Our efforts to persuade the GoL to
offer up police mentors, as they are doing in Kosovo, are
ongoing (ref d). END COMMENT.
KRAFT