UNAMA Proposal for Regular Quarterly Meetings of G-8

UNCLAS KABUL 004151 SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/FO, SCA/RA, AND SCA/A DEPT PASS AID/ANE NSC FOR JWOOD OSD FOR SHIVERS SIPDIS E.O. 12958 N/A TAGS: PREL AF SUBJECT: UNAMA Proposal for Regular Quarterly Meetings of G-8 Political Directors in JCMB Format on Afghanistan ¶1. This is an action request. Please see paragraph 6. ¶2. United Nations Assistance Mission for Afghanistan (UNAMA) Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) Tom Koenigs convened a meeting of the "informal donors group" (also known as "tea club") to hear his proposal that the G-8 Political Directors in JCMB format discuss Afghanistan on a quarterly basis. Koenigs noted that the first such G-8 Political Directors meeting in Berlin in February 2007 had been a great success, and another G-8 political directors meeting on Afghanistan has been scheduled in Tokyo on February 5 from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (The phrase "in the JCMB format" refers to the JCMB co-chairs, the UNAMA SRSG and the senior Afghan JCMB senior Economic Advisor to President Karzai, joining the G-8 group for the discussion on Afghanistan.) ¶3. Koenigs said that he thinks quarterly meetings would be especially effective in facilitating and improving the coordination between missions in the field in Afghanistan and the views of headquarters in the capitals. He added parenthetically that he knows of issues where the Kabul field missions have achieved consensus, only to see the capitals go off in divergent directions. He feels that if the G-8 Political Directors can focus on the Afghan situation on a quarterly basis for two or three hours immediately following their regular G-8 meetings, then they will become better informed about the rapidly evolving Afghan situation. They will bring this information with them back to capitals, while improving integration with their Kabul missions. ¶4. In turn, the political directors can facilitate an integrated international approach to the three main JCMB pillars of security, good governance, and economic and social development. ¶5. Koenigs asked Tea Club members for a response to his proposal to establish quarterly G-8 Political Directors meetings on Afghanistan by Monday, December 24. Koenigs also announced that he will be leaving Kabul at the end of December, and that the UN has yet to announce his successor. ¶6. Action Requested: The Department is requested to provide guidance on how to respond to Koenig's proposal. WOOD