FATA PROGRAM UPDATE AS OF MAY 30, 2008

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 002068



SENSITIVE

SIPDIS



E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: PGOV, PREL, EAID, MASS, SNAR, PK

SUBJ: FATA PROGRAM UPDATE AS OF MAY 30, 2008



REF: ISLAMABAD 2000



1. (U) Following is a summary of U.S. Mission Islamabad's

activities in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA)

along its northwest border with Afghanistan as of May 30, 2008.



General activities

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2. (SBU) The GOP has approved Narcotics Affairs Section (NAS) to

begin construction of a bridge across the Kabul River. Construction

will cost approximately USD 6 million. Centcom's surgeon looked at

medical training for Warsak, and will likely fund four all-terrain

mobile ambulances. Ministry of Interior (MOI) Advisor has requested

funding for the Khassadars to use them for community watch

activities. The UK will hold a conference June 9-13 on Balochistan,

and the next round of civil-military relations training is scheduled

for the same dates. A vocational scholarship program serving

thousands of students is set to begin in September. USAID extended

its maternal and child HEALTH project to Swat.



Peshawar Update

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3. (SBU) National Assembly member (MNA) Asfandyar Wali Khan (ANP)

told Peshawar's Principal Officer that he would like to defer U.S.

assistance in Swat for now. There is a Pakistan government

assistance program that will be implemented shortly. Wali Khan's

preference was that the GOP package should come in before donor

assistance. (Note: We seem to be getting mixed messages from the

elected leadership and the NWFP bureaucracy on interest in U.S.

assistance for Swat. Post is working on de-conflicting these

messages. End Note.) The Media and Information Support Team (MIST)

is beginning to consult with Consulate FTI, USAID, PAS and RSO

offices on the potential to fund and support outreach in the

Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) and FATA.



Meeting with the NWFP Governor

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4. (SBU) NAS Senior Advisor and Principal Officer Peshawar met with

NWFP Governor Ghani on May 29 and briefed him on NAS programs in the

FATA. Ghani re-affirmed strong support for the Levy Training Center

and agreed to push hard on getting a security boundary wall in place

around the center which is still under construction.



Equipment Handover

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5. (SBU) NAS with PO Peshawar handed over USD 40,000 in surplus

office equipment and old Embassy radios to NWFP police. Based on

urgent commodity needs, NAS is preparing an additional USD 1 million

package for the NWFP police to consist of vehicles and motorcycles.







Levy Training

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6. (SBU) Levy training at the Pearl Continental (PC) in Peshawar is

underway and has been well received. After this five-week course in

the PC, training will be conducted at the National Police Academy

facility in Islamabad. This five-week training will be repeated

four times, with the most promising students given additional

instruction to become trainers.



University Student Exchange Program

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7. (SBU) AID is preparing a USD 400,000 pilot program for exchange

visits to the U.S. for FATA high school and university students

within the framework of the FATA Livelihoods Development Program.

The first exchanges will begin this fall. Students will spend eight

weeks in the U.S., including ONE week in Washington DC with the

remaining time visiting educational institutions and with host

families. The students will meet with Congress while in Washington.

As many as 100 students per year will eventually be selected for

this program.



Patterson