Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KABUL2919
2006-06-28 08:51:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kabul
Cable title:
FINNS SEEK ASSURANCES WEAPONS DONATIONS WOULD
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UNCLAS KABUL 002919
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CRS, EUR/RPM, EUR/NB
NSC FOR HARRIMAN
OSD FOR BRZEZINSKI
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958 N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL FI AF
SUBJECT: FINNS SEEK ASSURANCES WEAPONS DONATIONS WOULD
GO TO ANP ONLY
UNCLAS KABUL 002919
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CRS, EUR/RPM, EUR/NB
NSC FOR HARRIMAN
OSD FOR BRZEZINSKI
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958 N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL FI AF
SUBJECT: FINNS SEEK ASSURANCES WEAPONS DONATIONS WOULD
GO TO ANP ONLY
1. (SBU) Summary: Finnish Ambassador Antti Koistinen
held separate meetings with Ambassador Neumann and
CSTC-A Brigadier General OBrien the week of June 19
to inquire whether a donation of one hundred thousand
AK-47s requested by the Afghans could be given to the
ANP with guarantees that they would not be distributed
to the ANA or irregular forces. The GOF would only
consider the donation with such assurances. BG
OBrien assured Koistinen that CSTC-A could guarantee
donated weapons would be distributed solely to the
ANP. Koistinen could not confirm a timeline, even if
the donation were approved, and suggested a team of
experts might need to be sent to analyze the
distribution mechanisms. OBrien asked whether
Finland could contribute to police training, and
Koistinen said he would take the request back to
Helsinki. End Summary.
2. (SBU) Finnish Ambassador to Afghanistan Antti
Koistinen met with Ambassador Neumann June 21 to raise
GOF concerns that a possible donation of Finnish
weapons to the ANP could end up with the ANA or
provincial irregulars or militias. Koistinen said the
GOA recently requested a Finnish donation of one
hundred thousand used/warehoused Kalashnikovs for the
ANP, but Finlands strict bars on weapons donations
required assurances any donated weapons would be used
solely by the ANP. Koistinen said the GOF required
ed
such a guarantee prior to the Foreign Affairs
Committee meeting to be held the week of June 26.
Ambassador Neumann explained that he strongly supports
the donation, but suggested that Ambassador Koistinen
speak with CSTC-A regarding ANP programs.
3. (SBU) Ambassador Koistinen met with CSTC-A
Brigadier General OBrien and PolMilOff June 24 to
discuss the issue. BG OBrien said CSTC-A has
procedures in place to distribute weapons to the ANP
and could guarantee a firewall between the ANP and ANA
(i.e. that no weapons would end up with the ANA). BG
OBrien and PolMilOff also confirmed that the U.S. is
not equipping irregulars or militias, and that any
donation would be distributed only to the ANP.
Ambassador Koistinen said this last point was
particularly important to the Finnish government.
4. (SBU) Koistinen indicated that even if the Finnish
government decides in favor of the donation, he could
not offer a timeline for actual weapons transfer. He
He
mentioned the possibility of sending a team of
technical experts to discuss the distribution
mechanism with CSTC-A officers. OBrien warmly
welcomed such a visit.
5. (SBU) BG OBrien asked if the Finns would be
willing to contribute police trainers, noting a number
of vacancies in the trainer program. Koistinen
responded positively, noting that the Finns are
training Iraqi police in Jordan, and said he would
take that proposal back to Helsinki.
NEUMANN
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CRS, EUR/RPM, EUR/NB
NSC FOR HARRIMAN
OSD FOR BRZEZINSKI
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958 N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL FI AF
SUBJECT: FINNS SEEK ASSURANCES WEAPONS DONATIONS WOULD
GO TO ANP ONLY
1. (SBU) Summary: Finnish Ambassador Antti Koistinen
held separate meetings with Ambassador Neumann and
CSTC-A Brigadier General OBrien the week of June 19
to inquire whether a donation of one hundred thousand
AK-47s requested by the Afghans could be given to the
ANP with guarantees that they would not be distributed
to the ANA or irregular forces. The GOF would only
consider the donation with such assurances. BG
OBrien assured Koistinen that CSTC-A could guarantee
donated weapons would be distributed solely to the
ANP. Koistinen could not confirm a timeline, even if
the donation were approved, and suggested a team of
experts might need to be sent to analyze the
distribution mechanisms. OBrien asked whether
Finland could contribute to police training, and
Koistinen said he would take the request back to
Helsinki. End Summary.
2. (SBU) Finnish Ambassador to Afghanistan Antti
Koistinen met with Ambassador Neumann June 21 to raise
GOF concerns that a possible donation of Finnish
weapons to the ANP could end up with the ANA or
provincial irregulars or militias. Koistinen said the
GOA recently requested a Finnish donation of one
hundred thousand used/warehoused Kalashnikovs for the
ANP, but Finlands strict bars on weapons donations
required assurances any donated weapons would be used
solely by the ANP. Koistinen said the GOF required
ed
such a guarantee prior to the Foreign Affairs
Committee meeting to be held the week of June 26.
Ambassador Neumann explained that he strongly supports
the donation, but suggested that Ambassador Koistinen
speak with CSTC-A regarding ANP programs.
3. (SBU) Ambassador Koistinen met with CSTC-A
Brigadier General OBrien and PolMilOff June 24 to
discuss the issue. BG OBrien said CSTC-A has
procedures in place to distribute weapons to the ANP
and could guarantee a firewall between the ANP and ANA
(i.e. that no weapons would end up with the ANA). BG
OBrien and PolMilOff also confirmed that the U.S. is
not equipping irregulars or militias, and that any
donation would be distributed only to the ANP.
Ambassador Koistinen said this last point was
particularly important to the Finnish government.
4. (SBU) Koistinen indicated that even if the Finnish
government decides in favor of the donation, he could
not offer a timeline for actual weapons transfer. He
He
mentioned the possibility of sending a team of
technical experts to discuss the distribution
mechanism with CSTC-A officers. OBrien warmly
welcomed such a visit.
5. (SBU) BG OBrien asked if the Finns would be
willing to contribute police trainers, noting a number
of vacancies in the trainer program. Koistinen
responded positively, noting that the Finns are
training Iraqi police in Jordan, and said he would
take that proposal back to Helsinki.
NEUMANN