US embassy cable - 04THEHAGUE2112

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 THE HAGUE 002112 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MOPS, MARR, PREL, PGOV, KPKO, AF, NL, NATO 
SUBJECT: DUTCH CABINET APPROVES SUPPLEMENTAL CONTRIBUTIONS 
TO ISAF AND OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM 
 
1. Summary: On August 20, the Dutch cabinet decided to 
provide to ISAF six F-16 jetfighters and a KDC-10 refueling 
aircraft for a period of eight weeks as of mid-September for 
the purpose of enhancing security during the presidential 
elections in October.  If a second round of elections 
occurs, the deployment will be extended for an additional 
few weeks. The Netherlands will also temporarily supply to 
ISAF for the purpose of election support a light infantry 
security detachment to assist the PRTs in the provinces of 
Kunduz, Baghlan and Takhar.  The cabinet further decided to 
extend the deployment of an Apache helicopter detachment 
made available to ISAF until April 1, 2005, and to provide a 
frigate to Operation Enduring Freedom (in the region around 
the Arabian Peninsula) for three months in the fourth 
quarter of 2004.  End Summary. 
 
F-16 and KDC-10 
--------------- 
 
2. Foreign Minister Bot, Defense Minister Kamp and 
Development Minister Van Ardenne informed parliament in 
writing August 20 that the cabinet had decided to provide 
six F-16s and one KDC-10 to ISAF in response to appeals from 
President Karzai and UN SYG Kofi Annan to NATO for 
supplemental military assistance prior to and during the 
upcoming Afghan elections.  The ministers wrote that this 
deployment satisfied a significant and substantial element 
of the supplemental resources identified by the North 
Atlantic Council (NAC) as necessary for election support. 
 
3. The F-16s and KDC-10 will be deployed at Manas AFB, 
Kyrgyzstan, from where Dutch F-16s operated in the period 
October 2002-October 2003 within the framework of Operation 
Enduring Freedom.  The ministers' letter pointed out that 
U.S. forces are based at Manas, and that the U.S. has 
promised to allow Royal Air Force to make use of U.S. 
facilities.  The Dutch detachment will comprise 170 to 210 
troops, depending on the amount of support provided by the 
U.S.  It was observed that the refueling plane alone is not 
sufficient to meet the total need for refueling 
capabilities.  Although NATO has primary responsibility for 
the remaining requirement, options are being explored with 
the U.S. to use the refueling capabilities of Operation 
Enduring Freedom. 
 
4. In view of the fact that the ISAF's mandate is primarily 
to assist the Afghan transition government in promoting 
security and stability and expanding its authority, the 
F-16s will have a two-folded task.  They can be used to show 
force and to provide close air support to ground forces.  On 
the basis of agreements on mutual assistance between ISAF 
and Operation Enduring Freedom, the F-16s can also be used 
to provide assistance to Enduring Freedom forces in an 
emergency situation, as is the case with the present Dutch 
Apache helicopter detachment in Afghanistan.  However, the 
ministers stressed to parliament that the F-16s would not be 
used for planned Enduring Freedom operations. 
 
5. The rules of engagement of ISAF are based on Chapter VII 
of the UN Charter and are "sufficiently robust."  In 
addition, national targeting guidelines apply to the use of 
Dutch jetfighters that are based on the law of war and the 
Geneva Conventions, according to the letter. 
 
Apache Helicopters 
------------------ 
 
6. Since the transfer of authority to NATO on March 31, 
2004, a Dutch Apache helicopter detachment has operated in 
Afghanistan, initially for a period of six months. 
According to the GoNL, the experiences with these 
helicopters have been very positive, and their presence has 
been appreciated by both the ISAF command and troops on the 
ground.  The helicopters are mainly used for reconnaissance 
and the display of visible presence.  Occasionally, they 
operate outside the ISAF territory.  On August 20, the 
cabinet decided to extend their deployment for six months. 
According to the ministers' letter, a decision to withdraw 
the Apaches by the original September 30 date -- shortly 
before the October 9 Presidential elections -- would have 
run counter to the NATO promise to provide political and 
military assistance during the elections.  The letter notes 
that the helicopters can also provide assistance to the 
Dutch PRT in Baghlan as it is being put together and during 
its initial operations. 
 
Deployment of Dutch PRT in Baghlan 
---------------------------------- 
7. Preparations for the deployment of the Dutch PRT in 
Pol-e Khomri in the province of Baghlan are well under way, 
according to the ministers' letter.   The initial set-up 
team of about 60 persons will leave around August 24, and 
upon arrival will start building the required facilities. 
The initial operational units will leave in early September. 
By October 1 at the latest, the PRT will be operational, and 
will therefore be prepared to assist the elections on 
October 9.  The complete buildup operation will foreseeably 
be ready by mid-November. 
 
8. In support of the deployment of the PRT in Pol-e Khomri, 
a C-130 transport plane of the Royal Air Force will soon be 
deployed at Termez AFB, Uzbekistan, for a period of about 
six weeks.  At the request of Germany, this aircraft will 
also provide assistance to the deployment of the German PRT 
in the province of Badakshan. 
 
Frigate to assist Operation Enduring Freedom 
-------------------------------------------- 
9. The termination of the F-16 deployment in Manas in 
October 2003 marked a provisional end to Dutch contributions 
to Operation Enduring Freedom.  The letter notes that the 
option of a new contribution was, however, always left open. 
For that reason, the GoNL expects that the U.S. will welcome 
the present Dutch offer to supply a frigate for three months 
in the fourth quarter of 2004.  Arrangements are still to be 
made with the U.S. on details on the nature and term of 
deployment.  However, it was pointed out, in general terms, 
the frigate's tasks and powers will roughly be the same as 
those during previous deployments for the benefit of 
Enduring Freedom. 
 
Humanitarian Assistance and Reconstruction 
------------------------------------------ 
Although the earlier emphasis on humanitarian assistance is 
shifting to reconstruction, several humanitarian needs 
remain unfulfilled.  According to the letter,  the 
Netherlands has appropriated 15 million Euros for 
humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan for the period 2004- 
2006.  The Netherlands is one of the largest donors of 
Afghanistan.  In the period 2001-2003, the Netherlands 
donated 165 million Euros in aid.  At the recent donor 
conference, it made the commitment to provide another 100 
million Euros in aid in the next three years.   The 
Netherlands also made a commitment to contribute a total of 
75 million Euros, that is 25 million Euros a year, to the 
Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF.)  The Dutch 
contribution to ARTF in 2004 was recently raised with 10 
million Euros to 35 million. 
 
Russel