Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10BERLIN68
2010-01-19 19:32:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Berlin
Cable title:
GERMANY PLANS NO INDIVIDUAL COMPENSATION PAYMENTS
how-toVZCZCXRO2156 OO RUEHDBU RUEHPW RUEHSL DE RUEHRL #0068 0191932 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 191932Z JAN 10 FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6304 INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USAFE RAMSTEIN AB GE PRIORITY RHMFISS/CDRUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 000068
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2020
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS NATO GM
SUBJECT: GERMANY PLANS NO INDIVIDUAL COMPENSATION PAYMENTS
TO FAMILIES OF KUNDUZ AIR STRIKE VICTIMS
Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR GEORGE GLASS. REASONS: 1.4
(B) AND (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 000068
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2020
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS NATO GM
SUBJECT: GERMANY PLANS NO INDIVIDUAL COMPENSATION PAYMENTS
TO FAMILIES OF KUNDUZ AIR STRIKE VICTIMS
Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR GEORGE GLASS. REASONS: 1.4
(B) AND (D).
1. (C) MOD and Chancellery officials have assured us that
Germany will be very prudent and follow established
precedents in addressing demands for compensation by the
families of civilians allegedly killed in a September 4 air
strike ordered by the German PRT Kunduz commander against two
hijacked fuel tankers. They reject press stories that
insinuate that in carrying out Defense Minister zu
Guttenberg's promise for an "unbureaucratic" approach to
compensation, Germany may be willing to pay tens of thousands
of Euros directly to families of alleged victims.
2. (C) Both MOD Joint Commitments Staff Afghanistan Group
Leader COL Harald Gante and Chancellery Military Affairs
Officer LTC Martin Krueger told us January 13-14 that
Germany, in fact, will pay no cash compensation directly to
the families of alleged victims, noting that such individual
payments have already been made by the Afghan government.
Instead, the German government is looking at providing
immediate "winter assistance" to help the people in the
affected area (i.e., the Char Dara District of Kunduz
Province) with needed food, clothing, etc. Krueger said the
budget for this winter assistance would be about 150,000
Euros.
3. (C) Both Krueger and Gante said that Germany, in close
consultation with the local elders, would also look at doing
a number of development projects in the district to benefit
the local population, including building schools, medical
facilities, etc. Gante noted that Karim Popal, a
Bremen-based Afghan-German lawyer representing many of the
relatives of the alleged victims, was part of a German MOD
delegation that recently went to Afghanistan to examine what
might be done in this regard.
MURPHY
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2020
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS NATO GM
SUBJECT: GERMANY PLANS NO INDIVIDUAL COMPENSATION PAYMENTS
TO FAMILIES OF KUNDUZ AIR STRIKE VICTIMS
Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR GEORGE GLASS. REASONS: 1.4
(B) AND (D).
1. (C) MOD and Chancellery officials have assured us that
Germany will be very prudent and follow established
precedents in addressing demands for compensation by the
families of civilians allegedly killed in a September 4 air
strike ordered by the German PRT Kunduz commander against two
hijacked fuel tankers. They reject press stories that
insinuate that in carrying out Defense Minister zu
Guttenberg's promise for an "unbureaucratic" approach to
compensation, Germany may be willing to pay tens of thousands
of Euros directly to families of alleged victims.
2. (C) Both MOD Joint Commitments Staff Afghanistan Group
Leader COL Harald Gante and Chancellery Military Affairs
Officer LTC Martin Krueger told us January 13-14 that
Germany, in fact, will pay no cash compensation directly to
the families of alleged victims, noting that such individual
payments have already been made by the Afghan government.
Instead, the German government is looking at providing
immediate "winter assistance" to help the people in the
affected area (i.e., the Char Dara District of Kunduz
Province) with needed food, clothing, etc. Krueger said the
budget for this winter assistance would be about 150,000
Euros.
3. (C) Both Krueger and Gante said that Germany, in close
consultation with the local elders, would also look at doing
a number of development projects in the district to benefit
the local population, including building schools, medical
facilities, etc. Gante noted that Karim Popal, a
Bremen-based Afghan-German lawyer representing many of the
relatives of the alleged victims, was part of a German MOD
delegation that recently went to Afghanistan to examine what
might be done in this regard.
MURPHY