Secretary Clinton's March 31, 2009 conversation

S E C R E T PARTO 041305 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/31/2019 TAGS: OVIP PREL NL AF PHUM RU NATO SUBJECT: Secretary Clinton's March 31, 2009 conversation with Dutch FM Verhagen Classified by: Paul Wohlers, Deputy Executive Secretary,... 202072 2009-04-13 09PARTO41305 US Delegation, Secretary SECRET S E C R E T PARTO 041305 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/31/2019 TAGS: OVIP PREL NL AF PHUM RU NATO SUBJECT: Secretary Clinton's March 31, 2009 conversation with Dutch FM Verhagen Classified by: Paul Wohlers, Deputy Executive Secretary, S/ES, Department of State. Reason 1.4(b,d). ¶1. (U) March 31, 2009; 9:00 a.m.; The Hague, Netherlands. ¶2. (U) Participants: U.S. The Secretary Deputy Secretary Lew SRAP Holbrooke A/S Fried Ms. Abedin, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Secretary Mr. Sullivan, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Secretary Mr. Falls (Embassy Notetaker) NETHERLANDS FM Verhagen Pieter de Gooijer, DG for Political Affairs Robert de Groot, Deputy DG for Political Affairs Peter Potman, Deputy for Western Hemisphere Affairs Bart Rijs, Spokesperson Marcel de Vink, Private Secretary (Chief of Staff) ¶3. (C) SUMMARY. In a cordial meeting, the Secretary and Dutch FM Verhagen reviewed Afghanistan policing and regional politics, NATO and Russia, Guantanamo and human rights, and the Middle East. Both agreed to help celebrate the NY 400 commemorating Henry Hudson's trip to the New World and founding of the first Dutch colony. END SUMMARY. -------------- AFGHANISTAN -------------- ¶4. (C) The two leaders met on the margins of the March 31 International Conference on Afghanistan, held in The Hague. The Secretary and Verhagen exchanged compliments on the Dutch-hosted conference and the new U.S. strategy toward Afghanistan. The Secretary noted that our common goal is to build security for the Afghans. While prospects for the Afghan Army are good, the situation with the police is more challenging. The Secretary encouraged Verhagen to approach his European colleagues to win support for funding the Afghan police. Japan's offer to pay six months' of police salaries was generous, but the needs are significant. It is difficult to properly screen the applicants for security concerns, to provide an adequate salary, and to build the same morale level as within the Afghan army. Europe should be able to resolve any policy concerns over civil vs. military policing. The United States is willing to consider putting the police under the Afghan Army, which functions well, if necessary. SRAP Holbrooke added that Italy seems to be the stumbling block on the police force. ¶5. (C) Verhagen responded that policing is a concern, and indeed worrisome. The Dutch intend to double their personnel contribution for police training and provide $40 million for salaries. Regarding Europe's contributions, some nations such as France find it difficult to use military and civilian police together. That is not a problem for the Netherlands, but it is difficult for the Dutch MOD to use Gendarmes as trainers. EUPOL will likely announce soon that it is ready with 400 police trainers. ¶6. (C) The Secretary emphasized regional coordination - - we don't want to impose our view -- as an essential element to the new U.S. strategy. The biggest challenge is working with Pakistan. China, India, and Russia are engaged. Iran has signaled it may be willing to help on border issues due to concerns about narcotics trafficking. ¶7. (C) The Secretary thanked Verhagen again for the conference, noting, You are the best of Allies ... Uruzgan is a model. She added that she understood Dutch domestic political concerns, and that she hoped the Dutch public would continue to support a strong deployment in Afghanistan. -------------- NATO AND RUSSIA -------------- ¶8. (C) The Secretary noted that France's participation in NATO had been resolved through close consultations with Turkey, and that Danish PM Rasmussen might do himself a favor and address Turkish concerns about his candidacy for NATO Secretary General in a similar manner. SRAP Holbrooke wondered whether NATO SYG De Hoop Scheffer might be able to extend his tenure. The Secretary noted that this was one possibility, if the Turkish concerns persist. ¶9. (C) Verhagen was confident De Hoop Scheffer would stay on as needed. Given the public statement by PM Erdogan against Rasmussen, however, it may be difficult to resolve Turkish concerns. ¶10. (C) The Secretary noted the President will encourage the Russians to pull back from Georgia. Eastern European nations want to focus on Russia and Russia's efforts to pressure them, and they are looking for reassurance from us ? understandably, based on their history and recent events in Georgia. We should not let Russia intimidate Eastern Europe, and we should support their aspirations. For example, Ukraine is looking to develop its energy capacity. At the same time, the United States wants to stand up the NATO-Russia Council. Obviously, we should work with them on non- proliferation issues. NATO also needs to look to other issues, such as cyber security. ¶11. (C) Verhagen agreed and stated that as NATO reviews its strategic concept, it needs to go beyond Article 5 and look at regional and global threats. NATO should not focus solely on Russia but also on these broader issues. For the Dutch, Russia is not the threat it was. NATO should look to cyber security, energy security, and piracy, for example. Verhagen cautioned that the installation of missiles in Poland could be misinterpreted as evidence of a lack of faith by Poland in Article 5, in favor of a bilateral security relationship with the U.S. The Secretary responded that President Yeltsin once had told President Clinton that he agreed the United States wasn't a threat, but little old ladies in St. Petersburg don't agree. In other words, mistrust was a political problem above all. -------------- GUANTANAMO AND HUMAN RIGHTS -------------- ¶12. (C) The Secretary thanked FM Verhagen for the Dutch effort to frame a response to the legal issues surrounding Guantanamo and asked for FM Verhagen's further advice. She also thanked Verhagen for the Dutch effort to draft new text for the Durban review conference. ¶13. (S) Verhagen responded that, while the Netherlands would be very hesitant to take people [detainees], ... we want to assist. He noted that, due to the Schengen visa regime, EU members will have to consider jointly the implications of accepting detainees. Asked by A/S Fried whether the EU may set the bar too high for a general EU-U.S. understanding, Verhagen said no. I'm difficult, but not frustrating your process. ¶14. (C) On a second track with Guantanamo, Verhagen said the Netherlands is supporting university discussions on the legal issues and has started a discussion on having the ICC respond to terrorist crimes. In addition, the Netherlands is willing to assist with detainee rehabilitation programs in Yemen. -------------- MIDDLE EAST -------------- ¶15. (C) The Secretary urged Verhagen to stick with the Quartet Principles for Hamas. She understood there was pressure to change policy, but now is not the time to open the door...now is the time to keep the pressure on. On Syria, she noted that it is worthwhile to have a more inclusive approach. On Israel, the United States will press to end settlements. ¶16. (C) Verhagen said he fully agreed that the Quartet Principles should apply to the new Palestine government. However, I am more and more isolated within the EU...I was the only one to raise the issue at a recent meeting. The mainstream says we provoked Hamas. Verhagen said we need to apply the same human rights principles to both Israel and Palestine. Israel is getting blamed for violations, but not Palestinians. DG De Gooijer noted that the situation within the EU was upside down -- it appears the EU might ask the new Israeli government to adhere to the Quartet principles. CLINTON