AFGHANISTAN SUPPORTS U.S. ON SHANGHAI COOPERATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L KABUL 001909 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A, S/CRS, SA/PB, S/CT, EUR/RPM STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG NSC FOR AHARRIMAN OSD FOR SHIVERS CENTCOM FOR CJTF-82, POLAD, JICCENT E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER ASEC MARR AF RS CH SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN SUPPORTS U.S. ON SHANGHAI COOPERATION GOALS REF: STATE 77753 Classified By: A/PolCouns Martin Murphy for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (C) A/PolCouns delivered reftel points to FM Spanta's Senior Policy Advisor Davood Moradian June 9. Moradian assured us the GOA was completely in agreement with U.S. points and supported U.S. goals for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO),including continued U.S. and allied access to Manas Air Base. ¶2. (C) Moradian reported that Afghanistan's Embassies in Moscow, Kazakhstan, and Beijing heard that Russia intends to be "provocative" at the August Bishkek Summit and will likely raise its concerns about foreign forces in Afghanistan. He understood that Russia's National Security Advisor plans to propose an SCO working group on Afghanistan. The GOA expects Afghanistan will be a major focus at the Summit. To prepare, the GOA is in the process of articulating an Afghan policy toward the SCO in order to engage the group more actively and deeply. One of Afghanistan's goals will be to "demilitarize and depoliticize" relations with SCO countries and focus on critical policy issues such as counternarcotics. ¶3. (C) Moradian indicated that FM Spanta plans to attend the Summit. President Karzai "will likely attend." A/PolCouns encouraged President Karzai's active participation and that he both privately and publicly reinforce the importance of Manas Air Base to Afghanistan's security and stability. WOOD