Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02ROME2030
2002-04-26 07:12:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Rome
Cable title:
AFGHAN TRANSIT TRADE AGREEMENT AND USE OF PORT BIN
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 002030
SIPDIS
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 02 ROME 02030 01 OF 02 260820Z
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME
AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD FOR AMBASSADOR AND USAID
STATE FOR A/S/SA, A/S/PRM, A/S/IO
USAID FOR AA/DCHA, AA/ANE, DCHA/FFP AND USAID/ALMATY
USDA/FAS FOR MCHAMBLISS/RTILLSWORTH
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID
BRUSSELS FOR KFULLER AND KDEBLAW
USUN FOR LSHESTACK
NSC FOR JDWORKEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EU WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN AFGHANISTAN
SUBJECT: AFGHAN TRANSIT TRADE AGREEMENT AND USE OF PORT BIN
QASIM, PAKISTAN
-------
SUMMARY
-------
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 002030
SIPDIS
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 02 ROME 02030 01 OF 02 260820Z
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME
AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD FOR AMBASSADOR AND USAID
STATE FOR A/S/SA, A/S/PRM, A/S/IO
USAID FOR AA/DCHA, AA/ANE, DCHA/FFP AND USAID/ALMATY
USDA/FAS FOR MCHAMBLISS/RTILLSWORTH
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID
BRUSSELS FOR KFULLER AND KDEBLAW
USUN FOR LSHESTACK
NSC FOR JDWORKEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EU WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN AFGHANISTAN
SUBJECT: AFGHAN TRANSIT TRADE AGREEMENT AND USE OF PORT BIN
QASIM, PAKISTAN
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. WFP'S INTERNATIONAL CARGO SURVEYOR IN KARACHI SUGGESTS
THAT THE 1965 AFGHAN TRANSIT TRADE AGREEMENT BE AMENDED TO
INCLUDE PORT BIN QASIM. THIS MODERN PAKISTANI PORT FACILITY,
BUILT IN THE MID-1970S, COULD HELP FACILITATE MOVEMENT OF
MATERIAL FOR THE AFGHAN RECONSTRUCTION EFFORT. END SUMMARY.
--------------
BACKGROUND
--------------
2. USMISSION HUMANITARIAN ATTACHE TIM LAVELLE SPOKE WITH JAY
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 03 ROME 02030 01 OF 02 260820Z
KOTECHA (FINANCE DIRECTOR) OF THE INTERNATIONAL FORWARDING
AGENCY (PVT) LTD (IFA),BASED IN KARACHI, WHO WAS ATTENDING
THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM'S SECOND ANNUAL SHIPPING CONFERENCE
HELD IN ROME APRIL 18-19. IFA HAS BEEN WFP'S GENERAL
SUPERINTENDENT (SURVEYOR) IN KARACHI FOR THE PAST 32 YEARS.
3. KOTECHA BRIEFED ON ASPECTS OF THE AFGHAN TRANSIT TRADE
AGREEMENT SIGNED ON MARCH 2, 1965 BY THE GOVERNMENTS OF
PAKISTAN AND THE KINGDOM OF AFGHANISTAN FOR
REGULATION OF TRAFFIC IN TRANSIT FROM PAKISTAN TO
AFGHANISTAN. IN THIS AGREEMENT, ONLY KARACHI PORT WAS
MENTIONED AS A PAKISTANI PORT POINT OF ENTRY, WITH NO
FLEXIBILITY FOR INCLUSION AT A FUTURE DATE OF ADDITIONAL
PORTS DEVELOPED ALONG THE PAKISTANI COAST LINE.
4. IN THE EXTANT AGREEMENT, THERE ARE TWO PREREQUISITES FOR
ALLOWING A PORT TO HANDLE AFGHAN TRANSIT TRADE CARGO, WHICH
ARE:
A) SEPARATE SHED(S) TO STORE THE CARGO, AND
B) A RAILWAY LINK FROM THE PORT TO THE DESIGNATED PAKISTANI
BORDER EXIT POINTS OF PESHAWAR AND CHAMAN.
--------------
PORT BIN QASIM
--------------
5. AS PER KOTECHA, PORT BIN QASIM CAME INTO OPERATION IN MID
1970'S FOR BULK CARGO, AND NOW HAS A MODERN TERMINAL FOR
CONTAINERIZED VESSELS - CAPABLE OF HANDLING MOTHER VESSELS
INSTEAD OF FEEDER VESSELS. WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE PORT,
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 04 ROME 02030 01 OF 02 260820Z
THERE ARE AMPLE AREAS AVAILABLE, WHICH COULD BE ALLOCATED
FOR EXCLUSIVE HANDLING OF AFGHAN TRANSIT TRADE CARGO. IN
KOTECHA'S VIEW, FOR THE REBUILDING OF AFGHANISTAN IT IS
ADVISABLE TO HAVE A SECOND PORT (SUCH AS BIN QASIM) TO
HANDLE AFGHAN TRANSIT TRADE. BIN QASIM MEETS THE TWO
PREREQUISITES MENTIONED ABOVE. NOTE: WFP HAS EXTENSIVELY
USED THIS PORT FOR BULK GRAIN SHIPMENTS FOR APPROXIMATELY 13
YEARS. END NOTE.
