Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LONDON7311
2006-10-13 14:35:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy London
Cable title:
(C) PAKISTAN: ARD CHAIRMAN IN LONDON
how-toVZCZCXYZ0016 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHLO #7311 2861435 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 131435Z OCT 06 FM AMEMBASSY LONDON TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9723 INFO RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD IMMEDIATE 0628 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA IMMEDIATE 0212 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI IMMEDIATE 0624
C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 007311
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/PB, EUR/UBI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM PK UK
SUBJECT: (C) PAKISTAN: ARD CHAIRMAN IN LONDON
Classified By: PolMinCouns Maura Connelly; reason 1.4 (b, d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 007311
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/PB, EUR/UBI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM PK UK
SUBJECT: (C) PAKISTAN: ARD CHAIRMAN IN LONDON
Classified By: PolMinCouns Maura Connelly; reason 1.4 (b, d)
1. (C) The Chairman of Pakistan's Alliance for the
Restoration of Democracy (ARD),Makhdum Amin Fahim, is
visiting London and met with Poloff October 13. He said
former Prime Ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif (whose
parties, PPP and ML/N respectively, are the main components
of ARD) will meet in London October 19. Fahim said the
Musharraf regime is trying hard to split ARD, including by
offering him money (Fahim is the President of Bhutto's PPP).
He said rumors abound that either PPP or ML/N will cut a deal
with Musharraf, but he and Sharif met and then held a joint
press conference reaffirming the alliance.
2. (C) Fahim told Poloff "we need to reconcile the military
with the political parties," by finding an honorable way for
the military to give up governing. He said ARD has presented
two main demands to the regime; both are steps to ensure
"reasonably" fair elections, as it would be unrealistic to
expect fully fair elections:
- appoint a competent and independent chief electoral
commissioner and electoral commissioner;
- form a government of national consensus to prepare for and
manage the 2007 elections. He said the Bangladesh model,
relying on the judiciary, would not be appropriate because
the Pakistani judiciary "is not independent."
3. (C) Fahim acknowledged that the USG has been pressing for
free and fair elections. He asked what the USG's attitude
would be if Islamists won fair and square. Poloff replied in
general terms - making clear this was not specifically about
Pakistan or even the Muslim world: Americans' commitment to
democracy is genuine and deep; the key challenge for any
religious party is to reassure others that it would abide by
the constitution if elected, and not disregard it in favor of
a "higher" (religious) law.
Visit London's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/london/index. cfm
Tuttle
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/PB, EUR/UBI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM PK UK
SUBJECT: (C) PAKISTAN: ARD CHAIRMAN IN LONDON
Classified By: PolMinCouns Maura Connelly; reason 1.4 (b, d)
1. (C) The Chairman of Pakistan's Alliance for the
Restoration of Democracy (ARD),Makhdum Amin Fahim, is
visiting London and met with Poloff October 13. He said
former Prime Ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif (whose
parties, PPP and ML/N respectively, are the main components
of ARD) will meet in London October 19. Fahim said the
Musharraf regime is trying hard to split ARD, including by
offering him money (Fahim is the President of Bhutto's PPP).
He said rumors abound that either PPP or ML/N will cut a deal
with Musharraf, but he and Sharif met and then held a joint
press conference reaffirming the alliance.
2. (C) Fahim told Poloff "we need to reconcile the military
with the political parties," by finding an honorable way for
the military to give up governing. He said ARD has presented
two main demands to the regime; both are steps to ensure
"reasonably" fair elections, as it would be unrealistic to
expect fully fair elections:
- appoint a competent and independent chief electoral
commissioner and electoral commissioner;
- form a government of national consensus to prepare for and
manage the 2007 elections. He said the Bangladesh model,
relying on the judiciary, would not be appropriate because
the Pakistani judiciary "is not independent."
3. (C) Fahim acknowledged that the USG has been pressing for
free and fair elections. He asked what the USG's attitude
would be if Islamists won fair and square. Poloff replied in
general terms - making clear this was not specifically about
Pakistan or even the Muslim world: Americans' commitment to
democracy is genuine and deep; the key challenge for any
religious party is to reassure others that it would abide by
the constitution if elected, and not disregard it in favor of
a "higher" (religious) law.
Visit London's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/london/index. cfm
Tuttle