AF: Japanese Interested in Funding Training of Afghan

UNCLAS KABUL 000814 SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/RA, SCA/A, EEB, EEB/ESC/IEC (GRIFFIN) DEPT PASS AID/ANE, OPIC DEPT PASS USTR FOR LILIENFELD AND KLEIN DEPT PASS OPIC FOR ZAHNISER DEPT PASS TDA FOR STEIN AND GREENIP CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76, POLAD, JICENT NSC FOR JWOOD TREASURY FOR ABAUKOL, BDAHL, AND MNUGENT MANILA PLEASE PASS ADB/USED PARIS FOR EMIN WINNICK AND POLMIN ROSENBLATT OSD FOR SHIVERS, SHINN COMMERCE FOR DEES, CHOPPIN, AND FONOVICH SIPDIS SENSTIVE NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION E.O. 12958 N/A TAGS: ECON EAID PGOV AF FR SUBJECT: AF: Japanese Interested in Funding Training of Afghan Police REF: NEGROPONTE - SASAE MEMCON -- ¶1. (SBU) On March 30 the Charge, accompanied by EconCouns, reviewed with visiting Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister Ken Sasae and Japanese Ambassador to Afghanistan Hideo Sato Japan's plans for assistance to Afghanistan. Sasae reaffirmed Japan's commitment to completing its portion of the Kandahar to Herat Ring Road, and acknowledged its symbolic and practical significance. He welcomed Kai Eide's appointment as the Senior Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) in Kabul, and was scheduled to see Eide later that day. ¶2. (SBU) In discussing the Afghanistan Support Conference in Paris, Sasae expressed special interest in the training of Afghan National Police (ANP),and implied that Japan would be making a contribution to the Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan (LOTFA) as part of its Paris pledge. Although Japanese police are not suited for training in Afghanistan, Japan is willing to provide both police equipment and specialized training of Afghans in Japan. Japan will send a police delegation to Kabul to better understand the ANP's needs, and would appreciate the assistance of the Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan (CSTC-A) in arranging their meetings. ¶3. (SBU) Sasae responded enthusiastically when the Charge offered to host a delegation of Japanese reporters to Afghanistan similar to the previous delegations from NATO countries. Sasae agreed that it is important to "get out the story of what is going right" in Afghanistan. DELL