Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 51122 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 09BRUSSELS1183, USEU SCENESETTER FOR DEPUTY SECRETARY LEW

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09BRUSSELS1183.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09BRUSSELS1183 2009-08-26 12:27 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY USEU Brussels
VZCZCXRO7751
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK
RUEHYG
DE RUEHBS #1183/01 2381227
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261227Z AUG 09
FM USEU BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BRUSSELS 001183 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL EAID EUN AF PK IK
SUBJECT: USEU SCENESETTER FOR DEPUTY SECRETARY LEW 
 
BRUSSELS 00001183  001.3 OF 003 
 
 
1. (SBU) You are visiting Brussels at an ideal time to discuss 
Afghanistan and Pakistan with the EU.  Already a major contributor 
of development and humanitarian assistance, the EU is in the midst 
of writing a new Af/Pak strategy paper for release in October. 
Although European public opinion is skeptical of efforts in 
Afghanistan, the Swedish EU Presidency is committed to this project, 
which EU foreign ministers will discuss in the days before your 
arrival.  The EU's commitment to Afghanistan and Pakistan includes 
billions of dollars in aid, a police training program in 
Afghanistan, and increasing political and economic engagement with 
Pakistan.  Your interlocutors should be keen to discuss the emerging 
EU strategy, as well as to look for areas for concrete U.S.-EU 
cooperation, such as in the field of police training, particularly 
as the EU-U.S. summit approaches.  Europeans need to appreciate 
better what is at stake for them in Afghanistan and Pakistan.  On 
Iraq, the EU has been more forthcoming in looking for ways to 
coordinate or partner with us since the change of administration, 
expanding and starting to do in-country judicial training, 
undertaking negotiations on a partnership agreement, and continuing 
to support refugee return; however, they are less enthusiastically 
involved than in Afghanistan/Pakistan. 
 
A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR IN AFGHANISTAN 
---------------------------------- 
 
2. (SBU) The European Commission (EC) is a large donor to 
Afghanistan and is one of the few that provides a multi-year 
commitment.  This is on top of the support that individual EU member 
states provide to Afghanistan.  The EC provided approximately 1.3 
billion euros in assistance for the period 2002-2006, overshooting 
its pledged 1 billion euros.  For 2007-2010, the EC pledged 610 
million (e.g. approximately 150 million/year).  This figure still 
holds in EU planning, although there will likely be additional 
funding from the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office 
(ECHO) and other areas of the Commission that could bring the total 
figure closer to 750 million euros.  The Commission is committed to 
assistance to Afghanistan through at least 2013, and External 
Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner told the press earlier 
this year that the current financial crisis will not deter the 
Commission's commitment to Afghanistan.  The EC's funding target for 
the entire 2007-2013 period is at least 1.3 billion euros.  The EC's 
assistance strategy reflects the priorities laid out in the 
Afghanistan Compact and the Afghan National Development Strategy. 
EC assistance for 2008-2010 focuses on three areas: reform of the 
justice sector; rural development, including alternatives to poppy 
production; and public health.  About 10 percent of EC funding goes 
to non-focus areas, such as de-mining, regional cooperation, and 
support to vulnerable groups.  We have coordinated with the EC to 
encourage regional economic cooperation, including working together 
to craft the agenda for a successful Regional Economic Cooperation 
Conference on Afghanistan in Islamabad last May. 
 
STRONG SUPPORT TO AFGHAN ELECTIONS 
---------------------------------- 
 
3.(SBU) Responding directly to VP Biden's request in March, the EC 
provided considerable support to the August 20 presidential and 
provincial elections.  The EC pledged 35 million euros to the UN's 
fund for electoral support and launched a 120-person election 
observation mission headed by former French general Philippe 
Moriltion, Morillon commenteember s ------ In 2007, EU member states launchQd an EU police training 
mission in AfghaniQtan (EUPOL).  After some initial difficulties, 
the mission is gaining strength and new comman$er Kai Vittrup is 
winning praise in Kabul and russels.  The EUPOL mission currently 
numbersabout 265 police trainers, with an eventual Qarget of 400. 
The mission was initially focus%d on civil policing tasks in Kabul, 
 
BRUSSELS 00001183  002 OF 003 
 
 
but as the mission has grown, it has pushed more trainers out to the 
provinces.  EUPOL officers are currently present in 14 PRTs, and 
EUPOL is seeking to increase its presence in the U.S.-administered 
Regional Command-East.  To do this, the EU is asking for a technical 
agreement with the United States, which would have the U.S. provide 
housing, medical care, logistics, and - most importantly - in 
extremis life-protection support to EU civilian police at our PRTs. 
Your interlocutors may want to discuss the possibility of 
negotiating an agreement with the USG, as the EU has done with most 
other non-EU countries leading PRTs in Afghanistan.  We have sought 
guidance from Washington on whether there could be such an 
agreement. 
 
