Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02ROME1015
2002-02-27 05:54:00
SECRET
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

EX-KING DETERMINED TO GO HOME, BUT CONCERNED ABOUT ARRANGEMENTS

Tags:  PREL PGOV AF IT IR AFGHANISTAN 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 001015 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR ARMITAGE, GROSSMAN, SA-DOBBINS, S/P, PM.
NSC FOR DR. RICE AND MR. HADLEY.
DOD FOR RUMSFELD AND WOLFOWITZ.
JCE FOR MYERS.

E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6X5, X6
TAGS: PREL PGOV AF IT PGOV AF IT IR IRPREL AFGHANISTAN
SUBJECT: EX-KING DETERMINED TO GO HOME, BUT CONCERNED ABOUT
ARRANGEMENTS

REF: A. KABUL 200

B. STATE 35613

C. ROME 918

D. USNATO 214
SECRET

PAGE 02 ROME 01015 01 OF 02 270625Z

CLASSIFIED BY: POLMINCOUNS THOMAS COUNTRYMAN, REASONS 1.6 X5 AND X6.

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 001015

SIPDIS

STATE FOR ARMITAGE, GROSSMAN, SA-DOBBINS, S/P, PM.
NSC FOR DR. RICE AND MR. HADLEY.
DOD FOR RUMSFELD AND WOLFOWITZ.
JCE FOR MYERS.

E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6X5, X6
TAGS: PREL PGOV AF IT PGOV AF IT IR IRPREL AFGHANISTAN
SUBJECT: EX-KING DETERMINED TO GO HOME, BUT CONCERNED ABOUT
ARRANGEMENTS

REF: A. KABUL 200

B. STATE 35613

C. ROME 918

D. USNATO 214
SECRET

PAGE 02 ROME 01015 01 OF 02 270625Z

CLASSIFIED BY: POLMINCOUNS THOMAS COUNTRYMAN, REASONS 1.6 X5 AND X6.


1. (S) SUMMARY: SPECIAL PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY KHALILZAD
CALLED ON FORMER KING OF AFGHANISTAN ZAHIR SHAH FEBRUARY 25.
FOR MOST OF THE SESSION, GENERAL WALI, ROYAL SON MIR WAIS,
GRANDSON MUSTAPHA, SULTAN GHAZI AND HAMID SIDDIQ JOINED.
ZAHIR WAS IN GOOD SPIRITS AND APPARENT GOOD HEALTH, JOKING
WITH HIS VISITORS, THEN PUFFING A CIGAR. MOST OF THE
DISCUSSIONS CENTERED ON ARRANGEMENTS FOR ZAHIR'S PLANNED
RETURN TO AFGHANISTAN IN MID-MARCH FOR NAWRUZ, THE AFGHAN NEW
YEAR. KHALILZAD ALSO MET WITH ITALIAN MFA UNDER SECRETARY
MARGHERITA BONIVER AND AFGHANISTAN'S AMBASSADOR TO ITALY,
HAMED NASSIR ZIA. END SUMMARY.


2. (S) ZAHIR SHAH APPEARED ABSOLUTELY DETERMINED TO GO TO
AFGHANISTAN, PENDING ADEQUATE ARRANGEMENTS. THIS MAY NOT
EQUALLY APPLY TO HIS ENTOURAGE, WHO SEEMED MUCH MORE
CONCERNED ABOUT THE SECURITY SITUATION THAN THE KING HIMSELF.
(COMMENT: SEE ALSO REF C. IT APPEARED ZAHIR SHAH'S
FAMILY'S CONCERNS WERE NOT AS EXTENSIVE AS INDICATED IN THOSE
MEETINGS, AND WERE IN ANY EVENT GREATLY ASSUAGED BY
KHALILZAD'S VISIT. END COMMENT.) THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT
WILL FLY THE KING AND HIS ENTOURAGE TO KABUL, PERHAPS ON A DC
9, BUT THE ROUTING WAS UNCLEAR. KHALILZAD SUGGESTED THAT
ENTERING AFGHANISTAN FROM THE NORTH, (I.E. UZBEKISTAN) MIGHT
NOT RAISE POLITICAL CONCERN AS WOULD AN ENTRY FROM ELSEWHERE.


