JAPANESE SRAP FOLLOWS UP ON FODP AND IDPS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 001662

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EFIN EINV EAID PGOV PREL PREF PK
SUBJECT: JAPANESE SRAP FOLLOWS UP ON FODP AND IDPS


1. (SBU) Summary. In a July 17 meeting with the Ambassador, Japan's
Special Representative for Assistance to Pakistan and Afghanistan
Yoshikawa revealed that Spain and Kuwait have allegedly withdrawn
their pledges from the Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FODP)
conference in Tokyo. He also commented that there exists a
disconnect between what the Government of Pakistan (GOP) expects
from donors and what it is likely to get. Yoshikawa remarked that
the next significant meeting on Pakistan should not be held until
the Afghan elections have been successfully completed. While in
Lahore, Yoshikawa met with Nawaz Sharif and lauded Sharif's decision
not to criticize the government's efforts to help internally
displaced persons (IDPs). End Summary.

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FRIENDS OF DEMOCRATIC PAKISTAN
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2. (SBU) On July 17, the Ambassador and DCM met with Japan's Special
Representative for Assistance to Pakistan and Afghanistan Yoshikawa;
Kenichi Masamoto, Political Counselor, Embassy of Japan; and Yukio
Suzuki, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.


3. (SBU) As co-host of the FODP meeting in Tokyo on April 17,
Yoshikawa believes that Japan has a "special responsibility" to
ensure the FODP's success. He met with Minister of State for
Economic Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar to get an update on donors'
contributions and to better understand the GOP process. He was
worried the recent IDP crisis in Pakistan has distracted donors and
the GOP alike. Yoshikawa said Japan should donate additional funds
to assist IDPs but admitted it is politically difficult to do so.


4. (SBU) Yoshikawa was impressed by an Economic Affairs Division
(EAD) matrix of donor countries, which contains pledge amounts and
timetables for disbursement, as well as the GOP strategy on how to
spend each country's pledge. Yoshikawa said the matrix indicated
that Kuwait (USD 49.1 million pledge) and Spain (USD 26.43 million)
have withdrawn their pledges. The Ambassador expressed surprise
since Spain had lobbied so hard to join the FODP (Note: EconOff
confirmed with EAD that neither Kuwait nor Spain will disburse their
pledges. End Note).


5. (SBU) Despite the informative matrix, however, Yoshikawa said
there is a "concept gap" in the minds of GOP officials. They want a
quick disbursement of funds from the Friends and have already added
the pledged money into the GOP budget as if they were going to get
all of the money at once. The Ambassador explained how donor
coordination by the GOP is poor and that there is no GOP staff to
follow up. Yoshikawa remarked that the GOP views the FODP as a
short-term fiscal fix rather than the medium to long-term
development assistance originally envisioned.

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JAPAN COMMITTED TO IDPS
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6. (SBU) Building on the joint statement of support from the June
G-8 Summit in Trieste, Yoshikawa said his visit was also intended to
emphasize to the GOP that the Government of Japan is committed to
assisting IDPs. He commented that the Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA) has been working well with GOP point
person for IDP relief Lieutenant General (retd) Nadeem Ahmad of the
Special Services Group. He added that the GOP needed to ensure not
only the physical security of IDPs but also to assist them in
achieving economic sustainability. The Ambassador said the UN
should put a humanitarian coordinator in Pakistan and endorsed
Jean-Maurice Ripert. Yoshikawa said he met with the Sharifs in
Lahore and commended Nawaz Sharif's decision to support the GOP's
efforts in helping the IDPs rather than taking the opportunity to
criticize the government.

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TOO MANY EVENTS?
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7. (SBU) Yoshikawa is concerned about donor fatigue and said he is
worried that there are too many upcoming meetings with the same
participants and similar agendas. For example, he said the Italians
would like to follow up the G-8 Trieste conference with an event in
Italy on September 24. France has appointed a new Special
Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan who would like to host an
event on September 2 in Paris; French Foreign Minister Kouchner will
reportedly attend. Yoshikawa said he would be amenable to
postponing the September FODP meeting in Turkey until November. He
believes that no meetings should be held until the Afghan elections
have been successfully completed.

PATTERSON