US embassy cable - 03THEHAGUE2693

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 002693 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/21/2013 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, SNAR, KCRM, EAIR, PHSA, MOPS, NL, XL 
SUBJECT: DUTCH POSTPONE ELIMINATION OF P-3 FORCE FOR ONE 
YEAR 
 
REF: STATE 271631 (NOTAL) 
 
Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR CLIFFORD M. SOBEL FOR REASONS 1 
.5 (B AND D). 
 
1.  (U)  Dutch Defense Minister Henk Kamp has postponed the 
planned closure of Valkenburg Air Base and the elimination of 
the Royal Dutch Navy P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft fleet 
based there until January 2005.  He had previously planned to 
eliminate these assets in January 2004.  In postponing these 
steps, Kamp yielded in the face of strong opposition to the 
cuts from a majority of parliament's Second Chamber during 
the defense budget debate on October 23.  He made no secret 
of his displeasure at the move -- "I hate this like poison." 
Kamp said the delay will cost the 13 million Euro which will 
force delays in other defense investments.  The fate of the 
P-3s and their home base Valkenburg had become a public 
issue.  MPs had also argued for leaving Valkenburg (which 
serves as The Hague's VIP airfield) open for one more year in 
view of the pending Dutch EU Presidency in the latter half of 
2004. 
 
2. (U) At parliament's behest, Kamp also agreed to consult 
with Germany and Belgium on the possibilities of creating an 
international P-3 squadron (the Dutch MOD has been exploring 
potential sales of its P-3s to Germany and Portugal).  In 
addition, Kamp also agreed to explore whether other 
ministries such as Justice might pay for use of the P-3s for 
counter-drug operations.  He also committed to investigating 
alternatives for coast guard tasks currently performed by the 
P-3s.  (Note:  Kamp has argued that the P-3s are not being 
used for the task for which they were purchased -- tracking 
Soviet submarines -- and that phasing out the P-3s and 
closing Valkenburg AB would yield a savings of 57 million 
Euro in 2004 and 700 million Euro over ten years.  Kamp wants 
to use economies such as these to invest in new systems such 
as Tomahawk missiles for the navy's four new Seven 
Provinces-class frigates.  End note.) 
 
3. (C) Comment:  Kamp is faced with the task of restructuring 
the Dutch defense forces in the face of significant mandated 
budget cuts.  At the same time, he is committed to improving 
the deployability of Dutch forces and is seeking to increase 
Dutch investment in military equipment from the current level 
of 16 to 20 percent of the total defense budget.  Prior to 
Kamp's budget presentation, Mission repeatedly and at high 
levels approached the Dutch government on the issue of 
retaining some P-3s in the Caribbean.  Further to reftel, 
Post sought clarification as to how the Dutch plan to meet 
both their bilateral and international commitments with 
respect to counter-drug (CD) surveillance and search and 
rescue (SAR) in the Caribbean, should they eliminate P-3s 
based there.  Ambassador Sobel raised this issue both with 
Kamp and Chief of Defense Staff VADM Kroon.  Kamp assured the 
Ambassador that the Dutch would continue to fulfill their 
obligation in the Caribbean.  The manner in which they will 
do starting in 2005 is not clear.  MOD working levels advise 
that the most likely option is the GONL will purchase some 
civilian type aircraft to perform these missions.  A less 
likely course would be to retain 2-3 P-3s in the Caribbean 
and contract maintenance and support out of the United States 
while still closing Valkenburg.  MOD Director of Materiel 
RADM van Dord has contacted Mission's Office of Defense 
Cooperation about this possibility, but the Dutch have 
submitted no Letter of Request.  (Van Dord recently told 
Mission staff that MOD's gambit had in fact been to announce 
an early closure date of January 2004 and then postpone to 
2005 to better facilitate a sale of the aircraft to Germany 
and to be seen as being responsive to parliamentary concerns 
over an abrupt closure.)  The least likely option is several 
P-3s would be transferred to the control of another Ministry, 
such as Justice.  End Comment. 
 
SOBEL