US embassy cable - 04THEHAGUE100

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000100 
 
SIPDIS 
 
IO/SHA, USUN/ECOSOC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AORC, PHUM, KWMN, SA, NL, UN, CSW 
SUBJECT: DUTCH:  NO EU DISCUSSION YET ON CSW AFGHAN 
RESOLUTION 
 
REF: SECSTATE 8912 
 
1.  Kabul minimize considered. 
 
2. According to Dutch MFA contacts, the EU has not/not made a 
decision yet to propose and/or support a UN Commission on the 
Status of Women (CSW) resolution on the situation of women 
and girls in Afghanistan, nor has it begun fruitful 
discussions on the issue.  PolOff presented reftel demarche 
and January 8 Fact Sheet from Department's Office of 
International Women's Issues to Senior Policy Officer for 
Human Rights Birgitta Tazelaar, Afghan Desk Officer Marit van 
Zomeren, and UN Funds and Social Affairs Policy Advisor Hein 
van der Hoeven.  They agreed that the situation has improved 
significantly, but that much work remains.  Van der Hoeven 
noted that the EU position will likely be significantly 
influenced by the UN Secretary General's report on the 
situation of women and girls in Afghanistan.  He said that if 
the SYG's report is very positive, the EU is likely forgoe 
consideration of a resolution.  He further noted that he 
expects the EU to have a more formalized position in advance 
of upcoming COHUM meetings in New York in early February. 
 
3.  At present, the GoNL does not have a formal position as 
to whether or not it would support an EU resolution, if 
tabled.  Van Zomeren, who visited Afghanistan in October, 
stated that despite new laws and positive measures, major 
problems persist and the situation is "not all rosy."  To 
illustrate, she commented that the voter registration process 
in the south is flawed, and that the two women members of the 
constitutional drafting committee acted as secretaries, not 
equal members.  Tazelaar noted that the MFA will speak 
further with its Embassy and contacts in Kabul, as well as 
its mission to the UN, regarding this issue.  Following such 
consultations, the MFA will weigh which avenues of action 
will be most useful in addressing the status of women and 
girls in Afghanistan. 
 
4. Note:  The Dutch are currently supporting two 
women-focused programs in Afghanistan via UNIFEM and UNAMA. 
Additionally, an official from the MFA's Women and 
Development office will travel to Kabul next week on a 
general mission to assess the current situation.  The Dutch 
are the voice of the EU for the next 18 months in 
Afghanistan, as neither Ireland (current president of the EU) 
nor Luxembourg (which holds the presidency in the first half 
of 2005, directly after the Netherlands) maintain a presence 
in Kabul.  End note. 
SOBEL