SENIOR PAKISTAN SENATOR WANTS TO REACH OUT TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 022303 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2016 TAGS: AF PK PREL SUBJECT: SENIOR PAKISTAN SENATOR WANTS TO REACH OUT TO AFGHAN COUNTERPARTS Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) During a December 1 meeting with poloffs, Pakistan Muslim League Secretary General and Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Mushahid Hussain Sayed discussed his desire to begin a regular parliamentary exchange with his counterparts in Afghanistan. He said that he discussed his idea with Afghan Ambassador Tarzi on November 30. ("Sometimes you need to go around the military and the Foreign Office to get things done," he said.) Sayed said that he was prepared to lead a parliamentary delegation to Afghanistan or to host an Afghan delegation in Pakistan to get things started. Sayed specifically mentioned a desire to meet with Speaker Yunus Qanooni. (Note: Post understands that Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been trying to schedule a visit for months. End Note.) ¶2. (U) Sayed is also organizing a Senate hearing on Afghanistan. The hearing is scheduled for December 14 and will feature testimony from experts including Rustam Shah Mohammed (Pakistan's former ambassador to Afghanistan) and journalist Ahmed Rashid. ¶3. (U) Sayed's suggestion for Afghanistan-Pakistan parliamentary exchanges coincided with the visit of a six-member parliamentary delegation from Azerbaijan. Sayed discussed his idea publicly during a joint Azeri-Pakistani press conference on December 1, where he remarked that the resolution of the Afghan issue would only be possible by involving the Taliban in the dialogue process. (Note: This is the first time post has heard Mushahid mention the Taliban angle, despite the fact that he often speaks with poloffs about Afghanistan. End Note.) CROCKER