GERMANY STRONGLY SUPPORTS U.S. VIEWS ON TRANSITION

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 000062 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/RPM AARON COPE, S/SRAP, AND SCA/A E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2019 TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS NATO GM AF SUBJECT: GERMANY STRONGLY SUPPORTS U.S. VIEWS ON TRANSITION IN AFGHANISTAN REF: A. STATE 4108 ¶B. BERLIN 0053 Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR GEORGE GLASS. REASONS: 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) Post delivered ref A points to MFA AF/PAK Task Force Director Ruediger Koenig on January 15, emphasizing the U.S. hope that NATO's progress in developing a plan for provincial transition could be highlighted as a deliverable at the January 28 London Conference. Koenig, just back from pre-conference preparatory meetings in London, confirmed Germany's strong support for NATO's effort to adopt a transition plan prior to the conference. He noted that the UK-drafted "illustrative elements" for the final conference document already included a strong endorsement of the planned ISAF transition plan. ¶2. (C) Koenig said that Germany also agreed that it was important for all ISAF and donor countries to reinforce their contributions in order to create the conditions for a drawdown of combat forces beginning in the summer of 2011. He noted that a decision on exactly what more Germany would contribute had not yet been formally taken, in accordance with Germany's long-held view that any further commitments should only be announced after the London Conference. He confirmed, however, that both the MFA and Ministry of Cooperation and Development have proposed that their current level of development aid to Afghanistan be roughly doubled in 2010 over the amount originally budgeted in 2009 (ref B). For the MFA, that would mean an increase from 90 million in 2009 to 180 million euros in 2010. Koenig said it was also clear that Germany would significantly increase its contribution to police training, as previewed on several occasions by FM Westerwelle. ¶3. (C) What remained unclear, said Koenig, was how much, if at all, Germany would increase its troop levels. Koenig declined to speculate on the outcome on the current intergovernmental debate, but thought the opposition Social Democrats -- which the government is keen to have onboard with any troop increase so that it is "national" versus "governmental" decision -- had signaled some flexibility by specifically ruling out additional "combat" troops, but not more soldiers dedicated to the training of the Afghan National Security Forces. He noted that when MFA and MOD officials met with parliamentarians and made the case for increased training as the key to accelerating success, there were always "nods all around." (Comment: Embassy will provide further analysis on the troop increase issue septel. End Comment.) MURPHY