PAKISTAN OBJECTION TO NAM STATEMENT ON AFGHANISTAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 010555

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2011
TAGS: AF PK IN PREL
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN OBJECTION TO NAM STATEMENT ON AFGHANISTAN

REF: A. FAGIN-BECK 6/2/06 E-MAIL


B. STATE 89324

Classified By: Ambassador Ryan Crocker, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) On June 3 Poloff meet with Ministry of Foreign Affairs
UN Director, Imran Siddiqui. After delivering demarche
points on the NAM's statement on Iran (reftel B),Poloff
asked Siddiqui to explain why the Pakistani delegation
objected to a paragraph in the final document at the NAM's
Ministerial conference that called for curbing support for
the Taliban. Siddiqui said that the Government of Pakistan
(GOP) objected to certain paragraphs on Afghanistan in the
final document but added that media reports were misleading.
Siddiqui reported that the Indian delegation publicly accused
the GOP of supporting the Taliban on the floor of the NAM
conference. Somewhat sympathetic to the Afghan
representative, Siddiqui said that the Indian delegation also
pushed the Afghan delegation in joining them in taking an
accusatory stance against Pakistan. Siddiqui pointed out
two paragraphs from the final document that the Pakistani
delegation particularly found unacceptable. (Full text of
these paragraphs from NAM's final document in paragraph 4.)


2. (C) Siddiqui explained that the Pakistani delegation
objected to paragraph 144, which mention former Taliban
cadres regrouping in the Southern and Eastern parts of
Afghanistan only and not in other areas of the country (e.g.
areas not bordering Pakistan). The Pakistani delegation also
objected to the final document's recommendation in paragraph
147.2. Siddiqui said the document reads that the Taliban
members are regrouping in Southern and Eastern parts of
Afghanistan and then urges States to refrain from supporting
them, essentially accusing the GOP of complicity with the
Taliban. Siddiqui added that Pakistan is fighting the

ISLAMABAD 00010555 002 OF 002


Taliban. As Afghanistan's neighbor, Pakistan, more than any
other country (especially India) wants a stable Afghanistan.
He concluded by saying that Pakistan will not accept
accusations of this sort.


3. (SBU) Poloff thanked Siddiqui for explaining the GOP's
concerns over the paragraphs while reaffirming both
governments' desire for a stable Afghanistan.


4. (U) Reference paragraphs from purposed NAM declaration:
(Begin text.)


144. The Ministers expressed their deep concern that the
terrorist groups including former Taliban cadres were
regrouping in the Southern and Eastern parts of Afghanistan.
Equally of concern was that the efforts of the international
community to fight terrorism were being undermined by
support, protection and shelter that these forces of
destabilization continued to receive. End text.

147.2. Urge States to refrain from extending support,
protection and shelter to former Taliban cadres, recognizing
that failure to do so would seriously undermine efforts by
the international community to combat terrorism in
Afghanistan, and expressing concern that terrorist groups
were regrouping in the Southern and Eastern parts of
Afghanistan.

(End text.)
CROCKER