Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KABUL3021
2006-07-06 07:26:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kabul
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR AND MRS NEUMANN VISIT LITHUANIAN PRT

Tags:  PGOV PREL PTER PINR EAID ECON LH AF 
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VZCZCXRO0061
RR RUEHDBU
DE RUEHBUL #3021/01 1870726
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 060726Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1215
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEHVL/AMEMBASSY VILNIUS 0033
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC 0083
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 1493
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 6123
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 KABUL 003021 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CRS, SCA/PAB, S/CT, EUR/RPM
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND
OSD FOR BREZINSKI
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76 POLAD
TREASURY FOR D/S KIMMITT, APARAMESWARAN, AJEWELL
REL NATO/ISAF/AS/NZ

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/05/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PINR EAID ECON LH AF
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR AND MRS NEUMANN VISIT LITHUANIAN PRT
CHAGHCHARAN

Classified By: Ambassador Ronald Neumann for reason 1.4 (B) and (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 KABUL 003021

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CRS, SCA/PAB, S/CT, EUR/RPM
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND
OSD FOR BREZINSKI
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76 POLAD
TREASURY FOR D/S KIMMITT, APARAMESWARAN, AJEWELL
REL NATO/ISAF/AS/NZ

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/05/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PINR EAID ECON LH AF
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR AND MRS NEUMANN VISIT LITHUANIAN PRT
CHAGHCHARAN

Classified By: Ambassador Ronald Neumann for reason 1.4 (B) and (D).


1. (U) Summary: Ambassador and Mrs. Neumann and Lithuanian
Ambassador Srsknys visited Lithuanian PRT Chaghcharan on June
23, and met with Ghor Governor and other provincial
officials. The Lithuanians impressed the Ambassador with
their excellent relations with provincial officials, regular
patrols throughout the province and efforts to identify niche
projects where their limited development budget could
complement the work of their Nordic partners and the U.S.
The Lithuanians host Danish, Croatian and Icelandic military
contingents that assist with patrols and Danish, Icelandic
and US development professionals. Both the Lithuanian
commander and Ambassador stressed that contining support from
the US State and AID representatives is crucial to their
continued success in Chaghcharan The governor appears to be
a dedicated and capable man and attentive to the needs of his
province. The two greatest development challenges in Ghor
Province are roads and the expected food shortage next year
due to recent drought. End Summary.


2. (U) Ambassador and Mrs. Neumann traveled to PRT
Chaghcharan June 23 to meet with the Lithuanian PRT command,
provincial governor and local officials. The Lithuanians
clearly showed the hard work and effort they have made to
create a stable security environment through regular patrols,
maintaining good relationships with provincial and local
officials, and in working with their Nordic partners and
USAID to contribute to development in Ghor Province.
Security patrols are carried out by Lithuanian, Danish,

Croatian and Icelandic military, a testament to Lithuania's
effort to foment partnerships that extend their resources.


3. (U) Reconstruction work is particularly challenging in
Ghor, the poorest of Afghanistan's 34 provinces. Road
construction is the key priority for the PRT, with health,
education, water and economic growth projects also underway.
This summer's drought will likely lead to a considerable food
shortage that may require assistance from the international
community. The Lithuanians are looking for areas to
supplement the significant assistance funds provided by
USAID, Denmark and Iceland. The PRT commander and Ambassador
noted that Lithuania's success in Ghor can only be maintained
through the continued cooperation of their small coalition of
Nordic partners, as well as the presence of USAID and State
representatives. The Lithuanians are doing very well with
their limited resources and are committed to success in
Chaghcharan. Ambassador Srsknys told Governor Afzali that,
"Lithuania has now experienced 16 years of independence from
the Soviet Union, and can bring a lot of advice and
experience from its transition to a democracy and market
economy."

Lithuanian PRT Chaghcharan
--------------


4. (U) The Lithuanians took command of PRT Chaghcharan in
early May 2006, which comprises 122 Lithuanian soldiers, 11
Danes, 8 Croats and 8 Icelandic military staff. In addition
to the Lithuanian Special Mission, which currently consists
of one POLAD who works on aid and political issues, there is
an Icelandic aid professional and a Danish military
contingent working on development. The Lithuanians are
excellent hosts for the USAID and State PRT representatives.
They are worried about an upcoming gap in U.S. officer
staffing and hope they can be replaced as soon as possible.


5. (U) The PRT is situated less than a mile from the dirt

KABUL 00003021 002 OF 004


landing strip, just outside of Chaghcharan. The town is
surrounded by low hills resembling brown sand dunes, rugged
mountains and steep scree slopes. Chaghcharan is bisected by
the Hari Rud river, which divides the residential side of
town from the main commercial district and government
offices. The dirt and gravel Kabul-Herat road runs alongside
the river. Men and children play, swim and fish all up and
down the river gorge.

Safe and Secure for the Most Part
--------------


6. (C) The PRT provided a mostly upbeat report on security
in the province. Regular PRT patrols rarely encounter
resistance. Recently however, the Croatian team was attacked
during the night by a group suspected of being Taliban
crossing the border from Helmand as a result of Operation
Mountain Thrust. There have been four rocket attacks total
in the past year, a relatively small number compared to the
provinces surrounding Ghor. Minor security worries include
crime and the possibility that more bands will move out of
areas affected by Operation Mountain Thrust.


