Cablegate: Canada Seeks High-Level U.S. Participation in Prt

VZCZCXRO7118
OO RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #1958 2961514
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 231514Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6754
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0136
RUEHVL/AMEMBASSY VILNIUS 0093
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS OTTAWA 001958

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE/PM FOR AMBASSADOR MULL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MOPS CA AF
SUBJECT: CANADA SEEKS HIGH-LEVEL U.S. PARTICIPATION IN PRT
CONFERENCE

1. (SBU) Please see action request in para. 4.

2. (SBU) On October 22, Department of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade (DFAIT) Afghanistan Task Force Operations
Officer David Fairchild raised the upcoming November 25-27
PRT conference in Lithuania entitled "Provincial
Reconstruction Teams in Afghanistan: Today and Beyond." (He
explained that the Canadian and Lithuanian Embassies in
Washington had sent a formal invitation letter to the State
Department on October 22; Embassy will provide a copy to
WHA/CAN.) Fairchild said DFAIT's new Assistant Deputy
Minister responsible for Afghanistan, Yves Brodeur, would
represent Canada at the meeting. Most of the 23
participating countries and IOs would likely have similarly
high level representation, he noted, adding that NATO planned
to send its Deputy SYG.

3. (SBU) Fairchild admitted that the timing of the
conference was unfortunate in terms of senior U.S.
representation, given the conflict with the U.S. Thanksgiving
holiday. He nonetheless expressed Canada's hope that the
U.S. would send a high-level official to participate in the
meeting, suggesting PM Acting Assistant Secretary Stephen
Mull.

4. (SBU) Action request: Please advise about U.S.
participation in this worthwhile event.

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http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap

WILKINS

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