6. KOTECHA OPINED FURTHER THAT THE FACILITIES PRESENTLY
AVAILABLE AT KARACHI PORT WOULD BE HEAVILY STRETCHED TO
ALONE HANDLE THE ANTICIPATED INFLUX OF SHIP CARGO FOR
AFGHANISTAN.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
7. IF THE AFGHAN TRANSIT TRADE AGREEMENT CONTINUES,
USMISSION FEELS THAT THE PORT BIN QASIM OPTION MIGHT BE
PROFITABLY EXPLORED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. BOTH IFA
AND WFP HAVE OFFERED TO ACCOMPANY ANY ASSESSMENT TEAM
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED PTQ9202
PAGE 01 ROME 02030 02 OF 02 260820Z
ACTION EUR-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 WHA-00 SRPP-00
EAP-00 EB-00 UTED-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 NEA-00
NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OES-01 OIC-02 TEST-00 SA-00 PRM-00
SAS-00 /003W
-------------- 8BF1BC 260827Z /38
P 260712Z APR 02
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3429
AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY
INFO AMEMBASSY KABUL
EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
AMEMBASSY ALMATY
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
AMEMBASSY BERN
AMEMBASSY TOKYO
USDA FAS WASHDC 2111
USEU BRUSSELS 2640
USMISSION GENEVA
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 002030
SIPDIS
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 02 ROME 02030 02 OF 02 260820Z
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME
AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD FOR AMBASSADOR AND USAID
STATE FOR A/S/SA, A/S/PRM, A/S/IO
USAID FOR AA/DCHA, AA/ANE, DCHA/FFP AND USAID/ALMATY
USDA/FAS FOR MCHAMBLISS/RTILLSWORTH
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID
BRUSSELS FOR KFULLER AND KDEBLAW
USUN FOR LSHESTACK
NSC FOR JDWORKEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EU WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN AFGHANISTAN
SUBJECT: AFGHAN TRANSIT TRADE AGREEMENT AND USE OF PORT BIN
QASIM, PAKISTAN
WISHING TO EVALUATE PORT BIN QASIM FACILITIES. THE BEST
POINT OF CONTACT FOR FOLLOW UP IS WFP/PAKISTAN.
8. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. HEILEMAN
UNCLASSIFIED
>
2002ROME02030 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
SIPDIS
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 02 ROME 02030 01 OF 02 260820Z
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME
AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD FOR AMBASSADOR AND USAID
STATE FOR A/S/SA, A/S/PRM, A/S/IO
USAID FOR AA/DCHA, AA/ANE, DCHA/FFP AND USAID/ALMATY
USDA/FAS FOR MCHAMBLISS/RTILLSWORTH
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID
BRUSSELS FOR KFULLER AND KDEBLAW
USUN FOR LSHESTACK
NSC FOR JDWORKEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EU WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN AFGHANISTAN
SUBJECT: AFGHAN TRANSIT TRADE AGREEMENT AND USE OF PORT BIN
QASIM, PAKISTAN
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. WFP'S INTERNATIONAL CARGO SURVEYOR IN KARACHI SUGGESTS
THAT THE 1965 AFGHAN TRANSIT TRADE AGREEMENT BE AMENDED TO
INCLUDE PORT BIN QASIM. THIS MODERN PAKISTANI PORT FACILITY,
BUILT IN THE MID-1970S, COULD HELP FACILITATE MOVEMENT OF
MATERIAL FOR THE AFGHAN RECONSTRUCTION EFFORT. END SUMMARY.
--------------
BACKGROUND
--------------
2. USMISSION HUMANITARIAN ATTACHE TIM LAVELLE SPOKE WITH JAY
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 03 ROME 02030 01 OF 02 260820Z
KOTECHA (FINANCE DIRECTOR) OF THE INTERNATIONAL FORWARDING
AGENCY (PVT) LTD (IFA),BASED IN KARACHI, WHO WAS ATTENDING
THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM'S SECOND ANNUAL SHIPPING CONFERENCE
HELD IN ROME APRIL 18-19. IFA HAS BEEN WFP'S GENERAL
SUPERINTENDENT (SURVEYOR) IN KARACHI FOR THE PAST 32 YEARS.
