Cablegate: Eu Discusses Afghanistan-Pakistan with Partners

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RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

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TAGS: PREL EAID EUN AF PK
SUBJECT: EU DISCUSSES AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN WITH PARTNERS

REF: STOCKHOLM 577

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Sensitive But Unclassified -- please handle accordingly.

1. (SBU) Summary and Introduction: Swedish Special
Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Anna-Karin
Enestrom and Swedish EU Presidency Political and Security
Committee Ambassador Olof Skoog hosted informal consultations
on October 5 to discuss Afghanistan and Pakistan. In
addition to the United States, the UN, NATO, the World Bank,
Canada, Australia, Norway, Turkey, and Japan were invited to
share their thinking. The Swedes presented a broad outline
of their ongoing strategic review (as discussed at the
informal foreign ministers, Gymnich, meeting in September;
see reftel). Key themes, developed in more detail since the
September meeting, include the importance of regional actors,
a more concrete and action-oriented approach, and Afghan
ownership of the process. The EU emphasized that it is in
Afghanistan for the long-term and the review should be seen
as a modus operandi for the way forward. The European
Commission also noted they are looking to put more resources
into Afghanistan. All representatives were broadly in
agreement on improved donor coordination and transitioning to
an Afghan-led process. The EU member states will begin
meeting October 6 to determine the final format of the review
paper, to be released at the foreign minister's GAERC meeting
at the end of October. End Summary and Itrst major tn. Specialshare fromle thereith the Parliament and
civil society. Canada ha raised concerns about security and
technicalcapacities to hold such a high-level conference in
Kabul. The Council Secretariat Head of Unit for Asia also
noted that the election results are still in flux, and that
any international conference or compact could be limited by
the perceived legitimacy of the future Afghan government,
which could require a "dramatic" re-evaluation of the
strategic review process, "if things go awry." (All nodded
approvingly when Canada underscored the importance of unified
messaging on the elections.)

4. (SBU) On Afghanistan, UNAMA Representative Mark Ward
spoke about the Afghan National Development Strategy and the
move to strategically focus on three main clusters of
economic development (agriculture and rural development,
education and vocational training, and infrastructure and
economic development, mainly in the Center and North.) The
European Union noted they are interested in focusing
particularly on sub-national governance as a critical field
for new development (as work within national sectors is
on-going). Additionally, the EU brought up rule of law,
policing and the judiciary as areas for continued attention.
Reintegration is also a sector the EU intends to invest in,
particularly on the technical aspects of administering such a
program. USEU Charge d'Affaires conveyed talking points
provided by Washington. The NATO representative spoke of the
importance of civil-military interaction, particularly noting
that the military can conduct clearing operations, but that
holding and building is the critical element for civilian and
military interaction. Several noted that holding and
building programs should ideally be Afghan-owned and

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implemented, albeit supported by the international community.
Canada said Afghan administrative officials must move
quickly into cleared villages. For Pakistan, the European
Union, broadly supported by the partner countries present,
supports the Malakand Development Strategy. The EU also said
they are working with Pakistan to enhance governance, and to
strengthen the EU-Pakistan political and economic
relationship. All, including the U.S., noted the importance
of building the capacity of Afghan government ministries.
UNAMA noted that the next Afghan president will need to
delegate extra authority to "super ministries" to govern.

5. (SBU) Comment: One day after these informal
consultations with non-EU partners, the EU Political and
Security Committee will begin discussing the text of the EU's
strategy review. The EU hopes to produce an updated paper
for the foreign ministers meeting at the end of October. The
Swedish Presidency said the purpose of the exercise is to
make the EU Af/Pak strategy paper discussed at the early
September Gymnich meeting more concrete and action-oriented.
Additionally, the Swedes announced that they will be hosting
a meeting on October 6 to find creative solutions for the EU
to fulfill its EUPOL mandate. (EUPOL has filled 265 of 400
training slots.) Commission and Council Secretariat contacts
note the Swedish Presidency is heavily invested in ensuring
that a concrete way-ahead comes out of this process. End
comment.

MURRAY
.

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