KOREAN RALLY: MOI/MOD CONTINGENCY PLANS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 003481 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A, S/CRS, SA/PB, S/CT, EUR/RPM STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG NSC FOR AHARRIMAN OSD FOR BREZINSKI CENTCOM FOR CFC-A, CG CJTF-76, POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2016 TAGS: CASC PGOV ASEC PREL PHUM AF KS SUBJECT: KOREAN RALLY: MOI/MOD CONTINGENCY PLANS REF: A) KABUL 3320 B) KABUL 3455 C) KABUL 3456 D) STATE 125681 E) KABUL 3479 Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Marie Richards for reasons 1. 4 b, d. ¶1. (C) CSTC-A Commander MG Durbin called a meeting on Aug 4 afternoon to brief Emboffs on MoI planning and MoI-MoD coordination (CSTC has embedded mentors in both Ministries) with regard any demonstration or rally held by the Koreans now in Afghanistan. MG Durbin emphasized that although Minister of Interior Zarar Moqbil had not shared planning details with DCM in their August 2 meeting (ref b),MoI Deputy Minister Khalid and his senior staff have developed a comprehensive and detailed contingency plan. CSTC-A noted that MoI and MoD have worked together successfully to establish roles and responsibilities. MoD accepts its supporting role, while actively assisting at all levels. Under the present plan that there will be no role for ISAF except in extremis - a position also held by ISAF - but ISAF remains tied into this planning effort and has a FRAGO in place to allow action if needed. Since ISAF has international force responsibility for Kabul, CFC remains in monitoring mode unless otherwise called on. ¶2. (C) The MoI plan sets organizations for patrols, security checks and traffic control. It places all security elements on "alert," prepared to handled a major event, and places a security "umbrella" around hospitals, banks, electrical services, and the airport. The plan assigns participating forces as follows: reserve security (900),Quick Reaction Force, anti-narcotics force, and police academy staff and cadets. In view of the original expectation of an event at the Olympic Stadium, it assigns 150 police to be stationed at that location. In addition, Chiefs of Police in neighboring provinces have been directed to prevent Korean nationals from entering into Kabul province, and the Director of the Anti-crime division of the Kabul City Police has been directed to investigate visa status and escort the individuals to point of entry. (Note: this has already begun; see septel. End note.) MoD has put the 201 Corps on alert and fully staffed the National Military Command Center 24/7 to monitor events. MoI has also been working with other elements of the GOA interagency to bring in those agencies having a security role. ¶3. (C) Comment: MG Durbin pointed out that while the plan looks good - a huge improvement in readiness from the time of the riots on May 29 - we have yet to see the quality of execution. Since at this point it is very unlikely that any demonstration or public event will take place (incidents the plan was intended to address),it may not be possible to evaluate execution. Whatever happens, CSTC-A expects to produce in coordination with both MoI and MoD an after-action report that will analyze GOA capability to respond to crisis events that may occur in the future. Durbin added it is already clear that while MoI and MoD are working together well, coordination has been less good between MoI and NDS. Emboffs agreed to follow up through RAO contacts to encourage NDS to fully participate in this and future planning efforts. KABUL 00003481 002 OF 002 NEUMANN