3. (S) AS REPORTED PREVIOUSLY, HOWEVER, THE KEY ROYAL
CONCERN REMAINS SECURITY. KHALILZAD EXPLAINED THAT ISAF IS
SECRET

PAGE 03 ROME 01015 01 OF 02 270625Z
BEGINNING TO TRAIN A PRESIDENTIAL GUARD AND WILL INTENSIFY

THIS EFFORT. THIS UNIT WILL NUMBER 600 MEN, BUT
UNFORTUNATELY ONLY 200 HAVE SHOWN UP THUS FAR. THIS WILL BE
THE PRINCIPAL SECURITY FOR THE FORMER KING'S RESIDENCE,
SUPPLEMENTED BY ISAF, BUT WILL ALSO PROTECT THE PRESIDENTIAL
PALACE. IN ADDITION, KARZAI HAS CLOSE PROTECTION OFFICIALS
BEING TRAINED, AND HAD OFFERED TO MAKE SOME AVAILABLE TO THE
KING. ISAF WOULD BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE STATIC PROTECTION
AROUND THE KING BUT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PERFORM CLOSE
PERSONAL PROTECTION. THE KING'S ADVANCE IN KABUL HAD
INDICATED THAT KARZAI WOULD MAKE AVAILABLE SOME PERSONNEL,
WHEN TRAINED, AS THE KING'S BODYGUARDS.


4. (S) THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION OF IRANIAN INTERFERENCE
WITH THE KING AND OTHERS ECHOING CONCERN ABOUT IRAN'S DUAL
TRACK APPROACH TOWARD AFGHANISTAN. AFTER HEARING THAT ISMAIL
KHAN WAS PLAYING IRAN AGAINST THE U.S. TO GAIN ADDITIONAL
ASSISTANCE, ZAHIR REMARKED THAT THIS REMINDED HIM OF HIS
EARLY DAYS WHEN THE RUSSIANS AND THE BRITISH SIMILARLY
COMPETED OVER AFGHANISTAN. THIS COMPETITION WAS USED BY THE
THEN-RULERS TO RETAIN THE COUNTRY'S INDEPENDENCE.


5. (S) GEN. WALI WONDERED IF IT MIGHT NOT BE USEFUL TO
RECRUIT YOUNG AFGHAN-AMERICANS WITH SOME TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE
FOR THE PROTECTION DETAIL. WE ENCOURAGED THE ROYAL FAMILY TO
ACTIVELY SEEK OUT THOSE IT COULD TRUST FOR ITS PERSONAL
SECURITY UNIT.


6. (S) KHALILZAD NOTED THAT RENOVATIONS TO THE RESIDENCE
IDENTIFIED FOR THE KING, WHICH IS OUTSIDE THE ROYAL PALACE,
ARE LARGELY COMPLETED, AND IT SHOULD SOON BE READY FOR
SECRET

PAGE 04 ROME 01015 01 OF 02 270625Z
OCCUPANCY. IN ADDITION, ISAF HAD INFORMALLY AGREED TO
PROVIDE ZAHIR WITH EMERGENCY AND OTHER IN EXTREMIS MEDICAL
SERVICES.


7. (S) KHALILZAD MET SEPARATELY WITH THE KING TO PASS THE
MESSAGE RECEIVED FROM KARZAI AND HIS COLLEAGUES IN KABUL THAT
GRANDSON MUSTAPHA WAS TOO CONTROVERSIAL TO MAKE THE TRIP WITH
THE KING AT THIS TIME (REFS A AND B). ZAHIR AGREED, BUT
ASKED KHALILZAD TO BREAK THE NEWS TO MUSTAPHA, WHICH HE DID
IN A MEETING LATER IN THE DAY. THE SWEETENER, AS SUGGESTED
BY THE IA, WAS AN OFFER OF A DIPLOMATIC POST. MUSTAPHA
AGREED AND PLANNED TO PROVIDE A LIST OF HIS PREFERENCES LATER
IN THE EVENING.


8. (C) KHALILZAD ALSO MET WITH MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
UNDERSECRETARY MARGHERITA BONIVER. BONIVER CONFIRMED THAT
THE GOI HAS ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE KING'S RETURN WELL IN HAND.
HE WILL BE FLOWN IN A CIVILIAN AIRCRAFT TO AN AIRPORT NEAR
KABUL, WITH THE FINAL LEG OF THE JOURNEY MADE IN A MILITARY
AIRCRAFT. BONIVER EXPRESSED MILD FRUSTRATION WITH SOME OF

SECRET

SECRET PTQ5883

PAGE 01 ROME 01015 02 OF 02 270625Z
ACTION SSO-00

INFO LOG-00 DODE-00 ANHR-00 TEDE-00 NEA-00 PM-00 P-00
SP-00 SS-00 SA-00 PMB-00 SAS-00 /000W
-------------- 6C40D1 270626Z /38
O 270554Z FEB 02
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2454
NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
INFO AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY
SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY

S E C R E T SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 001015

SIPDIS

STATE FOR ARMITAGE, GROSSMAN, SA-DOBBINS, S/P, PM.
NSC FOR DR. RICE AND MR. HADLEY.
DOD FOR RUMSFELD AND WOLFOWITZ.
JCE FOR MYERS.

