AFGHAN UPDATE ON JIRGA PREPARATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001946

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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

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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