BELGIUM: DEMARCHE ON CLARIFYING TRANSITION TO

UNCLAS BRUSSELS 000061 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/WE, EUR/RPM:ACOPE, S/SRAP AND SCA/A E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MARR MOPS NATO PREL AF BE SUBJECT: BELGIUM: DEMARCHE ON CLARIFYING TRANSITION TO AFGHAN LEAD PROVINCIAL RESPONSIBILITY REF: A. STATE 4108 ¶B. STATE 3595 ¶1. Poloff delivered reftel demarche clarifying the difference between the transition of provincial responsibility and Transfer of Lead Security Responsibility to Francois De Kerchove, Director for Security Policy at the Belgian MFA, on January 19. De Kerchove indicated that he understood the difference and also the importance of not allowing an impression to arise that these strategies are an "exit strategy." ¶2. Poloff also delivered ref B demarche on a special session for Deputy Special Representatives for Afghanistan and Pakistan (SRAPs) at the January 25-27 PRT Conference in Prague. De Kerchove said that the conference will be attended by Alain Hanssen, the MFA's desk officer for Afghanistan (and unofficial deputy SRAP) and a representative of the Ministry of Defense, which has responsibility for the Belgian participants in the German PRT in Kunduz. However, Poloff has an appointment on January 21 with the Belgian SRAP, Jean-Arthur Regibeau, and will discuss the Prague PRT conference and what participation Regibeau expects in both the conference and the PRT discussions to be led by U.S. Deputy SRAP Jones. GUTMAN .