INTERNATIONAL LEADERS FLOCK TO ISLAMABAD

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 ISLAMABAD 001719

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/30/2018
TAGS: PGOV PK PREL PTER AF CH EAID IN MY EU
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL LEADERS FLOCK TO ISLAMABAD

REF: A. ISLAMABAD 1699

B. ISLAMABAD 1684

Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)


1. (C) Summary: In the past few weeks, international leaders
have been streaming into Pakistan to meet the newly elected
government. They included UK Foreign Secretary Miliband, the
Chinese FM Jiechi, Turkish FM Babacan, EU Foreign Policy
Chief Solana, Afghanistan FM Spatna, Malaysian FM Yatim,
Indian Oil Minister Murli Deora and Iranian President
Ahmadinijad. Indian External Affairs Minister Parnab
Mukherjee is due in Islamabad on May 21 to conclude the 4th
Round of the Indo-Pak Composite Dialogue. End summary.

UK's Miliband
--------------


2. (C) UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband visited April
20-22. According to the UK Embassy, Miliband found Musharraf
to be disengaged from politics and PM Gillani overwhelmed by
his new duties. The UK was impressed by FM Qureshi's grasp
of his portfolio so far. The most interesting event was a
dinner with both Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Co-Chair Asif
Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Nawaz Sharif.
Sharif reportedly was reluctant to go to the UK residence but
changed his mind when told Zardari had already accepted the
invitation. Atmospherics between Zardari and Nawaz were
reportedly good, except on the issue of restoring the deposed
judiciary, where there was noticeable tension. Miliband also
met in Peshawar with a wide range of officials, including
Governor Ghani (who focused on military strategy) and Awami
National Party leader Asfundyar Wali Khan.


3. (C) Despite some headlines indicating the UK supported
negotiations with the Taliban, Miliband stuck to a
counter-terrorism position close to that of the USG--the need
for a multi-pronged political/developmental/security approach
and reconciliation with those who are willing to be
reconciled. He stressed: "Reconciliation does not mean
creating a safe space for terrorists. Reconciliation means
dividing those ideologically committed to waging war...from
those who are able to play by the constitutional rules..."
Privately, the UK Embassy reported that Miliband warned
Asfundyar reconciliation that merely pushed terrorists back
across the Afghan border was not helpful; neither Pakistan
nor Afghanistan could afford to continue this game of
"ping-pong."


4. (C) The GOP asked the UK for increased assistance on
education, health and police training. The UK is exploring
ways to help improve the distribution of food to eliminate
waste and mismanagement. Miliband raised UK opposition to
releasing A.Q. Khan; Miliband's sense was that Nawaz wanted
to improve Khan's situation in some way. Miliband also urged
the GOP to agree to begin negotiations on the Fissile
Material Cutoff Treaty; like us, they were rebuffed.

Pak/China Visits
--------------


5. (C) MFA China Director Arshad Jan Pathan, who accompanied
President Musharraf on his April 10-15 trip to China,
described the visit as relatively low key. Musharraf signed
8-10 agreements focused on education, sports and cultural
exchanges, and renewed pledges to increase bilateral trade
from $6.5 billion to $15 billion by 2010. Musharraf asked
the Chinese to begin work on a feasibility study for rail
links from the border down to the Chinese-built port of
Gwadar on the Arabian Sea, and there was discussion of
expanding fiber optic links as well. Overall, Pathan said
China provides project assistance only, not cash. The usual
formula is for Pakistan to provide a feasibility study; the
Chinese respond with a project implemented by a Chinese
company with Chinese labor.


6. (C) Pathan reported that through their Joint Economic
Committee, the Chinese were engaged on several feasibility

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studies of wind, hydro and thermal power; this was part of
their joint five-year development framework agreement. He
denied the Chinese were building a new power plant but said
that work on the C-2 Chashma power plant would be completed
next year; Pathan added, "this is not a nuclear power plant."
FM Jiechi told the press April 25 that China was interested
in possibly participating in the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline
project; Pathan dismissed this as speculation.


7. (SBU) During his visit to China, Musharraf spoke at the
Boao Forum for Asia. He called for the two countries to
remove trade barriers and share expertise--involving both the
private and public sectors--on environmental and energy
efficiency.


8. (C) Pathan confirmed Musharraf discussed ongoing defense
cooperation, including the launch of four F22P frigates in
Shanghai during his visit to China. Without providing
details, Pathan said joint production of JF-17 fighter
aircraft and refurbished Al Khalid tanks were also discussed.


9. (C) In a first-ever visit of a Pakistani President to the
Xinjiang border province, Musharraf discussed
expansion/upgrades to the Karakorum highway that links the
two countries. Pathan denied press reports that the Chinese
asked Musharraf for assistance in combating Islamic terrorism
in the province.


10. (SBU) During his visit, Musharraf reiterated his full
support for the "One China Policy," which details the return
of Taiwan to the mainland and the rejection of secessionism,
separatism, and terrorism. Musharraf also restated his
position that Tibet is a part of China and should be handled
by Beijing as an internal affair, free from foreign
interference.


