AFGHANISTAN/COUNTERNARCOTICS: ENGAGING THE PARLIAMENTARY

UNCLAS KABUL 002111

DEPT FOR INL, INL/AP, SCA, AF

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR KCRM PREL AF
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN/COUNTERNARCOTICS: ENGAGING THE PARLIAMENTARY
CN CAUCUS


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On 25 July, the Afghan Parliamentary
Counternarcotics (CN) Caucus invited NAS Director to attend their
weekly meeting with the International Republican Institute (IRI).
This caucus, made up of members from seven members from both houses
of parliament, was briefed on current INL CN programs. They urged
more communication between parliament and the international donor
community and asked that they be considered for training and
conferences when available. Although an ad hoc gathering, with only
one member serving on a parliamentary CN committee, the caucus
presented an opportunity to educate a part of Afghanistan's elected
leaders on CN issues that has not heretofore engaged. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) The Afghan Parliamentary CN Caucus is an eleven member
caucus, consisting of members from both houses who have an interest
in CN issues; the caucus has been meeting weekly for nine months
under the mentorship of IRI. Of the members present on the 25th,
only Urfanullah Urfan, a MP from Kabul (Tajik) is on the Wolesi
Jirga Anti-narcotics Committee. He and the other members,
Burhanullah Shinwari and Babrak Shinwari from Nangarhar (Pashtun),
Azita Rafat from Baghis (Tajik),Ruqia Nial from Ghor (Hazara),
Mawlawi Sayed Rahman from Laghman (Pashtun),and Sahaillah Sharifi
from Khost (Pashtun),invited the NAS Director to the meeting to get
a better idea of the current INL programs in country and to discuss
the new CN strategy.


3. (SBU) During the meeting, they expressed their frustration with
the lack of information from the international community on the size
and scope of current CN programs. They also commented that there
was little in the way of parliamentary oversight of the Ministries
of Interior and Counternarcotics on the programs and that their
views and ideas were not being heard. NAS Director agreed that the
International Community should work to keep the Afghan Parliament
better informed. He offered a brief overview of INL programs to
include the Good Performer's Initiative (GPI),Counternarcotics
Advisory Teams and work with the Counternarcotics Police.


4. (SBU) The MPs emphasized their interest in being included in th
CN program development process and expressed skepticism of the
executive branch's sincerity with regards to CN issues or their
capacity to oversee the money. They pointed to the Counter Narcotics
Trust Fund (CNTF) and GPI as examples, claiming they had only seen
reports for $2M of the reported $39M in awards. NAS director
explained that the U.S. had stopped contributing funds to the CNTF
two years ago, but that GPI oversight mechanisms appear robust.


5. (SBU) The meeting concluded with a discussion of the new U.S. CN
strategy. NAS Director explained that the new strategy did not
represent a lessening of U.S. will but rather an increase in
resources, especially for agriculture assistance, public
information, demand reduction, and interdiction. The MPs expressed
satisfaction at this and noted that smuggling was a large problem
that needed urgent attention. They concluded by requesting that NAS
consider including MP CN caucus members when traveling to the
provinces for CN public information events or internationally to
conferences or trainings.


5. (SBU) COMMENT: While CN caucus members clearly appreciated the
NAS brief, many ofheir comments showed a need for better engagement
with the Afghan Parliament on CN issues. These interested
parliamentarians could prove an asset from a public information
perspective, especially now that the 2009 pre-planting campaign is
underway. The Embassy will continue to engage this group and work
on devising ways to incorporate them into PI portions of its
programs.

EIKENBERRY