AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN POLICY REVIEW: AUSTRALIAN NSA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CANBERRA 000178 SIPDIS STATE FOR SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE HOLBROOKE STATE ALSO FOR SCA/A T.REOTT, EUR/PRM A.COPE AND EAP NSC FOR GEN. JAMES JONES DOD/OSD ALSO FOR UNDER SECRETARY FLOURNOY E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/20/2019 TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR AS SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN POLICY REVIEW: AUSTRALIAN NSA LEWIS TRAVEL TO WASHINGTON REF: A. CANBERRA 166 ¶B. STATE 15623 ¶C. STATE 14097 ¶D. CANBERRA 156 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Daniel A. Clune. Reasons: 1.4(a)(b)(d) . ¶1. (C) At the direction of Prime Minister Rudd, National Security Adviser Duncan Lewis plans to visit Washington the week of March 2 with instructions to personally deliver Australia's submission to the Afghanistan-Pakistan review by weeks's end, as indicated in Ref A. Embassy recommends Department assist in requesting calls on Gen. Jones, Bruce Reidel, Special Representative Holbrooke and Under Secretary Flournoy. The text of a February 20 letter from Lewis to the Charge confirming that Australia will contribute to the review and flagging Lewis' plan to visit Washington is copied para 3 below. ¶2. (SBU) In the meantime, we have delivered the latest points on engaging Allies and partners on Afghanistan and Pakistan to the Office of the Prime Minister, staff of NSA Lewis, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and First Assistant Secretary for South and West Asia, Middle East and Africa in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. ¶3. (C) Following is the text of National Security Adviser Duncan Lewis' February 20 letter to the Charge: Begin text: CONFIDENTIAL Australian Government Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet National Security Adviser 20 February 2009 Mr. Dan Clune Charge d'Affaires Embassy of the United States of America Dear Dan: (re:) United States Policy Review of Afghanistan and Pakistan I write in relation to our meeting on Wednesday 18 February and the request you made on behalf of the United States Government that Australia contribute its views on the review of United States national security policy and strategy towards Afghanistan and Pakistan. As I foreshadowed in our meeting, the Australian Government will provide a submission to the United States Government that endeavours to outline our views on the goals we should collectively seek with regard to Afghanistan and Pakistan, priorities we should set, strategies for achieving those priorities, actions we will need to tak and any associated resources. Indeed, in speaking to the Prime Minister on Wednesday afternoon, he registered his strong support for an Australian contribution to the policy review, asking that I personally deliver our submission to Washington by the end of the week beginning 2 March 2009. Should you wish to discuss the issue further, please do not hesitate to call me. Yours sincerely, /s/ Duncan Lewis CANBERRA 00000178 002 OF 002 End text. Clune 2.