STAFFDEL GROVE'S FEBRUARY 19-21 VISIT TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L KABUL 000852

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR H, SCA, INL, PM, AND AID

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2017
TAGS: OREP MASS EAID SNAR ASEC AMGT AF
SUBJECT: STAFFDEL GROVE'S FEBRUARY 19-21 VISIT TO
AFGHANISTAN

REF: STATE 18976

Classified By: DCM Richard B. Norland; reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C/REL ISAF) Summary: Mr. Hakan Abaci, Civilian Director
of the Turkish-led PRT in Wardak province, emphasized that
the PRT is mainly a "civilian" operation, which seeks to
minimize the visibility of the Turkish military element that
provides security for the PRT compound. He said he believes
that the key to increasing local people's confidence in the
GoA is to provide high quality government infrastructure --
"respectable houses of government" -- and well-trained,
well-equipped security forces. Wardak Governor Abdul Jabbar
Naeemi said that his first priority is improving education in
the province. He said he receives little support from GoA
ministries in Kabul, but acknowledged that there are limits
to the GoA's capacity to help the provinces. In Kabul,
StaffDel member Michele Gordon visited two USAID-funded
projects, meeting with "Leahy Initiative" beneficiaries and
Afghan civil servants receiving training in public
administration. A theme that emerged in a number of StaffDel
Grove's meetings was the importance of developing the Rule of
Law system in Afghanistan, in order to buttress ongoing
efforts to professionalize the Afghan National Security
Forces (ANSF) -- particularly the ANP. Regarding Afghan
refugees, Mr. Grove suggested that the USG consider whether
additional funding may be necessary to assist the refugees,
if the government of Pakistan moves to close the Afghan
refugee camps on its territory. End Summary.


2. (U) Mr. Paul Grove, Minority Clerk, Senate Appropriations
Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related
Programs (SAC-S/FO); and Ms. Michele Gordon, Professional
Staff Member for the SAC-S/FO Minority; visited Afghanistan
February 19-21 (reftel) to review ongoing USG programs, with
emphasis on security assistance and development and
reconstruction activities. While in Kabul, they received
briefings from senior Embassy staff, ISAF, and CSTC-A. They
also met with representatives from the International
Republican Institute (IRI),and visited the Afghan Army's
Kabul Military Training Center and the Central Training
Center for the Afghan National Police (ANP). Outside of
Kabul, they visited the Turkish-led Provincial Reconstruction
Team (PRT) in Wardak province.

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PRT-WARDAK
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3. (C/REL ISAF) Mr. Hakan Abaci, Civilian Director of the
Turkish-led PRT in Wardak province, hosted the StaffDel for
meetings with Wardak Governor Abdul Jabbar Naeemi and local
community leaders from the province. Abaci explained that
the PRT began operations in November 2006, and that the
Turkish government is committed to maintaining PRT operations
in Wardak for approximately five years. He emphasized that
the PRT is mainly a "civilian" operation, which seeks to
minimize the visibility of the Turkish military element that
provides security for the PRT compound. When PRT officials
travel within the province, he added, a special Turkish
police unit in civilian clothes provides security. Abaci
acknowledged that the Turkish PRT is able to function this
way largely due to the relatively more permissive security
environment in the province. That said, he noted that ISAF's
threat rating for the province had gone from "Low" to
"Medium" in the past year, requiring PRT personnel to
exercise appropriate caution in their activities. Abaci also
observed that the Turkish PRT enjoys advantages in its
relations with the local population, owing to common religion
(Islam) and cultural affinities.


4. (C/REL ISAF) Asked how the PRT identifies projects for
development, Abaci said that Wardak has a five year
development plan that was produced in cooperation with UNAMA.
However, that development plan is still a very broad
framework. In order to identify specific activities, Abaci
explained, the PRT coordinates closely with the provincial
and district leaders. Through an iterative process of
meetings with locals in the districts, the PRT develops
projects with significant local buy-in, thereby helping to
draw the population closer to the Afghan government. Abaci
underlined that the PRT is not interested in producing
numerous small-scale projects, but focuses on efforts that
will provide long-term returns. (Note: The PRT facility
itself is a high quality complex of buildings specifically
designed to be transformed into a college after the Turks

depart Wardak. End Note) He said he believes that the key
to increasing local people's confidence in the GoA is to
provide high quality government infrastructure --
"respectable houses of government" -- and well-trained,
well-equipped security forces. In that context, Abaci
explained that the PRT is constructing a training facility
where Turkish trainers will provide the 8-week basic police
training course to ANP personnel in Wardak. He remarked that
he feels a sense of urgency in his work, saying that he
believes that the international community and GoA have
"months, not years" to convince the Afghan population they
are on the right track.

