INTERIOR MINISTER VIEWS ON TFTP, AFGHANISTAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BERLIN 000176

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR, SCA, S/SRAP, S/CT, L, S/GC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/11/2020
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV MARR AFDB AFIN GM
SUBJECT: INTERIOR MINISTER VIEWS ON TFTP, AFGHANISTAN
POLICE, COUNTERTERRORISM

REF: A. BERLIN 138

B. BERLIN 128

C. BERLIN 38

Classified By: Greg T. Delawie, Deputy Chief of Mission, for Reasons 1.
4 (b and d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Federal Interior Minister de Maiziere told
the Ambassador that the Chancellor and he were personally
contacting German European Parliamentarians to obtain their
support for the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program (TFTP)
interim agreement in the run up to the February 11 EP vote.
The Ambassador expressed appreciation for Germany's
contributions to civilian police training efforts in
Afghanistan, highlighted a number of problem areas, and asked
de Maiziere to encourage Germany's federal states - which
supply the majority of trainers - to reward service in
Afghanistan. Regarding our bilateral (Pruem-like) agreement
to prevent and combat serious crime, de Maiziere indicated
that an official USG letter signaling U.S. willingness to
discuss data privacy concerns should suffice to allow
implementation to move forward. De Maiziere promised a
response on the Guantanamo detainee resettlement before the
end of February. End Summary



2. (C) Ambassador Murphy, accompanied by DCM, met with
German Federal Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere on
February 8 to review a range of key security and
counterterrorism issues. De Maiziere, who assumed his
position in October 2009 after serving as Chancellor Merkel's
Chief of Staff, has so far proven to be a reliable partner
and ally on these issues.


Afghanistan Police Training
--------------



3. (C) The Ambassador shared his impressions of Germany's
armed forces and civilian police trainers following his
recent five-day visit to northern Afghanistan and Kabul (Ref
A). The Ambassador complimented de Maiziere on the
dedication, professionalism and competence of the German
soldiers and police he met on his trip and expressed
appreciation for de Maiziere's efforts to boost Germany's
contributions to train Afghan police (see Ref C). However,
the Ambassador highlighted three issues that require further
attention. The first concerns the lack of incentives for
voluntary service in Afghanistan for police coming from
Germany's 16 federal states. During the Ambassador's visit
to Afghanistan, some state police indicated that service in
Afghanistan actually hindered their careers and reduced their
opportunities for promotion. The Ambassador encouraged de
Maiziere to look into this issue, which the Minister promised
to do. Secondly, the Ambassador acknowledged Germany's
important contributions to the Focused Police District
Development (FPDD) program and highlighted the importance of
partnering with Afghan security forces and embedding
international mentors within Afghan forces in order to
protect civilian populations. The Ambassador noted that
moving more German police trainers into the field, as FPDD
does, requires Bundeswehr force protection and corresponding
coordination, manpower and security challenges. Lastly, the
Ambassador drew attention to the difficulty faced by the
Afghan Gendarmerie (formerly Afghan National Civil Order
Police) who are tasked with policing in FPDD program
districts during the eight-week period that local district
forces are away at one of Germany's police training centers.
The Afghan Gendarmerie who provide this "back fill" service
are moved from one FPDD district to another which results in
long absences from their homes/families and is unfortunately
contributing to high dissatisfaction and attrition within the
Gendarmerie. De Maiziere promised to examine these issues

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further and welcomed the opportunity to continue a dialogue
with the Ambassador on Afghanistan.


Terrorist Finance Tracking Program
--------------



4. (C) The Ambassador stressed how important it is for the
German federal government to lobby German European Parliament
members on the usefulness of the TFTP. Although USG
representatives are making many calls to German MEPs, MEPs
need to hear directly from their own government. De Maiziere
replied that the Chancellor and he are indeed personally
contacting German MEPs to obtain their support for the TFTP
interim agreement. However, de Maiziere cautioned that the
U.S. should avoid any messages that appear to "threaten" the
Parliament/Europe with consequences if the European
Parliament vote does not go as we wish as this would likely
spur a backlash. The Minister indicated that if the issue
comes to a vote it could be a close one, but the issue is by
no means "lost".



5. (C) De Maiziere identified two individuals with influence
with whom we might wish to engage: Bavarian Manfred Weber,
who is the Deputy Chair of the European People's Party
(Christian Democrats),and Spanish Interior Minister
Rubalcaba. De Maiziere described Weber, who had previously
expressed skepticism about TFTP in the press, as a "fence
sitter" who might be persuaded to come out in support of the
interim agreement. (Note: Subsequently, Consulate General
Munich and the Ambassador reached out to Weber.) De Maiziere
described Rubalcaba as someone who understands the importance
of TFTP, and given Spain's EU Presidency plus Rubalcaba's
socialist party credentials, he could be particularly
effective in changing minds within the socialist MEP block.


Pruem-like Agreement to Prevent and Combat Serious Crime
-------------- --------------



6. (C) In response to the Ambassador's query, de Maiziere
recommended the USG respond to his December 12 letter
(written jointly with Justice Minister
Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger) to DHS Secretary Napolitano and
AG Holder with a message that expressed a willingness to
discuss the concerns raised by federal states in the
Bundesrat. De Maiziere made the point that all parties
recognize that the agreement itself is signed and sealed. He
explained that no one is asking for a re-negotiation. Rather
de Maiziere said he needs a U.S. signal that we are open to
address the concerns, raised principally by Hamburg state, in
the "framework of an implementation arrangement". De
Maiziere indicated that he had spoken with Hamburg Mayor
Beust, who promised that such a message from the U.S. would
suffice to assuage the Hamburg concerns.



7. (C) De Maiziere noted that there is an internal discussion
occurring within the EU Commission's legal division on
whether the U.S.-EU Passenger Name Records (PNR) agreement
requires ratification by all 27 member states. De Maiziere
hoped that ratification by all EU member states would not be
needed, as it would add delays and possibly other
complexities to the situation.


Resettling Guantanamo Detainees
--------------



8. (C) The Ambassador inquired if the Minister had any news

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regarding the U.S. request for German assistance in
resettling Guantanamo detainees. De Maiziere replied that
the U.S. request is still being reviewed, the ministry is
having productive internal meetings on the issue and he
expects to give us an answer by the end of February.


De Maiziere to visit Washington
--------------



9. (SBU) De Maiziere indicated that he would be in Washington
on April 28 and 29 and noted that he might approach us for
assistance in scheduling meetings with U.S. officials.
Murphy