Cablegate: Establishing Senior Civilian Representatives in The

VZCZCXRO8118
RR RUEHDBU RUEHPW RUEHSL
DE RUEHBUL #3665 3180342
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 140342Z NOV 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3177
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS KABUL 003665

DEPARTMENT FOR SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/A, EUR/RPM
STATE PASS TO AID FOR ASIA/SCAA
USFOR-A FOR POLAD

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV AF APER
SUBJECT: ESTABLISHING SENIOR CIVILIAN REPRESENTATIVES IN THE
REGIONAL COMMANDS NORTH AND WEST

REF: (A) KABUL 2102; (B) KABUL 2687

1. SUMMARY: Ref (A) announced the creation of the Senior Civilian
Representative (SCR) positions in Regional Command - East (RC-E) and
Regional Command-South (RC-S), as well as a new structured civilian
presence throughout Afghanistan, to achieve USG and coalition
civ-mil unity of effort. Ref (A) also noted that upon the
establishment of consulates in Herat and Mazar-e Sharif, the Mission
would likely dual-hat the Principal Officers (POs) in Herat and
Mazar as SCRs for RC-W and RC-N. In anticipation of the stand-up of
U.S. Consulates in Herat and Mazar in 2010, Embassy Kabul has now
established dual-hatted SCR/PO positions in both cities. END
SUMMARY.

2. As envisioned in Ref (A), Embassy Kabul has established Senior
Civilian Representative positions in Herat and Mazar, in order to
strengthen coordination and unity of effort among all U.S. agencies
within their respective AORs. The SCRs will be double-hatted as
Principal Officers (POs). Post expects to open consulates in both
cities in 2010, following conclusion of lease negotiations and
renovations.

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CHANGES FOR HERAT
-----------------

3. PO-Herat will have SCR responsibilities (Ref A) for all
provinces in RC-W, including Herat, Badghis, Ghor, and Farah.
Farah, currently part of the RC-S civilian area of responsibility
(Ref B), will be shifted back to RC-W, in order to ensure unity of
effort between the SCR and military commander of RC-W. PO-Herat's
consular district, or AOR for political, economic, commercial,
emergency American Citizen Services (ACS) and other consulate
functions, will include all of RC-W.

4. Once the consulate is established in Herat, the State Department
rep at the Herat PRT will move to the Consulate. He and other staff
at the Consulate will assume responsibilities currently performed by
the State Department rep at the Herat PRT. Current staffing plans
for the Consulate include the Principal Officer, two Pol/Econ
officers, an RSO, two ARSOs, one direct-hire security protective
specialist, a PAS officer, one Management officer, an Office
Management Specialist, and an Information Program Officer (IPO).
Staffing by USAID personnel, including the current USAID rep
assigned to the PRT, is still under review.

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CHANGES FOR MAZAR-E SHARIF
--------------------------

5. The Principal Officer for Mazar-e Sharif, who will also serve as
SCR-N, will be responsible for all nine provinces in RC-N: Faryab,
Sar-e-Pol, Jowzjan, Balkh, Samangan, Baghlan, Kunduz, Takhar, and
Badakhshan. PO Mazar-e Sharif's AOR for political, economic,
commercial, emergency ACS and other consulate functions will include
all of RC-N. Like RC-W, RC-N will shift its personnel from the PRT
(Mazar-e Sharif) to the consulate. Consulate personnel will include
one, possibly two, Pol/Econ officers, an ARSO, a PAS officer, one
Management officer and an IPO.

6. The Germans (who command RC-N in Mazar) and the Swedes (who run
PRT Mazar) have both asked that the USG maintain a presence at their
respective posts. To that end, USAID anticipates that a development
advisor would remain at Germany's RC-N, and a Field Program Officer
would remain at the Swedish PRT. At the Consulate, USAID hopes to
establish the position of Senior Development Advisor. USDA does not
yet have an officer in Mazar-e Sharif.

7. The PO/SCRs in both Herat and Mazar-e Sharif will report to the
Ambassador through the Coordinator for Interagency Provincial
Affairs. The PO/SCRs will select the lead civilians at each PRT and
other integrated command teams in their respective AORs, and
establish appropriate rating and reviewing relationships.

EIKENBERRY

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