INDIA AND THE KABUL AGENDA

UNCLAS NEW DELHI 008628 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KDEM PREL EAID ECON EFIN IN AF SUBJECT: INDIA AND THE KABUL AGENDA REF: A. STATE 203820 ¶B. NEW DELHI 8247 ¶C. NEW DELHI 7346 ¶1. (SBU) Poloff shared Ref A points with MEA Under Secretary (Afghanistan) Acquino Vimal on October 8, reiterating USG appreciation for India's contributions to Afghan reconstruction and urging continued commitment in the next phase of assistance. Vimal reported that the GOI intends to continue its involvement in Afghanistan, and was aware of plans for a future donors conference, but had not been invited yet to the "Kabul Agenda" post-Bonn discussions. Comment and Action Request -------------- ¶2. (SBU) As reported in Refs B and C, New Delhi is very open to the idea of increased engagement and assistance to Afghanistan, and India's long-running technical assistance programs to developing countries are well-matched to Afghanistan's conditions. Greater Indian assistance has been checked largely by the inability of the GOA to identify and request targeted aid from New Delhi. As we approach the donors conference in London in January, Post recommends that Washington try to include the GOI in planning, both to draw on its domestic experience in developing democratic institutions in conditions similar to those in Afghanistan, and to enlist its full support for and commitment to a greater donor role. We suggest that an institute for the promotion of democracy located in Kabul would be an ideal project for the US and India to support jointly, contributing to our shared goal of strengthening democratic institutions in Afghanistan. MULFORD