Cablegate: Afghanistan: Low-Key Russian Participation In

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RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMO #3141 1790555
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 280555Z JUN 07 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1668
INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0455
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 2883
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0339

UNCLAS MOSCOW 003141

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KJUS AF RS
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: LOW-KEY RUSSIAN PARTICIPATION IN
ROME RULE OF LAW CONFERENCE

REF: STATE 87370

1. (SBU) We met with MFA Afghanistan Section Chief Yuriy
Khokhlov to urge Russian participation at the Rome Rule of
Law Conference on Afghanistan and encourage Moscow to
contribute to the Afghan Reconstruction Trust Fund for
justice projects. Khokhlov said that Russian participation
in the conference was not yet decided but Moscow was likely
to be represented by the Russian Ambassador in Rome. Noting
that the Italians had already asked for higher-level
participation, Khokhlov said it was possible Deputy Foreign
Minister Yakovenko might attend.

2. (SBU) Khokhlov said that Russia was not planning on
contributing to the Trust Fund for justice projects. While
stressing that Russian assistance for humanitarian projects
was likely to rise in the coming year, he said Moscow was
skeptical about the usefulness of funding multilateral
justice projects. Afghanistan needed to take on greater
ownership of its own governmental structures and build a
justice system that was sustainable with Afghan resources.
He was dubious that raising judges' salaries would be
sufficient to dispel Afghan perceptions that the justice
system was corrupt and ineffective.
BURNS

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