Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08LONDON1552
2008-06-04 15:47:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy London
Cable title:  

EDELMAN AND MOD HOLD PAKISTAN ROUNDTABLE

Tags:  PREL PTER MARR PINS PK UK 
pdf how-to read a cable
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 001552 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2018
TAGS: PREL PTER MARR PINS PK UK
SUBJECT: EDELMAN AND MOD HOLD PAKISTAN ROUNDTABLE
DISCUSSION, MAY 30

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Maura Connelly, reasons 1.4
(b/d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 001552

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2018
TAGS: PREL PTER MARR PINS PK UK
SUBJECT: EDELMAN AND MOD HOLD PAKISTAN ROUNDTABLE
DISCUSSION, MAY 30

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Maura Connelly, reasons 1.4
(b/d).


1. (C) Summary. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Eric
Edelman, UK counterpart Ministry of Defense Policy Director
Desmond Bowen, and their staffs held a wide-ranging
roundtable discussion on Pakistan May 30. (Participants in
para 6.) Bowen described Pakistan as "vital strategic
ground," and the UK MOD plans to continue its work with the
Pakistani military despite Pakistani hesitation. Although
political engagement is complicated by President Musharraf's
tenuous position, Pakistani ownership of its own internal
fundamentalist threat is crucial, and the army needs to build
its counter-terrorism capacity, even if its focus remains on
India. Both the U.S. and UK agreed the Security and
Development Plan (SDP) is the way forward. End summary.

"Vital Strategic Ground"
--------------

2. (C) In a wide-ranging roundtable discussion on May 30,
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Eric Edelman, UK
counterpart Ministry of Defense Policy Director Desmond
Bowen, and their staffs discussed their current engagement
and strategies in Pakistan. (Full list of participants in
para 6.) After Edelman outlined current U.S. thinking on
Pakistan, Bowen described Pakistan as "vital strategic
ground" for the UK, both for Pakistan's influence in the
region and on the nearly one million Britons of Pakistani
descent. Bowen outlined the MOD's four aims for Pakistan: 1)
a partner in counter-terrorism; 2) economic
self-sustainability, including food security and
infrastructure development; 3) putting the Pakistani military
"in the right place" as a force of stability; and, 4) a
strong partner in democracy.

Difficulties with Engagement
--------------

3. (C) Edelman and Bowen agreed that there has been
significant Pakistani push-back to receiving support from the
West, especially since such partnerships had little popular
support and the Pakistani leadership questioned the U.S. and
UK would commit to sustained support. Pakistan has also not
realized that it has a serious internal problem, especially

in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA),with
Islamic fundamentalists and potential insurgents. The
Pakistani military lacks counter-insurgency (COIN) capability
and remains, both strategically and philosophically, focused
on India. Understanding the different timelines for progress
between the West and Pakistan, the UK noted that the
Pakistanis largely perceive the fighting in the Northeast as
a "Western war" and they would prefer to focus on India --
"their cold war."


4. (C) In describing its experiences with on-going COIN
training, the UK said the Pakistani army should re-structure
in light of its new and changing internal threats, but "all
talk of transformation falls on deaf ears." The challenge is
how to allow the Pakistani military to maintain focus on
India, while making the army COIN capable. The Frontier
Corps is the Pakistani-designated method of dealing with the
problems in the FATA. The UK is trying to work within that
framework, limited as it may be, to preserve and build
Pakistani buy-in. The Frontier Corps has great intel
potential and should be able to develop a basic
command-and-control operation. Continuing work with the
Frontier Corps concurrently with the Security and Development
Plan (SDP) is the way to move forward and garner Pakistani
support. The UK "has not gone soft on either, but recognizes
it is deep sand."

"Enduring Engagement"
--------------

5. (C) In spite of the difficulties, the UK plans to continue
efforts to build connections between the UK and Pakistani
armies, which is a central institution for national
stability. Bowen agreed there is "a shared sense of
strategic ground even if there is frustration in dealing with
it." He said, between the U.S. and the UK, "we have all the
right elements, but we have not gotten all together yet."
U.S.-UK "enduring engagement" is critical, especially as the
SDP moves forward as the centerpiece of engagement with
Pakistan.

LONDON 00001552 002 OF 002




6. (C) Edelman was joined by Deputy Assistant Secretary of
Defense for Central Asia Bobby Wilkes, Central Command J5
Major General Robert Allardice, Office of the Secretary of
Defense UK Desk Officer Chris Beecroft, Military Assistant to
the Under Secretary Colonel Tracy Warren, and poloff. Bowen
was joined by Pakistan Strategy Unit Strategic Planner
Captain Rupert Wallace, PDRS Lieutenant Colonel John White,
CT and UKOps-Ad Ops 1 Colonel Simon Marr, PJHQ J5 Plans
Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Bazeley, FCO Pakistan Team Leader
Laura Hickey, and Bowen's Private Secretary Pete Thomas.


7. (U) Under Secretary Edelman cleared this cable.
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