3. KOTECHA BRIEFED ON ASPECTS OF THE AFGHAN TRANSIT TRADE
AGREEMENT SIGNED ON MARCH 2, 1965 BY THE GOVERNMENTS OF
PAKISTAN AND THE KINGDOM OF AFGHANISTAN FOR
REGULATION OF TRAFFIC IN TRANSIT FROM PAKISTAN TO
AFGHANISTAN. IN THIS AGREEMENT, ONLY KARACHI PORT WAS
MENTIONED AS A PAKISTANI PORT POINT OF ENTRY, WITH NO
FLEXIBILITY FOR INCLUSION AT A FUTURE DATE OF ADDITIONAL
PORTS DEVELOPED ALONG THE PAKISTANI COAST LINE.
4. IN THE EXTANT AGREEMENT, THERE ARE TWO PREREQUISITES FOR
ALLOWING A PORT TO HANDLE AFGHAN TRANSIT TRADE CARGO, WHICH
ARE:
A) SEPARATE SHED(S) TO STORE THE CARGO, AND
B) A RAILWAY LINK FROM THE PORT TO THE DESIGNATED PAKISTANI
BORDER EXIT POINTS OF PESHAWAR AND CHAMAN.
--------------
PORT BIN QASIM
--------------
5. AS PER KOTECHA, PORT BIN QASIM CAME INTO OPERATION IN MID
1970'S FOR BULK CARGO, AND NOW HAS A MODERN TERMINAL FOR
CONTAINERIZED VESSELS - CAPABLE OF HANDLING MOTHER VESSELS
INSTEAD OF FEEDER VESSELS. WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE PORT,
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 04 ROME 02030 01 OF 02 260820Z
THERE ARE AMPLE AREAS AVAILABLE, WHICH COULD BE ALLOCATED
FOR EXCLUSIVE HANDLING OF AFGHAN TRANSIT TRADE CARGO. IN
KOTECHA'S VIEW, FOR THE REBUILDING OF AFGHANISTAN IT IS
ADVISABLE TO HAVE A SECOND PORT (SUCH AS BIN QASIM) TO
HANDLE AFGHAN TRANSIT TRADE. BIN QASIM MEETS THE TWO
PREREQUISITES MENTIONED ABOVE. NOTE: WFP HAS EXTENSIVELY
USED THIS PORT FOR BULK GRAIN SHIPMENTS FOR APPROXIMATELY 13
YEARS. END NOTE.
6. KOTECHA OPINED FURTHER THAT THE FACILITIES PRESENTLY
AVAILABLE AT KARACHI PORT WOULD BE HEAVILY STRETCHED TO
ALONE HANDLE THE ANTICIPATED INFLUX OF SHIP CARGO FOR
AFGHANISTAN.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
7. IF THE AFGHAN TRANSIT TRADE AGREEMENT CONTINUES,
USMISSION FEELS THAT THE PORT BIN QASIM OPTION MIGHT BE
PROFITABLY EXPLORED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. BOTH IFA
AND WFP HAVE OFFERED TO ACCOMPANY ANY ASSESSMENT TEAM
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED PTQ9202
PAGE 01 ROME 02030 02 OF 02 260820Z
ACTION EUR-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 WHA-00 SRPP-00
EAP-00 EB-00 UTED-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 NEA-00
NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OES-01 OIC-02 TEST-00 SA-00 PRM-00
SAS-00 /003W
-------------- 8BF1BC 260827Z /38
P 260712Z APR 02
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3429
AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY
INFO AMEMBASSY KABUL
EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
AMEMBASSY ALMATY
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
AMEMBASSY BERN
AMEMBASSY TOKYO
USDA FAS WASHDC 2111
USEU BRUSSELS 2640
USMISSION GENEVA
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 002030
SIPDIS
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 02 ROME 02030 02 OF 02 260820Z
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME
AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD FOR AMBASSADOR AND USAID
STATE FOR A/S/SA, A/S/PRM, A/S/IO
USAID FOR AA/DCHA, AA/ANE, DCHA/FFP AND USAID/ALMATY
USDA/FAS FOR MCHAMBLISS/RTILLSWORTH
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID
BRUSSELS FOR KFULLER AND KDEBLAW
USUN FOR LSHESTACK
NSC FOR JDWORKEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EU WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN AFGHANISTAN
SUBJECT: AFGHAN TRANSIT TRADE AGREEMENT AND USE OF PORT BIN
QASIM, PAKISTAN
WISHING TO EVALUATE PORT BIN QASIM FACILITIES. THE BEST
POINT OF CONTACT FOR FOLLOW UP IS WFP/PAKISTAN.
8. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. HEILEMAN
UNCLASSIFIED
>
2002ROME02030 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED