PDAS DIBBLE: MEETINGS TO ADVANCE PARIS DONORS'

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 002513 SIPDIS SIPDIS EEB FOR PDAS DIBBLE; NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR GOLDBERGER, SHAMPAINE, BELGRADE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL; TREASURY FOR HIRSON; BRUSSELS FOR LERNER; PARIS FOR DWYER E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/05/2017 TAGS: ECON EAID IS KWBG SUBJECT: PDAS DIBBLE: MEETINGS TO ADVANCE PARIS DONORS' CONFERENCE Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, for reasons 1.4 b, d ¶1. (SBU) Summary: EEB PDAS Elizabeth Dibble met on November 29 in Jerusalem with officials from the World Bank and IMF, the PA Ministry of Planning, the French Consulate and the Office of the Quartet Representative (OQR) to discuss planning for the December 17 Paris Donors' Conference and to solicit support for the PA's immediate financial needs. End Summary. Palestinian Reform and Development Plan a Good Tool -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) PDAS Dibble met separately in Jerusalem on November 29 with key participants in the planning process for the Paris Donors' Conference, including local heads of the World Bank and IMF; Dr. Cairo Arafat, Director General for Aid Management and Coordination at the PA Ministry of Planning; Amb. Bandler and other members of Quartet Representative Blair's team; and French Consul General Alain Remy. All agreed that the summary of the Palestinian Reform and Development Plan (PRDP) produced by the PA is an impressive document that will provide a solid basis for pledges on the 17th. World Bank head David Craig thought the plan's sectoral programs, particularly security sector reform, require more specificity. French CG Remy said donors should "keep pressing" the PA to complete PRDP revisions, with annexes that fill in details on sectoral programs, in time for the Paris Donors' Conference. PDAS Dibble agreed that more work needed to be done, but that the document provided by the PA is more than sufficient for the purposes of pledges on the 17th. In the end, she emphasized, it is vital that the international community respond to and support PA priorities. ¶3. (SBU) French CG Remy said PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad will present the summary of the PRDP on December 10 in Brussels. He hoped Fayyad would address the European Parliament in Strasbourg to help overcome skepticism about increased EU assistance, now estimated at 310 million Euros (though he said that he hoped that number could be increased to 500 million Euros). Follow-up Vital to Success at Paris -------------- ¶4. (C) PDAS Dibble noted that the Paris Conference is the beginning, not the end, of a process to support the PA. She stressed the importance of follow-up with donors on pledges and implementation by the PA of their commitments. She noted that existing donor mechanisms, including the AHLC and Local Development Forum, are more than adequate for the task. She emphasized the need to avoid having donors condition assistance to the PA on actions beyond its control (such as restrictions on access and movement). (Note: a couple of her interlocutors suggested that the UK's recent pledge of 500 million USD over three years was just so conditioned. End Note) She credited the PA for including a follow-up mechanism in its planning document, and supported continuing World Bank and IMF efforts to assist the PA and report to donors on implementation. ¶5. (SBU) PDAS Dibble was told that the four co-chairs (Blair, French FM Kouchner, Norwegian FM Stoere, and EC Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner) expected to play a role in following up with donors on their pledges. She agreed that continued attention at the political level was important, but that such a structure need not be formalized. There are already important opportunities, through the AHLC and the Quartet, to ensure proper coordination. Gulf Money Key to Success -------------- ¶6. (C) The World Bank's Craig and French CG Remy both called Gulf State donations at Paris "the big question." Remy said the French MFA is "mobilizing" to solicit Gulf support. OQR's Tor Wennesland said the Saudis and Emirates gave Blair positive signals during his recent swing through the Gulf, but offered no specifics. ¶7. (U) PDAS Dibble cleared this cable. WALLES