Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BERLIN408
2007-02-28 15:56:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Berlin
Cable title:
AFGHANISTAN: GERMANY INCREASES DEVELOPMENT AID 25%
how-toVZCZCXRO0520 OO RUEHAG RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHYG DE RUEHRL #0408 0591556 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 281556Z FEB 07 FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7259 INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS BERLIN 000408
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/FO - NEIL KROMASH, EUR/AGS
USAID FOR MARK WARD
KABUL FOR ECON COUNSELOR JOHN SPILSBURY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON GM AF
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: GERMANY INCREASES DEVELOPMENT AID 25%
UNCLAS BERLIN 000408
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/FO - NEIL KROMASH, EUR/AGS
USAID FOR MARK WARD
KABUL FOR ECON COUNSELOR JOHN SPILSBURY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON GM AF
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: GERMANY INCREASES DEVELOPMENT AID 25%
1. (SBU) Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul
announced on February 27 that Germany would immediately
increase reconstruction support by EUR 20 million, bringing
Germany's overall bilateral Afghanistan development aid to
EUR 100 million annually. The German money will target
primary education in line with requests from the Afghan
government and following ongoing discussions between Germany
and Afghanistan's Ministry of Education. The remainder of
the funds will support other development initiatives in
sectors to be finalized in May through bilateral
negotiations. The new programming will also include projects
in the southern region, beyond the traditional German
development focus in the north.
2. (SBU) Development Ministry contacts informed Emboff that
the timing of this announcement -- as the Bundestag debated a
parliamentary mandate for the deployment of six to eight
German Tornado surveillance aircraft to Afghanistan -- was
not coincidental. The announcement by Minister
Wieczorek-Zeul, formerly the deputy head of the SPD,
effectively counters claims in the Bundestag from the
opposition Left Party and Greens that the 40 million euros to
be spent on the Tornado deployment should be allocated to
development aid. DevMin officials acknowledged privately to
Emboff that ongoing pressure from allies, particularly the
United States and Canada, as well as from the Afghanistan
government itself, to increase development aid had affected
the decision.
3. (SBU) Comment. The latest announcement represents a
significant departure from previous German positions on
Afghanistan aid. Germany already contributes more bilateral
assistance to Afghanistan than to any other country and
claimed that its existing efforts appropriately reflected
Afghanistan's position as the country's top development
priority. End Comment.
KOENIG
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/FO - NEIL KROMASH, EUR/AGS
USAID FOR MARK WARD
KABUL FOR ECON COUNSELOR JOHN SPILSBURY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON GM AF
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: GERMANY INCREASES DEVELOPMENT AID 25%
1. (SBU) Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul
announced on February 27 that Germany would immediately
increase reconstruction support by EUR 20 million, bringing
Germany's overall bilateral Afghanistan development aid to
EUR 100 million annually. The German money will target
primary education in line with requests from the Afghan
government and following ongoing discussions between Germany
and Afghanistan's Ministry of Education. The remainder of
the funds will support other development initiatives in
sectors to be finalized in May through bilateral
negotiations. The new programming will also include projects
in the southern region, beyond the traditional German
development focus in the north.
2. (SBU) Development Ministry contacts informed Emboff that
the timing of this announcement -- as the Bundestag debated a
parliamentary mandate for the deployment of six to eight
German Tornado surveillance aircraft to Afghanistan -- was
not coincidental. The announcement by Minister
Wieczorek-Zeul, formerly the deputy head of the SPD,
effectively counters claims in the Bundestag from the
opposition Left Party and Greens that the 40 million euros to
be spent on the Tornado deployment should be allocated to
development aid. DevMin officials acknowledged privately to
Emboff that ongoing pressure from allies, particularly the
United States and Canada, as well as from the Afghanistan
government itself, to increase development aid had affected
the decision.
3. (SBU) Comment. The latest announcement represents a
significant departure from previous German positions on
Afghanistan aid. Germany already contributes more bilateral
assistance to Afghanistan than to any other country and
claimed that its existing efforts appropriately reflected
Afghanistan's position as the country's top development
priority. End Comment.
KOENIG