VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTC #2235/01 2890609
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 160609Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7108
INFO RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA PRIORITY 0077
RUEHBP/AMEMBASSY BAMAKO PRIORITY 0007
RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA PRIORITY 0085
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM PRIORITY 0447
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY 0066
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA PRIORITY 0084
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY 0340
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 4177

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 002235 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR S/GAC (MCIFF), AF/RSA (BITTRICK), AF/SPG (SMALL) 
DEFENSE FOR DHAPP (SHAFFER) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID KHIV NL UNGA AF
SUBJECT: HIV/AIDS: DUTCH SEEK BROAD-BASED COOPERATION 
 
REF: STATE 110817 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: The Dutch want to significantly expand bilateral 
cooperation on HIV/AIDS in Africa and seek State concurrence 
to develop these initiatives. See Action Request in 
paragraphs 5-7.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. In response to reftel request for ideas to reinvigorate 
the 2003 U.S.-Dutch bilateral agreement on HIV/AIDS 
cooperation, Post arranged for meetings this summer between a 
visiting delegation from the Department of Defense's HIV/AIDS 
Prevention Program (DHAPP) and representatives from the Dutch 
ministries of Defense (MOD) and Foreign Affairs (MFA). Over 
the course of the summer and fall, Econoff met with relevant 
MFA officials to develop ideas raised during these meetings. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
Opportunities for Country-Specific Cooperation 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶3. Dutch officials and DHAPP have identified the following 
country-specific opportunities for Dutch-USG cooperation: 
 
--Explore whether South Africa is open to USG participation 
in a future Dutch HIV/AIDS mission to identify opportunities 
for cooperation. 
 
--Jointly encourage the Joint United Nations Program on 
HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) to take a leadership role in Sudan and 
cooperate in seeking additional military representatives for 
the Sudan Aids in the Military Task Force.  Dutch AIDS 
Ambassador Paul Bekkers and two other MFA representatives 
will attend the December 7-8 UNAIDS meeting to discuss this 
issue. 
 
--Counsel and test international and local armed groups 
involved in the Congo conflict prior to their demobilization. 
 The MFA is interested in exploring whether DHAPP's 
cooperative program with Population Services International 
could supplement existing Dutch HIV/AIDS educational 
campaigns in the Congo. 
 
--Cooperate in voluntary counseling and testing in Burundi 
and the Multi-Country Demobilization and Reintegration 
Program (MDRP), to which the GONL has contributed $100 
million. 
 
--Introduce the Dutch to PharmAccess International (PAI), 
with whom DHAPP has contracted to organize a country-wide 
prevention and treatment program for the Tanzania People's 
Defense Forces. DHAPP seeks to increase PAI access to the 
wide variety of materials and resources already developed for 
military HIV/AIDS prevention programs and to investigate the 
possibility of expanding PAI activities.  DHAPP has offered 
to coordinate an introductory meeting between PAI, DHAPP, and 
the Dutch, but does not want to proceed without State 
concurrence. 
 
--Integrate HIV/AIDS educational material into peace keeper 
training in Mali, Ghana, Burundi, and Sudan.  DHAPP has 
agreed to send its training materials to the Dutch and to 
identify a cooperation mechanism.  The MFA plans to brief 
Dutch military officers on HIV/AIDS programs, policies, and 
main issues in-country. 
 
------------------------------------- 
Opportunities for Overall Cooperation 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. Dutch officials and DHAPP identified the following 
opportunities for general cooperation: 
 
--Identify Defense Attaches (DATTs) in target countries who 
would be responsible for following HIV/AIDS issues as a step 
toward possible cooperation between DATTs in-country.  MFA 
officials encouraged U.S. DATTs to cooperate on HIV/AIDS 
initiatives and to visit with their in-country Dutch 
counterparts. 
 
--Speak with a "common voice" in the African Union (AU). The 
Dutch believe that more can be accomplished if the U.S., 
Netherlands, and other donors coordinate their messages and 
that cooperation in the AU should cover all HIV/AIDS issues 
and not just those related to security. 
 
 
--Send Dutch military attaches to the "informal task force on 
uniformed services" in Washington, in which the United 
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), UNAIDS, and DoD participate. 
 
--Explore whether USG programs such as the African 
Contingency Operations Training and Assistance program 
(ACOTA) should include an element of HIV/AIDS training and 
whether opportunities exist for cooperation in the area of 
HIV/AIDS prevention in military settings. 
 
-------------- 
Action Request 
-------------- 
 
¶5. The Dutch MFA is ready to move forward with the 
suggestions outlined in paras 3 and 4.  According to MFA 
contacts, Dutch AIDS Ambassador Bekkers "wants cooperation to 
mean more than just a MOU" and seeks "specific cooperation 
in-country."  The Dutch MFA, therefore, seeks the State 
Department's concurrence in exploring these areas of 
cooperation with DHAPP in close coordination with the State 
Department through S/GAC and Embassy The Hague. Please advise. 
 
¶6. DHAPP POC is Richard Shaffer, Executive Director, DoD 
HIV/AIDS Prevention Program. Email: Shaffer@nhrc.navy.mil. 
 
¶7. Embassy POC is Jason Heung, Economic Officer, U.S. Embassy 
The Hague. Phone:  31-70-310-2339. Email: HeungJ2@state.gov 
BLAKEMAN