INCREASING OUTREACH TO PAKISTAN 
------------------------------- 
 
6.(SBU) The EU recognizes the need for additional focus on and 
support to Pakistan.  The first EU-Pakistan summit took place in 
Brussels on June 17 and initiated a strategic dialogue on 
development, education, science and technology, security, 
counter-terrorism, democracy, human rights and trade.  The joint 
summit statement said the EU and Pakistan would work towards further 
liberalization of trade, and that the EU would continue to help 
Pakistan meet the EU's sanitary and phyto-sanitary requirements for 
fishery and other products.  The parties also agreed to undertake a 
counter-terrorism dialogue, notably in the field of law enforcement 
and criminal justice, and to consult regularly on arms control, 
disarmament and nonproliferation issues. 
 
7.(SBU) The Commission has allocated 200 million euros to Pakistan 
in its program for the period 2007-2010, focused on poverty 
reduction, as well as education and human resources development, in 
particular in the North-West Frontier Province and Baluchistan.  At 
the April Tokyo donors' conference, the EC pledged 485 million euros 
between 2009 and 2013.  EU member states and the EC together pledged 
around $1.8 billion of the $5 billion in total pledged at the 
conference.  In the wake of the Pakistani military offensive in the 
Swat Valley, the EC also increased its humanitarian aid to Pakistan 
from 7 million euros to 72 million.  While visiting Brussels in late 
July, SRAP Holbrooke urged EU leaders to consider a further increase 
in humanitarian aid, as well as support to the Pakistani electricity 
sector, ideas EU officials may want to discuss with you.  The EU 
will probably be open to specific proposals for increased aid to 
Pakistan, given their growing engagement. 
 
KEEPING THE EU ENGAGED IN IRAQ 
------------------------------ 
 
8.(SBU) In contrast to Afghanistan and Pakistan, overall EC donor 
support to Iraq has been decreasing since 2007, with the allocation 
for 2009-2010 reaching only 65.8 million euros.  Although the EU has 
been more willing to listen to requests for Iraqi IDP and refugee 
support since President Obama took office, they remain skeptical 
about the reported numbers of displaced Iraqis in the region and 
claims about their needs.   On returns-related initiatives, however, 
the Commission is more supportive, and is moving from single-year 
assistance programs to a multi-year strategy focused on creating a 
favorable environment for refugee and IDP returns.  In the 2009-2010 
program, 20 million euros will go to good governance and rule of 
law; technical assistance to the Independent High Commissioner for 
Human Rights; modernization of the legal education system; 
implementation of a new NGO law; and the creation of an NGO network. 
 The other 43.8 million euros for 2009-2010 are allocated to the 
provision of basic health, education, and migration/displacement 
services.  Additional support on migration and displacement issues 
includes a 20 million euro package of humanitarian aid from ECHO. 
 
9.(SBU) While we still expect your interlocutors to be reluctant to 
provide major new contributions for refugees outside of Iraq, we 
want to encourage European donors to join us in providing critical 
assistance to ensure that returning Iraqis successfully reintegrate 
into former communities or settle in new communities.  Early success 
will demonstrate to Iraqi refugees in the region that return and 
national reconciliation are possible. 
 
10.(SBU) The EU Council is increasing its activities to reform the 
Iraqi judicial sector and may look for opportunities to partner with 
us.  Since its launch in 2005, the EU's Integrated Rule of Law 
Mission for Iraq (EUJUST LEX) has provided training to senior Iraqi 
criminal justice officials.  The mission has held over 100 training 
courses and trained over 2,700 Iraqi officials.  Until this summer, 
all training activities had been held outside Iraq, but in July, the 
EU kicked off several in-country pilot programs, which could provide 
the basis for expanded activities in Iraq.  As the EU considers 
further action inside Iraq, your interlocutors may be interested in 
discussing partnership opportunities.  In addition to refugee and 
rule of law programs, the EU is Iraq's second largest trading 
partner and is in the process of negotiating a Trade and Cooperation 
Agreement, which may be concluded by the end of 2009. 
 
BRUSSELS 00001183  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
RESOURCES 
--------- 
 
11.(SBU) The U.S. Mission to the EU (USEU) is one of our largest 
policy and reporting missions abroad.  USEU comprises eight agencies 
that convey USG positions and report on EU-wide developments as they 
affect U.S. interests, especially in economic, foreign policy, and 
justice related areas.  USEU's 70 American and 35 European staff 
follow EU activities as they evolve in the two dozen 
Directorates-General of the EU Commission; in parallel structures of 
the EU Council, which comprises the 27 member state embassies in 
Brussels; and in the still modestly-empowered European Parliament. 
 
 
12.(SBU) USEU's substantive priorities are led by Afghanistan, 
followed by energy security and climate change, dealing with Russia, 
Middle East peace, the Doha Trade Round, the Transatlantic Economic 
Council, and personal data protection.  Justice and law enforcement 
activities, including counterterrorism, are moving up the agenda. 
Present levels of staffing and facilities are right for now, and for 
the foreseeable future.  The complexity of EU institutions and 
procedures tends to inhibit U.S. officials' understanding of what 
the EU can and cannot accomplish.  And, as such, the EU's complexity 
can operate either to our benefit or to our detriment.  We benefit 
when the EU's consensus requirements forestall radical positions or 
decisions with which we disagree, but consensus as well as complex 
procedures can impede the EU from taking strong, positive action 
when called for. 
 
MURRAY