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| Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08ISLAMABAD1611 | 2008-04-18 12:59:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Islamabad |
Cable title:
FATA IMPLEMENTATION UPDATE FOR 04/11/08
how-to|
1. (U) Below is a summary of U.S. Mission Islamabad's
activities in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) along its northwest border with Afghanistan during the past week up to April 11, 2008. Peshawar Update -------------------------- 2. (U) Javed Iqbal, former Additional Chief Secretary for the FATA Secretariat, has been named as Additional Chief Secretary for the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) Civil SIPDIS Secretariat. This is a positive development, as Iqbal can SIPDIS bring his experience to bear in the region. 3. (SBU) The FATA Secretariat has completed a draft proposal for a steering committee, which will serve as a coordinating body for Pakistani government agencies, donors, and assistance implementers. The proposal includes seats on the committee for security forces and the donor community. ROZ Implementation Update -------------------------- 4. (U) Deputy Econ Counselor met with the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) to discuss GOP coordination plans for Reconstruction Opportunity Zone (ROZ) implementation (septel). The GOP plans to provide incentives similar to its Economic Processing Zones, and has identified possible ROZ sites. The GOP ROZ working group has already engaged with the new Prime Minister to brief on the ROZ initiative. ODRP Activities -------------------------- 5. (U) Command of the U.S. training mission for the Frontier Corps has been fully transferred from Army Central Command (ARCENT) to Special Operations Command CENTCOM (SOCCENT). 6. (U) Construction of Warsak training center began 4 April and is expected to be completed by the end of September. Training was scheduled to start in late June. The 24 U.S. trainers and 6 U.K. trainers are willing to start training while living under field conditions since facilities will not be ready, however Frontier Corps officials are concerned about force protection for trainers and asked to delay until positive control measures over construction crews can be implemented and evaluated. Training will be delayed only by 30 days in order to preserve the momentum of this GWOT program; the new expected start date is in mid-July, by which time the Frontier Corps at Warsak should have smoothed any logistical issues that may have been caused by the extra manpower onsite for construction. 7. (U) The first Civil-Military Contact Group Program (carried out under the auspices of the Center for Civil-Military Relations of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California) was completed last month. Preparations will begin next week for the second phase of meetings, which are expected to take place in Peshawar in May. The civil side is already campaigning to make the next phase less academic and more pragmatic to produce an operational interface between the Army's 11th Corps and the NWFP Governor's FATA Secretariat. SIPDIS 8. (C) The first element of the Military Information Support Team (MIST) is expected to arrive by the end of April. Its first task will be to work with USAID contractors to improve the informational content and expand the FATA Secretariat's broadcasting capabilities. NAS Activities -------------------------- 9. (U) NAS road construction is proceeding at a solid pace in Kurram agency. The 11th Corps agreed to transfer $4 million slated for road construction in North and South Waziristan to a bridge on the Kabul River. NAS will begin drafting a memorandum of understanding for this bridge. The project is scheduled to begin in the fall. 10. (U) NAS is conducting its annual aerial poppy survey; ISLAMABAD 00001611 002 OF 002 eradication efforts are complicated as law enforcement agencies complain that they do not have adequate resources to dedicate to this activity given other pressing issues. PATTERSON |