AUSTRALIA WEIGHING COUNTERNARCOTIC CONTRIBUTION TO

UNCLAS CANBERRA 000626

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL SNAR AF UK AS
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA WEIGHING COUNTERNARCOTIC CONTRIBUTION TO
AFGHANISTAN

REF: STATE 58810


1. (U) After coordinating with UK counterparts, we delivered
reftel points and nonpaper on April 1 to Australian Agency
for International Development (AusAID) Afghanistan Program
Director Carmel Ryan and Department of Foreign Affairs and
Trade (DFAT) Afghanistan Section Director Peter Howarth.
Ryan noted that she would be attending the April 4-6
Afghanistan Development Conference to learn more about how
the Afghanistan Counter Narcotics Trust Fund (ACNTF) would be
implemented. She said that the GOA supported the British
letter and proposal and that Foreign Minister Downer would
make a decision on when Australia could contribute funding by
the end of April. Ryan indicated the GOA would respond to
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Jack

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Straw's letter upon her return. She promised to provide us
with an update on the GOA's funding plans in late April.


2. (U) Prior to the meeting with Ryan and Howarth, we
discussed with British High Commission External Affairs
Officer Jackie Richards her own conversations with the
Australians regarding the ACNTF. Richards said she had
delivered the letter from Secretary Straw March 14. Richards
said the GOA had expressed support for the ACNTF in
principle, but she thought it unlikely that Australia would
have sufficient resources to support the British request.
(Note: Australia pledged an unprecedented A$1 billion --
US$800 million -- to Indonesia in the wake of the December 26
tsunami, and thus its ODA resources are particularly

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stretched at the moment.) Richards thanked Poloff for the
U.S.'s support of the UK's message.

STANTON