Cablegate: Seoul Response; Donors Conference On Afghanistan

VZCZCXYZ0004
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHUL #0804 1120654
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 210654Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9470
INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0135
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 0224
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0509

UNCLAS SEOUL 000804

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/A & EAP/K

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN KDEM KS PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: SEOUL RESPONSE; DONORS CONFERENCE ON AFGHANISTAN

REF: STATE 32155

1. (SBU) Per reftel request, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Trade's (MOFAT) Development Cooperation Division Acting
Director Kyun Jong-ho recently told us the ROKG was prepared
to make a "substantial" pledge (involving both grants and
loans stretching over three to four years) at the upcoming
Afghan Donors Conference in Paris. He could not, however,
cite a pledge amount (or the likely head of the Korean
delegation), owing to ongoing senior-level ROKG deliberations
on these issues that may not be completed until mid-May.

2. (SBU) To help the ROKG prepare for the conference, Kyun
requested additional information on who will be leading the
USG delegation and what specific assistance the USG and other
major donors plan to extend to Afghanistan. He added that
MOFAT would likely look favorably on specific projects in
public sector training, agriculture, and natural resource
development (the last including mining feasibility studies).
Such proposals should be submitted via the ROK's Embassy in
Kabul.
STANTON

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