CANADA WILL GIVE MORE -- FOLLOW-UP APPEAL FOR

UNCLAS OTTAWA 003421 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR WHA/CAN AND SA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREL PHUM SENV CA PK SUBJECT: CANADA WILL GIVE MORE -- FOLLOW-UP APPEAL FOR SUPPORT FOR PAKISTAN EARTHQUAKE RELIEF AND RECONSTRUCTION REF: A. SECSTATE 208903 ¶B. OTTAWA 3198 ¶1. (SBU) Steve Blais, who officially becomes Director of the Pakistan and South Asia office at the Canadian International Development Agency next Monday, said the GOC plans to announce that it will make a major commitment to earthquake relief after it has had time to digest the World Bank/Asia Development Bank reconstruction report. However, given the underfunding problem reported by the UN, Canada is considering a preliminary announcement of C$25 million (over US$21 million) in new money on November 19, in addition to announcing the major new commitment in response to the reconstruction report. (This would be on top of the C$57 Canadian commitment described in Ref B.) The decision on Canada's pledge in Islamabad will not be finalized until late this afternoon. Hau Sing Tse, CIDA's Vice President for Asia, is leading Canada's delegation in Islamabad. ¶2. (SBU) Note: Blais confirmed that a call for a parliamentary election, likely within the next few weeks, could complicate the major new funding pledge, which would require Cabinet approval. However, the GOC is committed to supporting earthquake relief and we are certain that funding will be confirmed as quickly as possible. If Canada announces C$25 million in emergency relief in Islamabad, that funding should not be affected by domestic politics. End note. Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa WILKINS