GERMAN MOD READY TO CONCLUDE BILATERAL MOU ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 000065 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2020 TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS NATO GM AF SUBJECT: GERMAN MOD READY TO CONCLUDE BILATERAL MOU ON SUPPORT OF USG CIVILIANS AT GERMAN PRTS IN AFGHANISTAN REF: 09 STATE 129187 Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR GEORGE GLASS. REASONS: 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) After consulting with MFA, post delivered reftel points and a copy of the draft bilateral MOU on January 15 to COL Harald Gante, the head of the Afghanistan Team on the MOD's Joint Commitments Staff. Gante confirmed that the MOD is the right interlocutor on the German side to negotiate the MOU and that he is the correct POC on this issue within the MOD (e-mail: HaraldGante@bmvg.bund.de, tel: 49-30-2004-29710). Gante said Germany welcomed the proposal to conclude an MOU, noting that this was something it had long sought. ¶2. (C) Quickly reviewing the draft text, Gante foresaw no problem in providing USG civilians posted at German PRTs and other bases with the requested lodging, board and office space. However, he warned that Germany simply did not have the manpower to provide force protection on a routine basis to enable USG civilians to conduct independent missions and trips outside the wire. ¶3. (C) That said, Gante emphasized that Germany would welcome the integration of USG civilians into the work of German PRTs as well as their participation in German patrols and missions. He agreed that USG civilians who were able to show their respective German military commanders and civilian leaders that their work contributed directly to the success of the PRT would probably, in the end, receive the force protection support they needed. It was just a matter of the USG civilians showing that they were part of the team. MURPHY