US embassy cable - 04THEHAGUE3142

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 003142 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR, INL, AND SA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AF, XD, SNAR, XG, KPAO, NL, EUN, G-8 
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/AFGHANISTAN: DUTCH TO CO-FINANCE CNPA 
IN BADAKHSHAN 
 
REF: STATE 248010 
 
Poloff delivered reftel points November 22 to MFA Security 
Policy Deputy Office Director for Operations Joost Flamand 
and on November 23 to Wilfred Mohr, Head of MFA Southern Asia 
Division.  Mohr welcomed the strong U.S. commitment to 
tackling opium production and trafficking in and from 
Afghanistan, and agreed that the counternarcotics effort in 
Afghanistan is essential to maintaining international work 
toward long term peace and reconstruction.  Mohr said the 
Netherlands welcomes the activities of the UK as lead, and 
intends to continue supporting these efforts both within the 
EU framework and bilaterally.  With regard to the specific 
pillars of U.S. activity, Mohr believed an integrated 
approach is essential, cautioning that "eradication without 
alternative livelihoods" could lead to farmers falling into a 
"debt trap."  Mohr also voiced "strong hesitation" regarding 
aerial spraying, believing that it does not have the support 
of the Afghan government and also citing environmental and 
social risks.  Toward the objective of strengthening the 
capacity and regional presence of the Counter Narcotics 
Policy, Mohr revealed that the Netherlands has decided to 
contribute five million euros to co-finance the construction 
of a regional Counter Narcotics Provincial Authority (CNPA) 
capacity in Badakhshan; the UK is the primary partner in the 
project. 
RUSSEL