7. (U) The security operations conducted by the PRT are quite
robust. In the one month and a half the current command had
been in operation, they had conducted twelve day-time patrols
and seven night-time patrols of the areas near Chaghcharan,
of which 7 were joint patrols with the ANP. The mobile
patrol teams had conducted eight patrols in outlying
districts, of 4-5 days duration, and held 32 meetings with
district officials.


8. (U) On DIAG/DDR, the provincial players and government are
at least willing to go through the motions, but the PRT felt
there was little actual commitment. They noted that the
lists of commanders and the estimates of their weapons are
not logically consistent, and that the weapons turned over so
far have usually been inoperative. Local officials also
argue that there are good commanders and bad commanders and
that those that do not challenge peace and stability should
not be disbanded. The provincial representative for the
Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Deputy Police Chief
have argued publically that weapons are valuable, and that
people should receive money for turning them in. The State
rep also said people argue, that without a robust police
presence, they are afraid to give up their arms.

The Governor and Governance
--------------


9. (C) Governor Abdul Ahad Afzali, a Tajik from Badakhshan,
is well respected by the PRT command and the USAID and State
reps. The PRT also believes he is well respected among local
officials and the populace, and makes a concerted effort to
deal with key local issues, and works well with the PRT to
identify reconstruction projects. The new ANP Chief, General
Shah Jahaan Noori, is also from Badakhshan, and maintains
close relations with the mayor. The Lithuanian Intelligence
Officer suggested the governor was likely linked to the local
power brokers and drug trade, but offered no proof.


10. (C) According to the State PRT representative, the
Governor is skilled at balancing the interests of the three
main power brokers in the province: Wolesi Jirga member Dr.
Ibrahim Malak Zada (southern Ghor),General Ahmad Murghabi
(northern districts) and General Rais Abdul Salaam
(Chaghcharan area). These three maintain their influence by
having their followers appointed to local and provincial

KABUL 00003021 003 OF 004


office, and according to Lithuanian conjecture, profiting
from the drug transit trade.


11. (C) Ghor's Provincial Council (PC) remains a relatively
weak institution, lacking salary and resources. The governor
recently took over the Council's offices, requiring them to
secure new ones. They are somewhat effective at listening to
constituents and making referrals to the Governor. The PRT
State rep said it was difficult to know whether the PC as a
whole was truly representative of the entire province, though
there is at least one member from each of the districts. The
PC Chair and Deputy Mayor of Chaghcharan are both nephews of
power broker General Salaam.

Development and Reconstruction
--------------


12. (U) USAID is the most active development agency and has
completed 143 projects in Ghor Province, totaling USD 9.3
million, of which USD 3.5 million was spent in FY2005.
USAID's projects include road improvements, seven health
centers in the north, six new schools and the purchase of
150,000 text books, and 33 water projects. The USAID officer
has made a concerted effort to get local buy-in through a
Provincial Development Planning Conference held in early
March. Key priorities included the Herat - Chaghcharan road
(dirt road improvement usling local menial labor),more
school construction, community road projects in the
Chaghcharan area, microfinance projects and improving the
road to Maimana in Faryab province.


13. (U) Clearly, road reconstruction and communication are
priorities for the people of Ghor. Ambassador and Mrs.
Neumann visited a portion of USAID's road resurfacing
project, where locals are leveling and graveling the main
Chaghcharan road. Mrs. Neumann noted that the condition of
the narrow road that skirted the steep sides of the river
canyon was not much better than it had been on their visit 39
years earlier. A vehicle requires two to three days to drive
the 340 km to Herat and three days for the 440 km to Kabul.
In the winter, the roads are often impassable. The USAID
project will improve 189 km of this road, and employ local
workers at USD 3/day. The Governor, provincial officials and
the PRT hope it will lead to a boom in the local economy.
(Note: Provincial Officials would prefer a paved road, that
we cannot afford. Ambassador Neumann argued for the benefits
of the project and promised to return within a year to see
how acceptable it is to the local people. End Note.)


14. (U) Key challenges in the province remain. Ghor Province
is highly vulnerable to drought, and this year's drought is
causing serious concern about food shortages. PRT staff and
local officials all had hoped the international community
would provide more food aid. Ambassador Neumann mentioned
that he was asking donor countries active in PRTs to
contribute more food aid. In the case of PRT Chaghcharan, he
suggested that Iceland or Denmark could focus on food aid if
Lithuania was unable to do so. Another worry is the small
number of NGOs active in the province, and the limited
reconstruction support received from Kabul. Only two capable
NGOs remain, and one active in the south has considered
pulling out due to the perceived security threat.

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


15. (U) The trip to PRT Chaghcharan enhanced U.S. Embassy
outreach efforts and resulted in a better understanding of

KABUL 00003021 004 OF 004


conditions in a remote province. The Lithuanians are doing a
considerable job with limited resources, using a small
coalition of partners to maintain a robust security posture,
which allows development work to continue. USAID, the EU and
Lithuania's other partners are the serious players in
development work, with clearly identified objective in roads,
health and economic development. With continued to support
from USAID and State representatives, and capable NGO
partners, PRT Chaghcharan should prove to be one of ISAF's
true success stories.


16. Bio Note: Governor Shah Abdul Ahad Afzali: Born 1953 in
Badakhshan Province, he served previously in the Badakhshan
provincial administration and is a member of the
Jamiat-e-Islami party. He is known to have connections in
the Ministries of Education, Finance and Foreign Affairs.
NEUMANN