CANADA SEEKS HIGH-LEVEL U.S. PARTICIPATION IN PRT

UNCLAS OTTAWA 001958 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE/PM FOR AMBASSADOR MULL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MOPS CA AF SUBJECT: CANADA SEEKS HIGH-LEVEL U.S. PARTICIPATION IN PRT CONFERENCE ¶1. (SBU) Please see action request in para. 4. ¶2. (SBU) On October 22, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) Afghanistan Task Force Operations Officer David Fairchild raised the upcoming November 25-27 PRT conference in Lithuania entitled "Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Afghanistan: Today and Beyond." (He explained that the Canadian and Lithuanian Embassies in Washington had sent a formal invitation letter to the State Department on October 22; Embassy will provide a copy to WHA/CAN.) Fairchild said DFAIT's new Assistant Deputy Minister responsible for Afghanistan, Yves Brodeur, would represent Canada at the meeting. Most of the 23 participating countries and IOs would likely have similarly high level representation, he noted, adding that NATO planned to send its Deputy SYG. ¶3. (SBU) Fairchild admitted that the timing of the conference was unfortunate in terms of senior U.S. representation, given the conflict with the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday. He nonetheless expressed Canada's hope that the U.S. would send a high-level official to participate in the meeting, suggesting PM Acting Assistant Secretary Stephen Mull. ¶4. (SBU) Action request: Please advise about U.S. participation in this worthwhile event. Visit our shared North American Partnership blog (Canada & Mexico) at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap WILKINS