Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08LONDON2961
2008-11-28 14:29:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy London
Cable title:  

PAKISTAN: UK ON MID-DECEMBER DONORS CONFERENCE

Tags:  EAID ECON EFIN IBRD IMF PK UK 
pdf how-to read a cable
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