BELGIUM:AMBASSADOR GUTMAN'S DISCUSSION WITH GOB ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 000204 SIPDIS STATE PASS EUR/WE, EUR/RPM, EUR/ERA, AND SCA/A E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/20/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID MARR AF BE SUBJECT: BELGIUM:AMBASSADOR GUTMAN'S DISCUSSION WITH GOB ON AFGHANISTAN AFTER DUTCH GOVT FALLS Classified By: Ambassador Gutman for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). Ambassador's Discussion with MFA, PM's Office and MOD -------------- -------------- ¶1. (C) Ambassador Gutman met February 22 with the Diplomatic Advisors at the MFA Dirk Wouters and PM's Office Vincent Houssiau; he then had a phone call with DefMin Pieter De Crem. The conversation followed the usual pattern of Minister De Crem being more optimistic than the MFA or the PM,s office. Ambassador Gutman felt all three were somewhat encouraging. DefMin De Crem said he is working on a package with 55 additional men, divided into 30 military trainers and 25 civilian trainers. He was aware of General Jones,s impending call to FM Vanackere. De Crem told the Ambassador he would be speaking to FM Vanackere and would call him back shortly. Both Wouters and Houssiau separately noted that the fall of the Dutch government makes things much more difficult for Belgium. They each expressed concern and some uncertainty. But each in slightly different words explained that they felt Belgium would meet the call for 22 trainers. They each said that they would try to get an increase in manpower to do so, but at a minimum, would reshape their force deployment to be more useful to the training needs and would come up with the requisite trainers. Ambassador's Discussion with Opposition Leader -------------- - ¶2. (C) The Ambassador spent February 21 with Flemish Socialist VP (sp.a) and MP Dirk Van der Maelen, who is the leading opponent of the GOB on Afghanistan in the Belgian Parliament. He is also the leading citizen of the community of Geraadsbergen and a friend of the Ambassador. The Ambassador attended and helped lead Geraadsbergen,s annual festival (including throwing stale rolls, participating in the opening square dance and lighting the bonfire at night). Van der Maelen said he had informed the Flemish Socialist press (who oppose our efforts in Afghanistan) when asked that he thought our efforts to secure more aid had succeeded at least in getting the Belgian government to commit to Afghanistan through 2011. Van der Maelen predicted that there probably would not be the same type of divisiveness as existed in The Netherlands on extending Belgium's mission. GUTMAN .