ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY SCHWEICH BRIEFS FRENCH

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 004314

SIPDIS

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SIPDIS

PLEASE PASS TO INL FOR DANIEL WEISFIELD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2017
TAGS: PREL FR MARR MOPS PINS SNAR AF
SUBJECT: ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY SCHWEICH BRIEFS FRENCH
MFA ON U.S. COUNTERNARCOTICS STRATEGY IN AFGHANISTAN


Classified By: POL M/C JOSIAH ROSENBLATT FOR REASONS 1.4(B) and (D)


1. (C) On October 10, Acting Assistant Secretary for
International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)
Thomas Schweich briefed French officials on the 2007 U.S.
Counternarcotics Strategy for Afghanistan. Ambassador
Jean-Pierre Vidon, Ambassador for the Fight Against Organized
Crime, and Jean-Hughes Simon-Michel, PDAS equivalent for
Strategic, Security and Disarmament Affairs, responded
favorably to the U.S. strategy.


2. (C) After Schweich concluded his initial briefing (in
French),the French emphasized that drug-related corruption
undermines every effort of the international community in
Afghanistan. They sought the U.S. view of President Hamid
Karzai, Balkh,s Governor Atta, and Deputy Minister of the
Interior for Counternarcotics Dawood Daoud. Acknowledging
that they do not understand Governor Atta's intentions, the
French expressed concern over his character and past
dealings. The French also asked for U.S. insights into
Karzai,s commitment to the counternarcotics mission.
Schweich recounted the strong anti-poppy statements made by
President Karzai at Afghanistan,s third annual National
Counternarcotics Conference in Kabul this August. Schweich
also noted Afghan First Vice President Ahmad Zia Massood,s
recent statements indicating that President Karzai may not
have the political capital needed to control the poppy
problem in the Pashtun-dominated south of the country, the
region which comprises part of Karzai,s electoral base.


3. (C) Seeking clarification on the U.S.,s call for more
robust ISAF engagement on counternarcotics, the French asked
if the U.S. would be proposing changes to the ISAF Operations
Plan. Schweich assured them that this is not currently the
case. Agreeing that local-level engagement is critical in
order to push farmers away from poppy cultivation, the French
asked Schweich about the Afghan response to U.S. initiatives.
Schweich explained the U.S./UK Good Performers Initiative in
greater detail and indicated that the Afghan response has
largely been favorable, particularly in the northern
provinces. Simon-Michel asked about Afghan public sentiment
and about the GOA,s internal dialogue on eradication, and
pointed out that the international community should, in one
sense, look forward to bad news: increasing governmental and
popular dissension within Afghanistan will indicate that
counternarcotics efforts are become increasingly effective.


4. (SBU) Acting A/S Schweich cleared this message.

Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm


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