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DE RUEHBS #1639/02 3381828
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O 041828Z DEC 09
FM USEU BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDCIMMEDIATE
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE

S E C R E T SECTION 02 F 02 BRUSSELS 001639 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR THE SECRETARY 
NSC FOR GENERAL JONES 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2024 
TAGS: MARR MOPS EAID PINS PGOV PREL EUN SW PK IN
AF 
SUBJECT: HOLBROOKE & FM BILDT ON AFGHAN ELECTIONS, CIVILIAN 
COORDINATION 
 
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* Missing Section 001 * 
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BRUSSELS 00001639  002 OF 002 
 
 
credible pretext for backtracking on his inauguration 
commitment to hold elections in May 2010, said Holbrooke.  He 
noted that Davutoglu had recommended blaming the delay on 
security issues.  Bildt responded positively that the 
international community could truthfully cite its need to 
"get our house in order" before committing to another round 
of expensive elections. 
 
International Coordination 
-------------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) FM Bildt indicated that he was hoping to use the final 
weeks of Sweden's EU Presidency to improve international 
coordination of the EU's efforts in Afghanistan.  He bemoaned 
the existence of three separate chains of command for the EU 
Police Mission, European Commission delegation and Presidency 
representative.  Bildt said he hoped the coming-into-force of 
the Lisbon Treaty on December 1 would make it possible 
finally to bring together the stove-piped strands of the EU's 
own presence in Afghanistan under a single umbrella. 
 
¶7. (C/NF) In addition to consolidating EU efforts, Bildt felt 
that international coordination could be enhanced by 
strengthening UNAMA.  He suggested that UNMIK's pillar 
structure in Kosovo had provided a good model for UN 
coordination of international efforts.  Bildt disclosed that 
Kai Eide planned to leave his job before his contract expired 
in March 2010.  In fact, he said, Eide had considered 
announcing his departure in December and leaving in March, 
but Bildt had persuaded him not to act until a successor was 
selected and available.  He expressed confidence in the 
abilities of both leading candidates to succeed Kai Eide as 
UNAMA's head, Sweden's Stefan de Mistura and Jean-Marie 
Guehenno. 
 
¶8. (C) Bildt volunteered that he felt the NATO Senior 
Civilian Representative also needed to raise its profile. The 
NATO SCR should take on new functions, he said, such as PRT 
coordination.  Kai Eide was also an advocate for an increased 
NATO SCR role, he said. 
 
¶9. (C) Bildt said the proposal for the U.S. ambassador in 
Kabul to be appointed as overall coordinator of the 
international civilian effort "would not work."  Doing so 
would marginalize UNAMA, he asserted.  Bildt advocated 
finding an Afghan partner for international coordination 
efforts, preferably Minister of Finance Ahady. 
 
So-so Reaction to POTUS Speech 
------------------------------ 
 
¶10. (C/NF)  On the President's speech, Bildt complained it 
was overly focused on military strategy and was thin on the 
civilian strategy.  He also described the speech as 
neglecting the regional dimension of the problem, which went 
beyond Pakistan. 
 
EU HiRep Catherine Ashton 
------------------------- 
 
¶11. (C/NF)  Bildt, who was joined in the meeting by Sweden's 
Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Anna-Karen 
Enestrom, noted that he knew and liked newly appointed EU 
High Representative Catherine Ashton.  He described her as a 
"street fighter" with a disciplined mind for bureaucratic 
battles.  While competent and intelligent, Bildt described 
her as having "no foreign affairs knowledge."  Enestrom 
commented that Ashton had already made it known within the EU 
that she planned to focus on Afghanistan, Iran and the Middle 
East. 
 
¶12. (U) SRAP delegation did not review this cable. 
 
MURRAY 
.