CONCLUSIONS OF AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN STRATEGIC

UNCLAS BERN 000136 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/A (T.REOTT) AND EUR/CE (Y.SAINT-ANDRE) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS EAID PTER PGOV PK AF SZ SUBJECT: CONCLUSIONS OF AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN STRATEGIC REVIEW REF: A. STATE 29482 ¶B. BERN 120 ¶C. STATE 24422 ¶D. STATE 24367 -------------- USG WHITE PAPER -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Poloff provided a copy of the White Paper in reftel A on March 27 to Pierre-Yves Fux, Senior Regional Coordinator for Southern Asia at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). Fux appreciated the information, which he said was timely, not only with regard to the upcoming international conferences on Afghanistan (The Hague) and Pakistan (Tokyo),but because Swiss development assistance authorities currently are reviewing GOS assistance to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Fux said that the Swiss Development Corporation's (SDC) Deputy for Global Cooperation, Joerg Frieden, will visit Islamabad and Kabul the week of March 30 to review SDC development assistance programs in both countries. Fux remarked that Frieden will be the most senior SDC official to visit Kabul in years. With regard to the conclusions of the USG's strategic review of Afghanistan-Pakistan, Fux said that Switzerland is in complete agreement that al Qaeda and the instability in the region are a threat to the entire international community. In reviewing the various agenda items, Fux commented that Switzerland tends to look for innovative ways to contribute to conflict resolution. In that context, he took note of the White Paper's reference to efforts to integrate reconcilable insurgents. -------------- AFGHANISTAN -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Fux said that the SDC Director, Ambassador Martin Dahinden, will lead the Swiss delegation to the March 31 international conference on Afghanistan in The Hague (reftel C). He said that Switzerland would plan to "confirm its commitments" to Afghanistan at the conference. With regard to Swiss bilateral assistance to Afghanistan, Fux said that the Swiss MOD had obtained approval to provide CHF 1.2 million (USD 1.1 million) in excess medical equipment to the Afghan National Security Forces. He said that Switzerland was still working on a project to assist with Border Management training on the Afghan-Tajik border, though that effort had gotten somewhat bogged down. He also mentioned that Switzerland remains interested in projects focused on the training of Afghan police women. Fux underlined that Switzerland is seeking to use its limited resources in Afghanistan (CHF 15-20/USD 13-18 million per year) in the most meaningful ways possible. (Note: The Swiss have increased their staffing at their embassy in Kabul over the last year, from three to five Swiss nationals; approximately 20 Afghan nationals also work at the embassy. End Note) -------------- PAKISTAN -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Fux said that he expected that the Swiss delegation to the April 17 Pakistan donors' conference (reftel D) would be led by Ambassador Pierre Combernous, the FDFA's Head of the Asia and Oceania Division, though Fux emphasized that a final decision had not yet been made (and the conference hosts had not yet been informed). He said that FM Calmy-Rey was scheduled to travel to Africa around the time of the Tokyo conference, and that FDFA State Secretary Ambuehl would therefore have to remain in Bern. Fux said that, although Switzerland is not a member of the "Friends of Democratic Pakistan" group, the Swiss delegation planned to participate in the group's Tokyo meeting (on the margins of the donor conference) in "observer" status. He remarked that Switzerland has had a 40-year development assistance relationship with Pakistan, and that Pakistan remains a "priority country" for Swiss development assistance until ¶2012. While noting that the GOS had made a decision to draw down its program in Pakistan (reftel C),Fux suggested that the FDFA was giving some consideration to how to make the most of available Swiss resources for Pakistan until that time and, perhaps, beyond. (Note: Swiss development assistance to Pakistan is approximately CHF 20 million/USD 18 million per year. End Note) CARTER