Cablegate: Moi Makes Progress On Final Phases of Anp Rank

VZCZCXRO2701
PP RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHPW RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #2384/01 2070534
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 260534Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9288
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 002384

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A, S/CRS, S/CT,
INL/CIVPOL, NSC FOR HARRIMAN, OSD FOR SHIVERS, CENTCOM FOR
CSTC-A, CG CJTF-82, POLAD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MASS PGOV AF PREL
SUBJECT: MOI MAKES PROGRESS ON FINAL PHASES OF ANP RANK

REFORM

REF: KABUL 313

1. (SBU) Summary: The GOA is making progress towards
completion of the Ministry of Interior (MOI) Rank Reform
Process to reduce the currently over-manned Afghan National
Police (ANP) officer corps to an efficient level by selecting
the best qualified officers through an extensive testing,
selection and vetting process. President Karzai recently
signed the 2007 "Tashkil" (Force Manning Authorization) that
authorized the 82,000 personnel for the MOI. The Tashkil
approval is critical to assign the correct numbers of
officers at the appropriate grade. Combined Security
Transition Command-Afghanistan (CSTC-A) is working closely
with the MOI Rank Reform Selection Board to complete the
selection and assignment of 8,956 field and company grade ANP
officers. Additionally, CSTC-A is working with post and the
United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA) to
complete vetting of the field grade officers. Completion of
Rank Reform is necessary for the GOA to professionalize the
ANP and move forward on police pay reform. End Summary.

KARZAI SIGNS 2007 TASHKIL

2. (SBU) President Karzai signed the 2007 "Tashkil" (Force
Manning Authorization) on July 5. The Tashkil authorizes the
MOI 82,000 personnel for ANP, Afghan National Auxiliary
Police (ANAP), Afghan Border Police (ABP), Afghan National
Civil Order Police (ANCOP), Counter-Narcotics Police (CNPA)
as well as administrative and staff headquarters positions at
MOI and throughout the country. CSTC-A police mentors worked
with their MOI counterparts to develop an organizational
structure for 8,959 officers to command the 73,000 police
force. (Note: Previously, the MOI Rank Reform Selection Board
had based their decisions based of the 2006 Tashkil that had
approximately 3,000 more ANP officers than the 2007 Tashkil.
End Note.)

MOI SELECTION BOARD COMPLETING PHASE III TIER 2 AND PHASE IV
SELECTIONS

3. (SBU) The MOI Rank Reform Selection Board is working with
CSTC-A to complete the final two Phases of the Rank Reform
process. Minister Zarar and Major General Durbin met with
the MOI Selection Board June 20 and directed them to focus
their efforts on completing the selection, vetting and
assignment of approximately 8,956 ANP officers. The Board is
working on completing the Phase III, Tier 2 and Phase IV
Officer selections concurrently. (Note: Per reftel, Phase III
Tier 2 includes field grade MOI Headquarters and other
district level positions. Phase IV positions include all
company grade ANP officer positions. End Note.)

4. (SBU) CSTC-A predicts the Selection Board will be able to
complete selection for approximately 8,956 positions by
August 4. (Note: There are approximately 250 positions
remaining to be filled. End Note.) Additionally, CSTC-A
reports that senior MOI leadership is engaged with keeping
the Selection Board focused on their task. (Note: CSTC-A
mentors report that both Minister Zarar and Deputy Minister
Khalid have paid close attention to the Board's progress and
both personally have gone to the board to redirect them to
double their efforts. This is a positive development because
the MOI leadership understands the importance of completing
reform process and are engaged with the Selection Board to
finish the work. End Note). However, the MOI understands
that Rank Reform will not be completed until the field grade
officers pass the human rights vetting.

5. (SBU) Post and UNAMA are performing human rights vetting
of field grade officers. The officers who complete vetting
will be eligible for direct appointment by Brigadier General
Nuristiani, MOI Chief of Personnel. (Note: Per Department
guidance, post is vetting all field grade Phase III officers
selected for positions but will not vet Phase IV company
grade officers. UNAMA previously had adopted a similar
policy. End Note) The MOI is already moving forward on
appointments of company grade officers while the
international community conducts vetting on field grade
officers. Once the Selection Board completes its task,

KABUL 00002384 002 OF 002

Minister Zarar will stand the board down and create a new
Rank Reform Board with different members to make additional
selections for any officers that are removed in during the
vetting process.

COMPLETION OF RANK REFORM NECESSARY FOR FURTHER PAY REFORM

6. (SBU) Completion of Rank Reform is necessary to complete
pay reform which will establish new salary levels for the
ANP. At the June 6 Law and Order Trust Fund (LOTFA) Steering
Committee Meeting, the international community concluded that
completion of rank reform is necessary before introducing pay
parity between the Afghan National Army (ANA) and the Afghan
National Police (ANP). (Note: The donors to decided to
support pay parity; this will raise the salary for an ANP
patrolman from $70 per month to $100. However, the
international community does not support increasing ANAP
salaries to the ANA level because the ANAP program is a
temporary arrangement to strengthen the police presence in
high security risk provinces. End Note.)

COMMENT

7. (SBU) Completion of Rank Reform will be an critical
accomplishment for the MOI and the international community's
efforts to reform the ANP. It is necessary for senior MOI
leadership to remain engaged with the Selection Board in
order for them to complete their tasks. The Selection Board
will also require close monitoring by post and CSTC-A to
ensure that they proceed with assignments once the selection
process is concluded.
WOOD

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