AFGHANISTAN'S FUTURE - NEXT STEPS

S E C R E T ABU DHABI 006422

STATE FOR NEA/ARP AND SA/PAB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/11
TAGS: PREL PTER AF PK TC
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN'S FUTURE - NEXT STEPS

REF: STATE 192153


1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY DCM GORDON R. OLSON, FOR
REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D).


2. (S) POLOFF REVIEWED REFTEL POINTS ON THE
FUTURE OF AFGHANISTAN WITH MUHAMMAD ABDUL RAHIM
ABDUL JALIL, MFA DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF AMERICAN
AND EUROPEAN AFFAIRS ON NOVEMBER 7. SHE HANDED
OVER A COPY OF THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH TO THE
WARSAW CONFERENCE ON COMBATING TERRORISM.
ABDUL JALIL SAID HE HAD HEARD EXCERPTS OF THE
SPEECH ON AL-JAZEERA AND NOTED THAT THE
PRESIDENT HAD DELIVERED A FORCEFUL AND WELCOME
MESSAGE. ABDUL JALIL CONDEMNED THE 9/11
ATTACKS AND REITERATED THE UAE'S STRONG
COMMITMENT TO THE ANTI-TERROR COALITION.
RECALLING THAT THE UAE HAD ITSELF BEEN A TARGET
OF TERRORIST ATTACKS IN THE 1970'S AND 1980'S
(THE FOREIGN MINISTER WAS ASSASSINATED AND
SEVERAL UAE DIPLOMATS ABROAD WERE TARGETED BY
ABU NIDAL),ABDUL JALIL DECLARED THAT WE NEEDED
TO STAND TOGETHER AGAINST THIS NEW THREAT. UBL
DID NOT SPEAK FOR THE MUSLIM PEOPLE, HE STATED,
MOST OF WHOM JUST WANT TO LIVE IN PEACE.


3. (C) NOTING USG HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO
THE AFGHAN PEOPLE, POLOFF LAUDED THE UAE'S OWN
SUBSTANTIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. SHE SAID THE
U.S. ANTICIPATED THAT A HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
DONORS CONFERENCE WOULD BE HELD AND ENCOURAGED
UAE PARTICIPATION. GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE UAE
HAS HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TEAMS ON THE GROUND
IN AFGHANISTAN -- WORKING THROUGH THE UAE RED
CRESCENT SOCIETY -- THE DONORS' CONFERENCE
WOULD PROVIDE AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE
EMIRATIS TO SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND COMBINE
THEIR EFFORTS WITH OTHERS IN THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY. ABDUL JALIL AGREED THAT THE UAE
NEEDED TO BE PART OF ANY DONORS CONFERENCE AND
EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT CONDITIONS ON THE
GROUND IN AFGHANISTAN, PARTICULARLY IN ADVANCE
OF THE HARSH WINTER.


4. (C) TURNING TO AFGHANISTAN'S FUTURE, POLOFF
NOTED THE DIFFICULTY OF FORGING A COALITION
AMONG AFGHANISTAN'S DIVERSE ETHNIC GROUPS.
NEVERTHELESS, WE BELIEVED THAT A BROAD-BASED
GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO BE ESTABLISHED AND THAT, AT
ALL COSTS, WE SHOULD AVOID THE CREATION OF A
POWER VACUUM. TO THIS END, WE FULLY ENDORSED
THE EFFORTS OF UN SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE
BRAHIMI. ABDUL JALIL, WHO SERVED UNTIL AUGUST
AS THE UAE'S DCM IN TEHRAN, WONDERED ABOUT
IRANIAN DESIGNS AND HOPED THAT THE SIX PLUS TWO
MEETING IN NEW YORK WOULD BEAR FRUIT. THE
PASHTUNS -- WHO HE ESTIMATED COMPRISE 51% OF
THE AFGHAN POPULATION -- WILL NEED TO PLAY A
MAJOR ROLE IN ANY FUTURE GOVERNMENT, ABDUL
JALIL SURMISED.


5. (U) PESHAWAR MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.


WAHBA