Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10COPENHAGEN53
2010-01-29 08:41:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Copenhagen
Cable title:
AFGHANISTAN LONDON CONFERENCE
how-toVZCZCXRO1160 PP RUEHAG RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR DE RUEHCP #0053 0290841 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 290841Z JAN 10 FM AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5458 INFO RUEHXP/ALL NATO POST COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES PRIORITY RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0623 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 0828 RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0103 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 0138
C O N F I D E N T I A L COPENHAGEN 000053
SIPDIS
STATE FOR S/SRAP:JBLANC, SCA/A:TGRAMAGLIA AND CCOBERLY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON EFIN AF DA
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN LONDON CONFERENCE
REF: STATE 6355
Classified By: Ambassador Laurie S. Fulton; reason 1.4 (b, d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L COPENHAGEN 000053
SIPDIS
STATE FOR S/SRAP:JBLANC, SCA/A:TGRAMAGLIA AND CCOBERLY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON EFIN AF DA
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN LONDON CONFERENCE
REF: STATE 6355
Classified By: Ambassador Laurie S. Fulton; reason 1.4 (b, d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: Denmark intends to speak constructively at
the London conference on Afghanistan, is supportive of the
Afghan reintegration program and will consider seeking
funding to support the new Trust Fund, and is preparing an
analytical paper on how to proceed in a regional context to
promote positive developments and combat negative ones in
Afghanistan-Pakistan. The Danes would have liked to be
better informed about plans to split Regional Command South
into two. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) Denmark does plan an announcement at the London
conference on Afghanistan, expressing support for the hosts
and trying to push the agenda forward, according to MFA
Stabilization Department Head Rolf Holmboe. He said the
Danes will stress that the international community needs the
Government of Afghanistan to present its plan, and that any
mention of dates needs to be coordinated and based on
conditions on the ground.
3. (C) Holmboe noted diplomatically that his Government
would have liked to be better informed about plans to split
Regional Command South into two (Southwest and Southeast).
It was not involved in the decision, but heard about it
through the rumor mill. Holmboe acknowledged that this is a
command decision and therefore the commander's prerogative,
but "every command decision in Afghanistan has political
implications."
4. (C) On reintegration, Denmark supports the process
fully. Holmboe doubted there would be much progress until
the Afghan people decided that ours was the winning side, but
he considered it "important to be ready." Denmark is
"looking positively" at contributing to the new Trust Fund,
and to that end is seeking more information about it. (NOTE:
British DCM Libby Townshend told A/DCM January 22 that the
Danish MFA had told her Denmark would not contribute
initially, as its budget is already allocated. Holmboe, on
the other hand, expressed confidence January 25 that money
could be found in the fairly near future. END NOTE.)
5. (C) On governance, Holmboe said a phased process is
needed that includes the civilian side, and operational
planning for developing civilian capabilities needs to start
now: if the Afghan security forces develop faster than the
civilian authorities, we risk "a new warlordism." The
Helmand PRT on which the Danes serve is working to help the
GoA roll out its development plan this year; that will be
"hard to do."
6. (C) Holmboe mentioned a recent regional meeting of
Danish ambassadors in New Delhi that served to launch an
internal analysis of how to proceed in a regional context to
promote positive opportunities and combat negative
developments in Afghanistan-Pakistan, e.g. through
strengthening Turkey's role and encouraging China to invest.
Denmark intends to work within the EU and NATO once its
concept is firmed up. A first draft of the Danish paper is
expected "in April or May"; the Asia Department of MFA has
the pen.
FULTON
SIPDIS
STATE FOR S/SRAP:JBLANC, SCA/A:TGRAMAGLIA AND CCOBERLY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON EFIN AF DA
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN LONDON CONFERENCE
REF: STATE 6355
Classified By: Ambassador Laurie S. Fulton; reason 1.4 (b, d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: Denmark intends to speak constructively at
the London conference on Afghanistan, is supportive of the
Afghan reintegration program and will consider seeking
funding to support the new Trust Fund, and is preparing an
analytical paper on how to proceed in a regional context to
promote positive developments and combat negative ones in
Afghanistan-Pakistan. The Danes would have liked to be
better informed about plans to split Regional Command South
into two. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) Denmark does plan an announcement at the London
conference on Afghanistan, expressing support for the hosts
and trying to push the agenda forward, according to MFA
Stabilization Department Head Rolf Holmboe. He said the
Danes will stress that the international community needs the
Government of Afghanistan to present its plan, and that any
mention of dates needs to be coordinated and based on
conditions on the ground.
3. (C) Holmboe noted diplomatically that his Government
would have liked to be better informed about plans to split
Regional Command South into two (Southwest and Southeast).
It was not involved in the decision, but heard about it
through the rumor mill. Holmboe acknowledged that this is a
command decision and therefore the commander's prerogative,
but "every command decision in Afghanistan has political
implications."
4. (C) On reintegration, Denmark supports the process
fully. Holmboe doubted there would be much progress until
the Afghan people decided that ours was the winning side, but
he considered it "important to be ready." Denmark is
"looking positively" at contributing to the new Trust Fund,
and to that end is seeking more information about it. (NOTE:
British DCM Libby Townshend told A/DCM January 22 that the
Danish MFA had told her Denmark would not contribute
initially, as its budget is already allocated. Holmboe, on
the other hand, expressed confidence January 25 that money
could be found in the fairly near future. END NOTE.)
5. (C) On governance, Holmboe said a phased process is
needed that includes the civilian side, and operational
planning for developing civilian capabilities needs to start
now: if the Afghan security forces develop faster than the
civilian authorities, we risk "a new warlordism." The
Helmand PRT on which the Danes serve is working to help the
GoA roll out its development plan this year; that will be
"hard to do."
6. (C) Holmboe mentioned a recent regional meeting of
Danish ambassadors in New Delhi that served to launch an
internal analysis of how to proceed in a regional context to
promote positive opportunities and combat negative
developments in Afghanistan-Pakistan, e.g. through
strengthening Turkey's role and encouraging China to invest.
Denmark intends to work within the EU and NATO once its
concept is firmed up. A first draft of the Danish paper is
expected "in April or May"; the Asia Department of MFA has
the pen.
FULTON