PLEDGING AT THE PARIS SUPPORT CONFERENCE FOR

UNCLAS BERN 000246 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/A (L.FRESE) AND EUR/AGS (Y.SAINT-ANDRE) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN KDEM PGOV PREL AF SZ SUBJECT: PLEDGING AT THE PARIS SUPPORT CONFERENCE FOR AFGHANISTAN REF: A. STATE 44359 ¶B. BERN 192 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Poloff emphasized the message in reftel A in a May 9 meeting with MFA Senior Coordinator for South Asia Yves-Pierre Fux, highlighting the pressing need for election support; Fux's deputy, Agnes Christeler participated in the meeting. Fux explained that Switzerland made a five-year, CHF 100 million pledge of assistance to Afghanistan during the 2006 London conference. Thus, while the GOS has provided approximately CHF 20 million per year to Afghanistan since the London conference, Switzerland is still in the middle of implementing a major, multi-year pledge, none of which could be termed "new." Fux reported that the GOS does not foresee providing election assistance, though it will consider later this year whether Switzerland will send election observers. He said that, as part of an effort to strengthen its reconstruction assistance in Afghanistan, the GOS plans to increase its Swiss staff working at the Swiss liaison office in Kabul from three to four, and possibly to five later this year. End Summary. -------------- Pledging Amount and Approach -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Fux expressed no concern in principle with the approach to pledging outlined in reftel A. However, as a practical matter, he explained that Switzerland made a five-year, CHF 100 million pledge of assistance to Afghanistan during the 2006 London conference. Thus, while the GOS has provided approximately CHF 20 million per year to Afghanistan since the London conference, Switzerland is still in the middle of implementing a major, multi-year pledge, none of which could be termed "new." ¶3. (SBU) Fux said that Switzerland had budgeted CHF 15-16 million for Afghan reconstruction for the current year, but that this amount may rise closer to the pledged goal of CHF 20 million toward the end of the year as other funding becomes available, which has been the case in past years. He cautioned, however, that "food security" assistance globally had become a top priority for Swiss international assistance, in the wake of recent developments, suggesting this would make obtaining additional funds for Afghanistan this year more difficult than previously. -------------- Election Support -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Poloff emphasized the pressing need for election support, and urged the GOS to provide assistance in this area. Briefly reviewing Swiss assistance efforts in Afghanistan (reftel B),Fux said that the GOS was in the process of "consolidating" its support to Afghanistan in order to put it on a firm footing for the long-term. He said that the GOS does not foresee providing election assistance, though it will consider later this year whether Switzerland will send election observers. -------------- Swiss Diplomatic Presence in Afghanistan -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Fux said that, as part of an effort to strengthen its reconstruction assistance in Afghanistan, the GOS plans to increase its Swiss staff working at the Swiss liaison office in Kabul from three to four, and possibly to five later this year. He said that there are plans to add an additional Swiss staff member with expertise on human rights and democracy issues. A second additional Swiss staff member might also be added to coordinate GOS de-mining assistance. Fux said that the MFA currently does not have the resources to open a full embassy in Kabul. (Comment: Seeming to highlight the difficulty of implementing projects with limited presence on the ground in Afghanistan, Christeler reported that she had spent a week in February in Kabul, working with the German embassy and attempting to make headway on a cultural artifacts exhibit as part of an Afghan "national heritage" preservation project, but had encountered major difficulties in securing a suitable venue. End Comment) CONEWAY