RUSSIANS CONVENE G-8 TO DISCUSS TERRORISM; CHARGE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001715

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/15/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV EFIN AF RU
SUBJECT: RUSSIANS CONVENE G-8 TO DISCUSS TERRORISM; CHARGE
RAISES MONIB CASE


Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES RICHARD NORLAND FOR REASONS
1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) Russian Ambassador Kabulov called a meeting
of G-8 chiefs of mission and other interested
parties on April 11 to discuss the issue of
countering terrorism in Afghanistan through
ideological means. The meeting followed a February
2006 Counter-Terrorism Action Group (CTAG) meeting
in Moscow on the same theme, and was called in
preparation for the next CTAG meeting, scheduled for
April 28. GOA Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
Zalmay Aziz was invited to co-chair the meeting but
was unable to attend.


2. (C) Kabulov in his invitation letter raised a
number of themes for discussion, including
implementing UNSC resolution 1624 urging countries
to prevent terrorist conduct, compiling Afghan anti-
terrorist legislation, creating an atmosphere of
intolerance for terrorist actions in public opinion,
and galvanizing civil society leaders, including
moderate religious ulema, to speak out. In his
opening remarks Kabulov cited the alleged growing
lack of confidence in the GOA on the part of the
Afghan people as an example of an area of concern,
saying this perception is being manipulated by
Islamic extremists into support for terrorist
activity.


3. (C) The participants, who included not only the
G-8 but also representatives from UNAMA, the
European Union, and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime
(UNODC),turned the discussion from ideological
differences to the need for better governance and
reconstruction in Afghanistan. The Charge opened
the discussion by following up on Kabulov,s own
statement, arguing that establishing effective
governance by the GOA is crucial; once that is in
place people will turn away from the insurgents, who
do not have any ideological appeal. Other
participants agreed, while bringing up their areas
of particular concern - for example, the Italian
Ambassador discussed the need for an effective
justice system and the Japanese Ambassador stressed
the importance of DIAG. Charge pointed out that DOJ
experts at the U.S. Embassy were working with the
GOA on a counter-terrorism law. A number of
participants cited the need for an expanded
education system, perhaps including the funding of
moderate madrassahs to fill the need for religious
seminaries not tied to extremist elements. Several
participants noted that as the political process has
moved forward, the Afghan public,s expectations of
the central government,s ability to improve their
lives by bringing basic services have been raised to
a high level.

The Case of Monib
--------------


4. (C) Charge also used the opportunity of the
meeting to raise the issue of Governor Monib, the
former Taliban who is still on the UNSC 1267
Sanctions List despite the request of the GOA to
have him removed. He pointed out that Monib is an
example of someone who has turned away from
terrorism and is working on behalf of the government

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and the democratic process. Monib should be
supported, he said, for the sake of better
governance and also to encourage others to reconcile.
Kabulov showed a clear lack of enthusiasm on the
topic, asking skeptical questions during the meeting
and afterwards telling the Charge, only partly in
jest, that he thought Monib "should be hanged."

Comment
--------------


5. (C) At times during the discussion, Kabulov
appeared to resist the shift in emphasis from
ideology to governance. He pointed out that since
the expectations of the people for better lives
cannot be filled in the short run, they remain
vulnerable to extremist propaganda that, he said,
must be countered. He also emphasized the link
between the insurgency and drug trafficking, a claim
that was greeted with some skepticism by the UNODC
rep who said the lines of influence are not clear.
Despite this disconnect between Russian intentions
for the meeting and the rest of the international
community,s approach, the lively and thoughtful
discussion raised a number of important themes.
These included the issue of the impact of rapid
change on a very conservative Islamic culture in
some parts of the country, and the role of Members
of Parliament in framing the debate. While it
remained unclear how much of the discussion would
feed into the preparations for the upcoming CTAG
meeting, most participants appeared to have come
away from the meeting with a deeper understanding of
the issues and problems facing Afghanistan. There
was agreement that, at the right time, a conference
of Afghan and foreign Islamic scholars could help
advance this understanding even further.
Norland