AUSTRALIA DELAYS FUNDING DECISION ON AFGHAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L CANBERRA 001101 SENSITIVE NOFORN SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/ANP E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/30/2018 TAGS: MARR MCAP PREL AF AS SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA DELAYS FUNDING DECISION ON AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY EXPANSION REF: STATE 97592 Classified By: Political Counselor James F. Cole for reasons 1.4(a) and (d) ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 4 below. ¶2. (C/NF) Australia has postponed until early 2009 a decision on the U.S. request to provide US$85 million per year from 2010 to 2014 to fund the expansion of the Afghan National Army (ANA). Jon Merrill, Director, Afghanistan Section, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, indicated the delay stems mainly from a limited budget and off-cycle timing. Beyond the limited funds, however, the GOA is estimating what additional requests might be made to support Afghanistan under a new U.S. administration and how it might want to prioritize funding allocations. Merrill reaffirmed Australia's long-term commitment to Afghanistan, as well as the importance of growing and training the ANA and noted this is certainly within the scope of their priorities. ¶3. (C/NF) Merrill inquired about the contributions of other countries with an eye to fair share participation, as Defence Minister Fitzgibbon has often cited. Merrill indicated that a letter request from Secretary Gates to Defence Minister Fitzgibbon would provide additional support to deliberations within the government on the funding request. Finally, Merrill confirmed that they have sufficient information about the funding mechanism for these contributions. ¶4. (C/NF) ACTION REQUESTED: Embassy solicits information on other countries' contributions to ANA expansion, along with authorization to share this information with Australia. Embassy also flags for the Department's consideration the suggestion at DFAT working levels that a letter from Secretary Gates to Defence Minister Fitzgibbon may help generate a positive response. MCCALLUM