Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08LONDON2961
2008-11-28 14:29:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy London
Cable title:
PAKISTAN: UK ON MID-DECEMBER DONORS CONFERENCE
VZCZCXRO1719 OO RUEHAG RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHLO #2961 3331429 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 281429Z NOV 08 FM AMEMBASSY LONDON TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0514 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI PRIORITY 0343 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 0815 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 1194 RUEHOR/AMEMBASSY GABORONE PRIORITY 0096 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 3321 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 2686 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 3782 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1191 RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 0655 RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 0879 RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN PRIORITY 0684 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 0762 RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM PRIORITY 0576 RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY 1431 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 1218 RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA PRIORITY 0872 RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA PRIORITY 0176 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 0562 RUEHMK/AMEMBASSY MANAMA PRIORITY 0144 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 0265 RUEHMS/AMEMBASSY MUSCAT PRIORITY 0095 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 0908 RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR PRIORITY 0196 RUEHKU/AMEMBASSY KUWAIT PRIORITY 0286 RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 0079 RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 0027 RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 0062 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 0344 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1311
C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 002961
SIPDIS
NOFORN
DEPART FOR SCA/PB (MARY TOWNSWICK)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2018
TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN IBRD IMF PK UK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN: UK ON MID-DECEMBER DONORS CONFERENCE
REF: STATE 124618
Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Jim Donegan, reasons 1.4 (b/d ).
C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 002961
SIPDIS
NOFORN
DEPART FOR SCA/PB (MARY TOWNSWICK)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2018
TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN IBRD IMF PK UK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN: UK ON MID-DECEMBER DONORS CONFERENCE
REF: STATE 124618
Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Jim Donegan, reasons 1.4 (b/d ).
1. (C/NF) The UK is generally on board with a donors conference on Pakistan, though there is some hesitation over the timing, according to FCO Pakistan Team Leader Laura Hickey. That said, it is likely that a UK Minister will attend. Both Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Development Secretary Douglas Alexander are considering attending. HMG is hesitating on the timing because it has no new money to offer. HMG will try to re-package its current assistance and thinks a donor conference will look like an empty gesture if the international community does not pledge substantial new money. On timing, Hickey suggested a donors conference might be an ideal way to spur on economic improvement if it occurred at the same time as the IMF's first quarterly review of the Pakistan program, which would also give donor countries time to prepare significant new packages of support. Hickey noted that it was clear from Miliband's November 25 visit that Pakistani expectations of the donor conference are very high (septel) and hoped that the USG would pledge enough new support to carry the conference's success. Absent new USG money, the success of the event would depend largely on non-traditional donors like China, Saudi Arabia, and other Arab nations.
2. (C/NF) Hickey said the UK Department for International Development (DFID) was keen for the conference: -- to give the Pakistanis a platform to explain what they would do to implement their IMF-endorsed economic reform program, thereby offsetting IMF concerns that the program will crumble in the first three months; -- to gather a credible package of support from international donors for the next two years. While international financial institutions are likely to fill most of the assistance gaps, it would be better for Pakistan to have grants and soft loans; and, -- to be set up under the existing Development Partners forum rather than the more political Friends Group, so the Government of Pakistan and the World Bank should be in the lead. Visit London's Classified Website: XXXXXXXXXXXX
TUTTLE
SIPDIS
NOFORN
DEPART FOR SCA/PB (MARY TOWNSWICK)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2018
TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN IBRD IMF PK UK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN: UK ON MID-DECEMBER DONORS CONFERENCE
REF: STATE 124618
Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Jim Donegan, reasons 1.4 (b/d ).
1. (C/NF) The UK is generally on board with a donors conference on Pakistan, though there is some hesitation over the timing, according to FCO Pakistan Team Leader Laura Hickey. That said, it is likely that a UK Minister will attend. Both Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Development Secretary Douglas Alexander are considering attending. HMG is hesitating on the timing because it has no new money to offer. HMG will try to re-package its current assistance and thinks a donor conference will look like an empty gesture if the international community does not pledge substantial new money. On timing, Hickey suggested a donors conference might be an ideal way to spur on economic improvement if it occurred at the same time as the IMF's first quarterly review of the Pakistan program, which would also give donor countries time to prepare significant new packages of support. Hickey noted that it was clear from Miliband's November 25 visit that Pakistani expectations of the donor conference are very high (septel) and hoped that the USG would pledge enough new support to carry the conference's success. Absent new USG money, the success of the event would depend largely on non-traditional donors like China, Saudi Arabia, and other Arab nations.
2. (C/NF) Hickey said the UK Department for International Development (DFID) was keen for the conference: -- to give the Pakistanis a platform to explain what they would do to implement their IMF-endorsed economic reform program, thereby offsetting IMF concerns that the program will crumble in the first three months; -- to gather a credible package of support from international donors for the next two years. While international financial institutions are likely to fill most of the assistance gaps, it would be better for Pakistan to have grants and soft loans; and, -- to be set up under the existing Development Partners forum rather than the more political Friends Group, so the Government of Pakistan and the World Bank should be in the lead. Visit London's Classified Website: XXXXXXXXXXXX
TUTTLE