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MEETING WITH GOVERNOR NAEEMI
--------------


5. (C/REL ISAF) At a separate meeting arranged by the Turkish
PRT, Wardak Governor Abdul Jabbar Naeemi said that his first
priority is improving education in the province. He lamented
that, of the 265 registered schools in the province, 136 have
no integral shelter or potable water. Naeemi added that many
families in the province are sending their children to
madrassas in Afghanistan/Pakistan, and that the GoA usually
has little insight into what is happening in those schools.
Agriculture, which constitutes 70% of the Wardak economy, is
his next highest priority. Naeemi touted his achievements in
combating poppy cultivation, claiming that Wardak province
had become "poppy free" in 2006. He also said he had made
significant in-roads in collecting illegal weapons. Noting
that he has been Governor since March 2005, Naeemi said that
he had worked hard to establish and maintain a dialogue with
all parts of the society in Wardak, including families with
relatives in or associated with the Taliban and other
insurgent groups. He praised the GoA's Peace and
Reconciliation Program ("Programe Tahkim-e Solh": PTS),
saying that, until the program was created, many Afghan
families were divided.


6. (C/REL ISAF) Naeemi said he receives little support from
GoA ministries in Kabul, but acknowledged that there are
limits to the GoA's capacity to help the provinces. He
reported that the district judge for Meydan Shahr (Provincial
capital of Wardak) has no office facilities in the district,
and must therefore commute from Kabul, while earning only $70
per month -- "how do I tell him to be a good judge?" Naeemi
said he had raised this problem with Chief Supreme Court
Justice Azimi, who was sympathetic, but said he had no funds
with which he could assist.

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SECURITY ASSISTANCE: KMTC, CTC, ROL
--------------


7. (SBU) At the Kabul Military Training Center (KMTC),
StaffDel Grove received an overview of ongoing Afghan
National Army (ANA) training programs. Over the past year,
the KMTC has expanded its training volume to approximately
2,000 recruits per month, and has diversified its course
offerings to include individual and collective advanced
training. A Training Assistance Group comprised of military
trainers from the United States and seven partner nations,
under the leadership of the Combined Security Transition
Command - Afghanistan (CSTC-A),provides support for the
KMTC. The goal shared by CSTC-A and the MOD is to develop
the KMTC into a self-sustaining Afghan institution.


8. (SBU) At the Central Training Center (CTC) for ANP,
StaffDel Grove received briefings from DynCorp police
trainers regarding the 8-week basic and advanced courses
provided to ANP recruits and officers. The DynCorp trainers
emphasized the importance of promoting ANP training standards
across Afghanistan, and the need to develop further the MOI's
capacity to support ANP training and professional development.


9. (SBU) A theme that emerged in a number of StaffDel Grove's
meetings was the importance of developing the Rule of Law
system in Afghanistan, in order to buttress ongoing efforts
to professionalize the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF)
-- particularly the ANP. Mr. Grove commented that
international assistance focused specifically on
strengthening the capacities and roles of the Afghan
judiciary and prosecutors would provide a much needed
framework within which the ANP could perform law enforcement
duties. He observed that it is useful to view this dimension
of the Rule of Law issue as an essential component of the

security assistance effort.

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DEVELOPMENT/RECONSTRUCTION ASSISTANCE
--------------


10. (U) Ms. Gordon and a USAID Mission representative visited
two USAID-funded projects in Kabul. She received a briefing
on the International Organization for Migration's Civilian
Assistance Program ("Leahy Initiative") and visited one of
the project's field activities where she me a beneficiary who
has received vocational training and equipment to begin a new
small business. Ms. Gordon also visited a civil service
training center where some Afghan civil servants are
receiving training in public administration as part of
USAID's Afghan Building Capacity Project.

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AFGHAN REFUGEES
--------------


11. (SBU) The future of Afghan refugees still living in
Pakistan was addressed in the context of meetings with
Embassy senior staff. Mr. Grove suggested that the USG start
considering whether additional funding may be necessary to be
prepared to provide proper assistance to Afghan refugees, if
the government of Pakistan moves forward with its stated
intention of closing the Afghan refugee camps on its
territory.
NEUMANN