AFGHAN UPDATE ON JIRGA PREPARATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001946 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 CG CJTF-82, POLAD, JICCENT E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/12/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER ASEC MARR AF SUBJECT: AFGHAN UPDATE ON JIRGA PREPARATIONS REF: A. KABUL 1868 ¶B. ISLAMABAD 2527 Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (U) Reftel A (June 6) reported on the outcome of the recent Afghan-Pak meeting in Islamabad on Jirga preparations. On June 11, Director of the Afghan Jirga Preparation Commission Farook Wardak briefed the international community on latest developments, highlighting two outstanding issues: participation of women and the role of the international community. Participation of Women -------------- ¶2. (C) Wardak briefed that Pakistan does not agree that women should participate in the jirga, arguing that participation by women is not part of Pakistan's jirga tradition. However, Afghanistan will include women in its jirga delegation regardless of Pakistan's decision on its own delegation. This was consistent with the key role women played in the Loya Jirga and Constitutional Jirga. Wardak stressed that it would be impossible to ignore half their populations. The joint technical committee that was just established will meet later in June and revisit the issue. He indicated he was still hopeful as he had heard that Pakistan's Ministry of Interior was reconsidering the issue. This was a positive sign. Role of the International Community -------------- ¶3. (C) Wardak explained that, while Pakistan would not object to the media attending, it was opposed to participation from the international community (probably the UN, the OIC, and the U.S.). Wardak noted, however, that PM Azziz recently told President Karzai that Pakistan "would think about it." Wardak said that, with the right approach, Pakistan could be convinced. Afghanistan was looking to the international community for advice. He outlined four reasons for participation by the international community as supporters, observers, and monitors. a) Terrorism is an international meQce and fighting it requires an international effort; b) Afghanistan and Pakistan are members of the international coalition in the war on terror; c) Uprooting the causes of terrorism, not only the signs and symptoms, requires a more comprehensive response which cannot be dealt with by Pakistan and Afghanistan alone; and d) In the tradition of jirgas, the presence of a third party is always essential to mediate when there is a deadlock. ¶4. (C) Afghanistan would like the following parties to participate: United Nations, Organization of Islamic Conference, the U.S., the EU, NATO, and "neighboring and relevant countries" to include Japan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkey, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and others. ¶5. (C) The GOA is looking to the international community to fullfil seven functions: "The Convention Phase" a) Participate in the jirga meetings in specified areas; b) Support, observe, monitor and follow up the jirga convention; c) Contribute to setting up a Common Monitoring Board to monitor the implementation of jirga decisions; and KABUL 00001946 002 OF 002 d) Support jirga decisions in order to ensure continued support and commitment on the part of the international community for the agreements reached during the jirga; "Post Convention Phase" a) Take active part in the follow up mechanism and support the mechanism politically, financially and logistically; b) Notify and advise both sides upon observing instances of violations of joint jirga decisions; and c) Put pressure on any party/parties that violate jirga agreements. Jirga Will Happen Regardless -------------- ¶6. (C) While Afghanistan's strong preference is for international community participation, it feels it must go ahead with the jirga regardless. Wardak said "we will just have the jirga and hope for the best." He recognized that the jirga was not going to be a "100 percent solution, it was just a beginning." He stressed that the most important goal was getting at the root causes of terrorism and bringing the two sides together to forge a common strategy. Action Request -------------- ¶7. (C) Post has to date advised the Afghans that the U.S. is ready to participate in the jirgas provided that both sides can agree on a specific role. We believe there is justification for a role for the U.S. and the international community along the lines argued by Wardak but suggest that the two sides resolve their differences bilaterally. We 1) request Washington's confirmation of this approach and 2) suggest that, without inserting ourselves directly in the process, a reminder to both sides of the stake in efforts to stop cross-border terrorism which directly impacts U.S. interests and forces might be useful. WOOD