PAKISTAN EARTHQUAKE: MFA EMPHASIZES URGENT NEED

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 015550

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT - PLS PASS TO USAID
KABUL -- PLS PASS TO CFC-A

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON ETRD MASS PK PREL
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN EARTHQUAKE: MFA EMPHASIZES URGENT NEED
FOR WINTERIZED TENTS


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On October 15, Foreign Secretary
Muhammed Riaz Khan, in a meeting with Ambassador Crocker,
explained the GOP,s highest near term priority was obtaining
winterized tents and blankets for the three million people
needing shelter in the affected areas, and he requested U.S.
assistance in locating throughout the world supplies of
suitable tents. The Ambassador assured him the Embassy was
acutely aware of the need for tents and blankets, which we
had heard at all levels from detachment commanders to
President Musharraf, and had already sent back requests for
Washington agencies to determine global availability. Action
requested: Both the U.S. military via CENTCOM and USAID/DART
are working this issue. Washington agencies are requested as
an urgent priority to identify from sources around the world
supplies of winterized tents that can be provided as part of
earthquake assistance to Pakistan. End summary.


2. (U) This is an action request -- see para 7.


3. (U) Foreign Secretary On October 15, Ambassador was
asked to meet with Foreign Secretary Muhammed Riaz Khan.
Khan was accompanied by Tariq Osman Hyder, Additional
Secretary for UN Affairs, who is the Foreign Office's

SIPDIS
earthquake coordinator. Khan expressed Pakistan,s gratitude
for the support of the United States since the earthquake,
specifically referencing the early and substantial pledge of
$50 million in assistance, the provision of airwing and
helicopter support, the visit by Secretary Rice, and
President Bush,s visit to the Pakistani Embassy to sign the
condolence book (Khan noted President Bush was the only
foreign leader to do so). All these gestures were deeply
appreciated by the GOP and Pakistani people.


4. (SBU) Khan said that he wished to convey the GOP,s
urgent request for winterized tents and blankets. The
earthquake happened to coincide with the onset of fall
weather, and it would soon be getting much colder in the
affected areas. The GOP had located about 100,000 tents, and
was asking local manufacturers to make more, but this would
accommodate but a small fraction of the 3 million people who
would need lodging. The GOP would be grateful if the U.S.
had any tents in storage (particularly in the region like
Turkey or Jordan) it could provide. Ambassador noted the
Embassy had put the word out through both DOD and AID
channels to obtain a reliable inventory of winterized tents.
At present we had provided roughly 3000 winterized tents. If
the GOP was already working with local manufacturers, the
U.S. would refrain from tapping that resource but would look
to international suppliers. Khan noted U.N. officials had
told him UNHCR had 20,000 tents available in Turkey (which he
understood it would take 37 sorties of C-130s to transport to
Pakistan). (Embassy note: we have subsequently been
contacted by NAVEUR about a supply of tents in Turkey, and
provided those tents are confirmed to be suitable, we would
strongly support the use of NATO strategic lift to bring them
to Pakistan.)


5. (SBU) Turning to longer term reconstruction, Khan noted
the GOJ would soon announce its reconstruction organization.
For now, Finance Advisor Salman Shah (along with the Economic
Affairs Division, which handles foreign assistance) was
working to develop an overall financial estimate of
reconstruction costs, while the Earthquake Reconstruction and
Rehabilitation Authority under LTG Zubair was preparing to
begin (within a couple of days) an on-the-ground assessment
of reconstruction needs. In time these two organizations
would come together, with LTG Zubair having more of the lead
on implementation but not playing as big a role on working
with international donors. Coordinating with donors would be
key, since the GOP had limited expertise in some of the
reconstruction goals (e.g., quake-proof construction codes).


6. (SBU) Hyder noted that while Pakistan would be seeking
the greatest possible amount of donor assistance, the people
of Pakistan "also want to earn our way." The only way to do
that would be through greater trade access to the U.S. and
EU, Pakistan,s two largest markets. Pakistan was urgently
requesting the U.S. to consider emergency legislation to
lower dutires on textiles, which account for 80 percent of
Pakistan,s exports to the United States (Hyder noted
virtually all other Pakistani exports enter the U.S. duty
free under the GSP program). Pakistan would also like the
U.S. to fast track Pakistan,s request to launch FTA
negotiations. President Musharraf would be writing a letter
on these topics soon (and sending a similar letter to the
European Union). Khan remarked that Pakistan understood the
U.S. had extended trade benefits to countries affected by the
December 2004 tsunami, and asked that in a similar vein the
U.S. empower Pakistan to earn the money to pay for its
reconstruction. Hyder said that while most textile
production in the affected areas was small-scale handicraft
textiles, the migration of working-age Kashmiris out of the
affected areas to major manufacturing centers like Karachi
and Lahore meant that the health of Pakistan,s industrial
sector (of which textiles represents roughly 60 percent of
exports) would have a great impact on the flow of
reconstruction funds to the affected areas.


7. (SBU) Action requested: following up on Khan,s request
for U.S. assistance in locating winterized tents -- a
priority which has been emphasized at every level from
division commanders to President Musharraf -- Washington
agencies are requested as an urgent priority to identify
worldwide supplies/sources of winterized tents that can be
provided to those left homeless by the earthquake.

CROCKER