E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6X5, X6
TAGS: PREL PGOV AF IT PGOV AF IT IR IRPREL AFGHANISTAN
SUBJECT: EX-KING DETERMINED TO GO HOME, BUT CONCERNED ABOUT
ARRANGEMENTS

THE IDEAS OF THE KING'S ENTOURAGE, SUCH AS THE SUGGESTION
THAT THE ENTIRE GROUP OVERNIGHT IN DUBAI. KHALILZAD
SUGGESTED THAT THE GOI DECLARE THAT THE GROUP WOULD MAKE THE
SHORTEST POSSIBLE ROUTE TO MINIMIZE DISCOMFORT TO THE KING.
SECRET

PAGE 02 ROME 01015 02 OF 02 270625Z
HE NOTED THAT LANDING IN TASHKENT OR DUSHANBE WOULD MEAN A
SHORTER FLIGHT IN A LESS COMFORTABLE MILITARY AIRCRAFT FOR
THE KING'S FLIGHT INTO KABUL. BONIVER APPRECIATED HIS IDEAS.


9. (C) KHALILZAD BRIEFED BONIVER ON THE SECURITY SITUATION
INSIDE AFGHANISTAN, INCLUDING CONSIDERATION OF IA CHAIRMAN
KARZAI'S REQUESTS THAT ISAF BE EXTENDED BOTH IN TIME AND TO
OTHER LOCATIONS. HE SAID THERE WAS CLEARLY A NEED TO TRAIN
AFGHAN MILITARY AND POLICE FORCES, BUT UNTIL THESE FORCES ARE
UP TO PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS, HOW CAN AFGHANISTAN'S SECURITY
BE ASSURED? WHEN ASKED ABOUT ITALY'S PARTICIPATION IN ISAF,
BONIVER'S INITIAL RESPONSE WAS THAT ITALY WOULD LIKE TO
EXTEND ITS PARTICIPATION. SHE QUICKLY ADDED THAT DEFENSE
MINISTER MARTINO WOULD HAVE TO DECIDE AND NOTED HE HAD
RECENTLY SAID ITALIAN PARTICIPATION IN ISAF WOULD NOT BE
EXTENDED BEYOND THE INITIAL THREE MONTHS. SHE ENCOURAGED THE
USG TO DISCUSS THE MATTER WITH MARTINO, HOWEVER, IF WE WANTED
FURTHER INFORMATION ON ITALIAN PLANS.


10. (C) COMMENT: MARTINO HAD USED ITALY'S POTENTIAL
COMMAND OF AN EXTENDED TASK FORCE FOX AS ONE REASON NOT TO
PARTICIPATE FURTHER IN ISAF. LAST WEEK'S DECISION THAT
GERMANY, NOT ITALY, WOULD COMMAND TFF COULD CONCEIVABLY CAUSE
HIM TO BE MORE FLEXIBLE. HOWEVER, HE HAS BEEN CLEAR IN
PUBLIC COMMENTS AND THOSE MADE IN MEETINGS WITH USG
OFFICIALS, THAT HE HAS OTHER GOOD REASONS FOR NOT EXTENDING
OR EXPANDING ITALY'S ISAF ROLE. HE WAS, INDEED, VERY
RELUCTANT TO PARTICIPATE IN ISAF IN THE FIRST PLACE. HE
PREFERS TO FOCUS ITALY'S LIMITED MILITARY RESOURCES AND
TROOPS, WHICH ARE ALREADY STRETCHED THIN BY OEF AND BALKANS
OPERATIONS, ON BOLSTERING REGIONAL STABILITY CLOSER TO HOME.
SECRET

PAGE 03 ROME 01015 02 OF 02 270625Z
END COMMENT.


11. (C) FOLLOWING THE MEETING WITH U/S BONIVER, CHIEF OF
STAFF GIORGIO MALFATTI FOLLOWED KHALILZAD INTO THE HALLWAY TO
URGE THAT ATTENTION BE PAID TO IRAN'S ONGOING EFFORTS TO
ENCOURAGE DIRECT COOPERATION WITH EU MEMBERS ON AFGHAN
RECONSTRUCTION. MALFATTI SAID THIS AS A CONSISTENT AND
RELATIVELY HARD-SELL IRANIAN APPROACH TO ALL EU MEMBERS; HE
MENTIONED ITALY, GERMANY AND FRANCE IN PARTICULAR. MALFATTI
SAID THE GOI DID NOT INTEND TO ENGAGE IN SIGNIFICANT
BILATERAL COOPERATION WITH IRAN ON AFGHAN RECONSTRUCTION, BUT
URGED U.S. ATTENTION TO THE PHENOMENON.


12. (U) DR. KHALILZAD CLEARED THIS CABLE IN SUBSTANCE
BEFORE DEPARTING POST.
SEMBLER

SECRET

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2002ROME01015 - Classification: SECRET