MUSHARRAF AND KARZAI IN ANKARA: AN INTERIM

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 001994 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/03/2017 TAGS: PK PREL AF PGOV SUBJECT: MUSHARRAF AND KARZAI IN ANKARA: AN INTERIM REACTION FROM PAKISTAN REF: A. KABUL 01506 ¶B. ANKARA 01029 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Peter Bodde, For Reasons 1.4 (b) and ( d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Working-level contacts at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told us May 3 that the April 30 meeting between Presidents Musharraf, Karzai, and Sezer reinforced Pakistan and Afghanistan's common commitment to fighting the Taliban. The meeting also presented opportunities to further institutionalize bilateral dialogue between the two countries. Post has numerous meeting requests pending with senior Government of Pakistan officials as well as the Turkish Ambassador. Post will provide a more complete readout after these meetings. End Summary. ¶2. (C) On May 3, Amir Shaukat, Director for Afghanistan at the Foreign Ministry, noted that the two sides had arrived in Ankara without having negotiated a joint statement (the Ankara Declaration) in advance. In a day and a half, Shaukat stressed, the Pakistani and Afghan teams drafted a joint statement that included important references to intelligence sharing and repatriation of Afghan refugees. Shaukat also noted Turkey's involvement in engaging Pakistan and Afghanistan was especially welcome for two reasons: Pakistan and Afghanistan both enjoyed good relations with Turkey; and Turkey's participation offered leaders of both nations a new forum in which to forge common understandings on sensitive issues. Turkey, Shaukat said, was a moderate Muslim country more acceptable to the public as a broker on Afghan/Pakistani issues than some western nations. ¶3. (C) Press reaction indicates that, whatever Musharraf's demeanor in private, he said positive things in public, fueling a generally supportive reaction to the Ankara meeting in Pakistan. On the flight back to Islamabad, Musharraf told journalists his meeting with Karzai was productive; that he hoped the Ankara Declaration would help bring an end to the public blame-game between the two leaders. Post spoke with leading members of the Pakistani press, who noted Musharraf's positive public posture but also questioned whether Karzai would ever "admit part of the responsibility" for the insurgency in Afghanistan. BODDE