STATE OF PLAY AND ACTION REQUESTS ON UPCOMING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000439 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/FO GASTRIGHT, SCA/A, EUR/RPM NSC FOR HARRIMAN OSD FOR KIMMITT STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG CENTCOM FOR POLAD, CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76 E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/2016 TAGS: PGOV MASS ECON EAID SNAR AF SUBJECT: STATE OF PLAY AND ACTION REQUESTS ON UPCOMING U.S.-AFGHANISTAN STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP MEETINGS Classified By: DCM RNORLAND FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) This is an action request. See paras 4, 5, and 6. ¶1. (SBU) Embassy is working with the GOA to set dates and fix the agenda for upcoming working-level and senior-level Strategic Partnership meetings. We are in direct contact with our GOA counterparts for each working group. The MFA is responsible for overall organization of the Strategic Partnership, including convening ministers with responsibilities related to the issues and tasking work to fulfill commitments made at the last meetings, in March 2006. Since that time, the GOA proposed and we agreed to add Counternarcotics as a fourth topic for the Strategic Partnership Dialogue and that bilateral working-level discussions would be held in preparation for the periodic Senior-level discussions. ¶2. (SBU) Working-level CN Meeting: The first Working-level meetings on Counternarcotics were held in Kabul on December 8, 2006 during the visit of A/S Anne Patterson. ¶3. (SBU) Working-level Security Meeting: The Working-level meeting on Security will be held in Kabul on February 15. U.S. delegation for this meeting will be led by Jim Shinn, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Affairs (Designate). Overall Mission POC for this meeting is Col. Rick Akridge, Deputy DCG PMA (unclass e-mail: Richard.C.Akridge@Afghan.swa.army.mil). State POC is Deputy PolMil Counselor Marie Richards (unclass e-mail: RichardsMJ@state.gov). ¶4. (SBU) Working-level Governance and Prosperity Meetings: Per informal discussions with Washington, the GOA looks forward to hosting the Working-level meetings on Governance and on Prosperity in Kabul on either February 21 or 22. We have informed the MFA that the U.S. delegation to Governance Working Group will be led by DAS for Central and South Asia John Gastright and that the U.S. delegation for the Prosperity Working Group will be led by USAID Acting Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Asia and the Near East Mark Ward. Post understands DAS Gastright and Mr. Ward will be in Kabul on February 20 - 23. Overall Mission POC for Governance Working Group is PolCounselor Sara Rosenberry (rosenberrysa@state.gov). USAID Prosperity Working Group POC is Bruce Etling (unclass e-mail: betling@usaid.gov). Overall Mission POC for Prosperity Working Group is Steve Gonyea, Economist, USAID (unclass e-mail: sgonyea@usaid.gov). State POC for Prosperity Working Group is Econ Counselor Jack Spilsbury (unclass e-mail: spilsburyjv@state.gov). ¶5. (SBU) Senior-Level Strategic Partnership Meeting: The GOA would like to host the Senior-level Strategic Partnership Meeting in Kabul during the window from March 11-15. Embassy has confirmed that ForMin Spanta will be in Kabul during this window, and Defense Minister Wardak's office informs us that he has no travel planned during that period. The MFA informs us the ministers would not expect to be present for all the SP meetings. Action Request: Post requests guidance on whether we can accept this invitation and, as soon as possible, on what day(s) the U.S. delegation would like us to ask for the Senior Level SP meetings during that window. We also would appreciate confirmation of who will lead U.S. Delegation to the Senior-level SP talks. (Note: Post understands informally that Under Secretary Burns and Under Secretary Edelman will be able to travel to Kabul March SIPDIS 12-15, but we will await official confirmation before locking this in with the GOA.) ¶6. (C) ForMin Spanta Meeting with Secretary Rice: ForMin Spanta will be traveling with President Karzai in Germany from March 16-19. Spanta would like to make a trip to the U.S. and Canada from March 20-31. This trip would include a visit to Washington, they hope to include a meeting with the Secretary and signing a communique endorsing the outcomes of SIPDIS the Strategic Partnership meetings and underlining the U.S.-Afghanistan partnership. Action Request: Post request recommendation, to be shared with MFA, regarding the best timing for the Washington leg of ForMin Spanta's proposed trip. ¶7. (U) Embassy POL Section is serving as secretariat for the KABUL 00000439 002 OF 002 Strategic Partnership Meetings. Please include Sara Rosenberry and Betsy Zouroudis (unclass e-mail: zouroudisb@state.gov) on e-mails dealing with these meetings. NEUMANN