CANADA: DEMARCHE REQUEST FOR ROME RULE OF LAW

UNCLAS E F T O OTTAWA 001217 SIPDIS NOFORN SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR INL/AP JAHN JEFFREY E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/21/2017 TAGS: KJUS IBRD AF CA SUBJECT: CANADA: DEMARCHE REQUEST FOR ROME RULE OF LAW CONFERENCE ON AFGHANISTAN REF: SECSTATE 87370 (SBU/NF) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Gallit Dobner, Desk Officer for Afghanistan and Action officer for the Rule of Law Conference at DFAIT. Dobner said that the GOC is fully behind the PJCM and will announce that it is setting up an office in Kandahar at the conference. With regards to multilateral funding, she said that Canada is not sure what is being asked at the Rome conference, as the documents they have received indicated that a funding mechanism would be set up but it is not clear if this has happened yet. She said they would not be in a position to contribute until this mechanism is up and running and the GOC can review how it will function. Canada will also announce several new bilateral programs at the conference. Dobner said that Canada would appreciate any further information we may have about what we will be doing and hopes that as the conference draws closer, organization by the hosts, which she described as dismal, improves. Visit our shared North American Partnership blog (Canada & Mexico) at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap WILKINS