11. (C) Pathan said the topic of terrorism arose during the
April 25-26 follow-on visit of Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi
to Islamabad. This visit, said Pathan, was prescheduled and
was not connected to Musharraf's trip. At the conclusion of
the visit, Jiechi thanked Foreign Minister Qureshi for
Pakistan's "valuable support" in effectively dealing with the
East Turkestan Islamic Movement and the Xinjian-based Uighur
separatist movement. Pathan said the Pakistani and Chinese
Ministries of Interior had held talks on terrorism and
reviewed the special committee established by Islamabad to
provide increased security for Chinese workers in Pakistan.
Qureshi reportedly agreed to buy unspecified anti-terrorism
equipment from China.

Turkey's Babacan
--------------


12. (SBU) Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan visited April
19-22. During a meeting with Foreign Minister Qureshi,
Babacan discussed defense co-production and pledged to
enhance trade relations by increasing bilateral trade to $1
billion within two years. After their meeting, both
counterparts gave a press conference announcing their
"complete consensus on every issue." Babacan emphasized
Turkey's "solidarity" with Pakistan and their support for
Pakistan on the Kashmir issue.


13. (SBU) Qureshi and Babacan agreed to continue strategic
dialogue at the foreign minister level. The Pakistan-Turkey
Joint Working Group is scheduled to meet in May and will be
followed by a second Pakistan-Afghanistan-Turkey tri-partite
summit, intended to reduce tension between Pakistan and
Afghanistan. During his visit, Babacan also met with
President Musharraf, Prime Minister Gillani, and PPP co-chair
Asif Zardari.


14. (SBU) On April 21 the Pakistani and Turkish Air Forces
began a 10-day joint military exercise called "Indus Viper."
Turkey provided five F-16 aircraft and 50 airmen for the
exercise.

EU's Solana

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--------------


15. (SBU) In a first-ever visit by the EU's Foreign Policy
Chief, Javier Solana visited April 22. Solana promoted
closer cooperation between the EU and Pakistan's new
government, with emphasis on Pakistan's economic development
and regional peace and stability. Solana said the EU
supported reconciliation efforts with militants but
emphasized the EU would not accept talks with Al Qaeda.
Solana also told local press President Musharraf would retain
his position until he retires. During his visit, Solana met
with President Musharraf, Prime Minister Gillani, Foreign
Minister Qureshi, Zardari, Sharif, and Asfundyar Wali Khan.
(Note: Post increasingly is hearing reports that, following
the return of civilian rule to Pakistan, EU interest in
development and military assistance is growing. Our
challenge will be to coordinate efforts to avoid duplicative
project aid. End Note.)

Afghanistan's Spanta
--------------


16. (SBU) Afghan Foreign Minister Dr. Rangin Dadfar Spanta
visited April 22-24. On April 23, Spanta met with FM Qureshi
to discuss counterterrorism, dialogue with militants,
economic cooperation, counter-narcotics, and the repatriation
of Afghan refugees. The Ministers also agreed to hold the
Third Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on
Afghanistan.


17. (SBU) Spanta and Qureshi expressed mutual satisfaction
with the results of the August 2007 Joint Peace Jirga and
decided the process should be reinvigorated, resulting in a
second Joint Peace Jirga. Qureshi promised Spanta Pakistan
would soon nominate members to sit on the bilateral Jirga
Board. (Note: One of the key recommendations from the August
2007 Peace Jirga was the formation of a jirga board
consisting of 25 prominent members from each country to
expedite implementation of jirga recommendations and
facilitate the next jirga. Afghanistan had nominated members
but Pakistan had not finalized a list of members because of
the domestic political situation. End Note.) During his
visit, Spanta also met with President Musharraf, Prime
Minister Gillani, and National Assembly Speaker Fahmida
Mirza.

Malaysia's Yatim
--------------


18. (SBU) Malaysia's Foreign Minister, H.E. Dr. Rais Yatim,
on April 19 discussed increasing bilateral trade and
welcoming Pakistan back into the Commonwealth. (Note:
Pakistan was suspended from the Commonwealth November 27
following Musharraf's declaration of a state of emergency.
End Note.) Yatim told FM Qureshi that Malaysia, which is the
acting chair of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group
(CMAG),believed Pakistan had fulfilled the basic conditions
for re-entry into the Commonwealth. (Note: A decision is
scheduled for May 12, 2008 during the next CMAG meeting in
London.)

Pipeline Talks
--------------


19. (SBU) Indian Oil Minister Murli Deora visited Islamabad
April 24-25 to discuss with Pakistan Petroleum Minister
Khawaja Muhammad Asif two cross-border gas pipeline
projects--the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI)
gas pipeline project and the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas
pipeline project. Deora will return to Pakistan in mid-May to
continue negotiations on the TAPI and IPI. Meetings between
the two energy ministers will be followed the same week by
talks concluding the 4th Round of the Pakistan/India
Composite Dialogue. (Note: Although this round of the
Composite Dialogue informally ended in November 2007, India
chose to delay the official conclusion until Pakistan elected
its new government. End Note.) Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv
Shankar Menon will travel to Islamabad on May 20 to meet with

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Pakistan's new Foreign Secretary, Salman Bashir, to review
the 4th Round's progress. On May 21, the Indian External
Affairs Minister Parnab Mukherjee will meet with Foreign
Minister Qureshi.


20. (C) See REF A for information on the visit of the Iranian
President and their talks on the same subject.
PATTERSON